The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-20

in Washington than there are men,
 women, children and cattle in the city of Montgomery.
 But the fact that the resident of Wash ington is not allowed to vote in the dis trict does not relieve him of the ob- ligaion of paying a property tax. He
 does not pay a good-sized tax rate, but he pays on practically a full valuation of
 his property. If his home is worth s4OO0
 he pays on valuation of something more than $3500.
 A property. owner can only claim the
 ground which his house actually occu-
 pies. The parking and the yard in front
 of his residence. Ihough it may be part of the lot that .fhe has bought 7 is con-
 trolled by the district government. But
 he must keep up this strip of ground. If
 there is fence or a patch of grass the
 owner muTs provide them and keep them up.
 But 1 will add that the city assumes half the tax charge and puts it In street improvements in front or surrounding the property;
 There is another feature that will per- haps interest the people outside the dis- trict who are not familiar with the condi- tions here The district government which Is the United States government
 retains the right to condemn any property in the district for any purpose at any
 ltme. Though the property holder is safe here. He is always paid a fair price un- der condemnation proceedings, and there Is never any delay or squabbe over the settlement.
 When large blocks of land were con demned just north of the capitol for the building of the Union station many peo- pie expected to get large damages for property, and which was put below the lnew grade caused by filling in for the ap- breaches. | Large damages were paid to those who
 were really damaged, but others failed to get anything when it was shown that their property was greatly increased in value by reason of the bunulng of the Union station. Many people in this inn mediate section have been able to sell their property for thousands of dollars more than it was worth before the build ing of the depot. and even more than they had hoped to get in damages. One instance of this appreciation in value is very striking. A crippled orphan boy owned a small corner on North Cap itol street about one block from the depot It was cut off by livery stable and a mill. It was undesirable as it stood, and he made several futile attempts to dis pose of it for s2o00 The boy needed the | money and tried hard to sell. He had about, despaired of turning the property into cash when the condemnation pro- eeedings started for the depot proposition. His lot was not condemned. but it was, in his opinion, damaged by being sur rounded by high fill.
 But after the depot was started the mill and the livery stable moved to another section leaving his property open. He got an offer of 22,oOO and accepted it with a smile Notwithstanding the fact that taxes are high. that any property may be con- f1 al jt11o ,d tl,a to break up and leave his happy home and the further fact that he is deprived of the privilege of going around the cor ner to vote on an aldermanc vacancy, a prohibition question or bond issue every few months, Washington is a city of home owners. Clerks in the departments who have a |reasdnable cinch on their jobs, as we'll as many other workers of ordinary means. are buying homes. Many con- gressmen, senators and other high of- ficials of the government own homes here as well as cabinet members and others
 high up in the official family. Then there are any number of wealthy
 and professional people who have estab-
 lisled residence in Washington, even
 though they have homes in New York,
 Philadelphia Boston and other large
 cities. There is a distinctive social fas-
 cnation about cosmopolitan Washington
 to the man or women of fine taste polit-
 ical or other ambition.
 s Though the climate is nasty in both
 winter and sunimer, all this disagreeable-
 ness is overcome by the other features
 that appeal.
 It is claimed by many people who are
 widely travelled that Washington is the
 most beautiful and attractive city in the
 world, taking everything into considera-i
 ton. and it is coming to be more and
 more popular as residence for people
 who can afford it.