Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-17
CITIZENS TO OBJECT
Proposed Assessment for Ana
costa Park DisIiked.
DISCRIMINATION is CITED
Some Property Owners Would Be
Taxed. While Others
Escaped.

Opposition to the plan proposed for as
sessing adjoining property for benefits
from park improvements, or recon-
mendations for bringing about more
equitable application of that plan, will be
voiced by citizens associations of the
territory affected when the bill of Senator
Gallinger to condemn land along Ana
costa river for highway and park pur-
poses comes up for consideration in Con-
gress.
Preliminary plans for opposing the as
sessment feature of the bill were dis
cussed last night at a meeting held at
the residence of Evan Fl. Tucker, presi-
dent of the Northeast Washington Citi-
zens' Association. which was attended by
NJ /. Weller, chairman of the rivers
and harbors committee of the Board or
Trade; Albert Schulteis, of the Chamber
of Commerce, Capt. William M. Potter
Of the East Washington Citizens Asso-
citation, D. A. Edwards of the Lincoln
Park Association, DR.. E. ID. thompson
of the North Capitol and lexington AS
ISOLATION, Thomas w. Smith OF the East
Washington Association, Herman Biau
of the North Capitol and lexington AS
ISOLATION and w. ]. Frizzell of the
Northeast Washington Association.
Change Is Desired.
While the bill. as a whole. was In
dorsed. the representatives of the as
sociations decided that the assessment
provision should be changed. and ap-
pointed a committee to draw up an
amendment to that end. The committee
is composed of Messrs. Schulteis, Ed
wards and Evans. 1t is announced that
the committee will report back to the
associations representatives, and that.
later, arrangements will be made for a.
mass meeting Of members of the as
sociations, when plans will be formulat-
ed for carrying the fight against the
assessment feature of the bill to Con-
gress.
The assessment provision to which the
representatives of the citizens associa-
tons are opposed Is that defining the
boundary of property to be taxed Tor
benefits received from the building of the
proposed highway and parks along Ana
costa river The area, as defined In the
bill, is as follows:
beginning at the point where the high
water line of the Anacostia river inter-
sects the northeast boundary line
bia and the state of Maryland;
and running northwest along said
boundary line to a point where the SOUTH
erly building line of Rhode Island avenue
extended as projected would intersect said
boundary line; thence along said souther-
ly building line of Rhode Island avenue
to the easterly building line of New Jer-
sey avenue; thence following the easterly
building line of said New Jersey avenue
to the Anacostia river, at point where
said easterly building line If projected
would intersect the high-water line of
said Anacostia river; thence following the
high-water line of said Anacostia river in
a northeasterly direction to the easterly
side of the Anacostia bridge; thence ex-
tending along the easterly side of said
brid 70 ho h1li1d1np line OF
Nichols avenue; thence along said easter
ly building line of Nichols avenue and
the easterly building line of Giesboro
road to the point where said easteriy
building line of Giesboro road 1ntersects
the southeast boundary line between the
District of Columbia and the state OF
Maryland; thence along said southeast
boundary line in a northeast direction TO
the northeast boundary line between the
District of Columbia and the state OF
Maryland, and following said northeast
boundary line to the point of beginning
Cause of Objection.
According to statements made by sew
eral representatives at last nights
meeting, the proposed assessment plan
is such an inequitable one that, II car
ried into effect, property owners on the
east side of New Jersey avenue would
on the west side would not. 1t also was
stated that property owners be assess
ed for benefits, while those on the east
side of Rhode Island avenue would be
subject to q tax, while owners across the
street would escape if the proposed plan
is put into operation.
The bill Of Senator Gallinger was intro
duced at the request of the Commission
ers of the District. The measure has been
referred to the Commissioners for a re-
port, and it is likely that the citizens
representatives will request a hearing be-
fore the District authorities before the
bill is considered in Congress.