Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1913-03-11
EAGLES NEST GRANTED
EXEMPTION FROM TAX
Council Acts FavOrabIy Though
Realizing Law is Bad.
TO IMPROVE CITY PARK.
Tentative Plans Also Made for Cement
Floor in Market House Civic
Leagues Activities.

Lsague Activities.
Despite the fact that there was
much open dissension to the PROPOSE
tion. the City Council, in session last
night, passed by a vote Of to the
petition for the exemption fIom taxa
tion the props rty Of Annapolis Aerie
of Eagles, in accordance with the
provision of the Act of 1880, Section
4 of Article 81. and along with
this grant to the Eagles, the proper
t. Of the local Tribe of Red Men and
also the Odd Fellows, was exempted.
The question Of sxempting realty
owned by fraternal and benevolent
socIeties was originally preclpitated
when the Order o. Elks petitioned
for exemption and this petition was
granted by the Council By q vote of
TO 8. The matter at that time
brought on much discussion, buc the
Cou lciI was moved to its action
largely through an opinion rendered
by the Attorney-General of the State
in response to a request from City
Counselor Melvin.
The opinion in short held that real
property Of fraternal lodges and So
cieties comes within the provision of
the Act of 1880, in so far as the
property is actually used for lodge
purposes. So that ruling furnished
a guiding point for the city solons.
BY this grant to the Elks, the petit
tions from the Eagles and the other
lodges that followed shortly after
ward, were no more than what had
been expected. The issue as re-
CARDS the Eagles came before the
Council last night in a favorable re-
port from the Finance Commission,
though City Collector and Treasurer
Winson G. Gott, who is q member of
the Commission. dissented.
Addressing the Council, Mr. Gott
stated that notwithstanding the legal
opinions that had been rendered, the
law was bad one, and that, in fact
no lodge that has bar on its premi-
ses could be claesed as fraternal or
der. The Eagles property, in Ques-
tion is the three-story brick building
on West street, here the members of
the aerie have their nest. Practical
ly every member of th5 Council par
ticipated in the discussions that en-
sued, and il was generally admitted
that the law is a bad one, notwith-
standing the fact that the Council had
previously recorded a vote favoring
such a grant of tax exemption; and,
in explaining their votes the City
Fathers took occasion to state that
they were guided solely by the legal
opinions that had been given on the
question.
Aldermen Linthieum and Parkin-
son are two of the members who voted
against exempting the Elks. Last
night they stated that under the cir
cumstances they would vote aye"
on the pending issue. Alderman
Clausen, however, declined to be
moved from the position that he had
formerly taken and voted no" By
the exemption OF the lodges, it was
explained, the city would lose about
$500 revenue.
A committee of ladies of the Civic
League, consisting of Mrs. Robert
Moss, Mrs. James c. Cresap, Mrs.
DR. George I. Feldmeyer, Mrs. Frank
| A. Munroe, and Mrs. Edward Jewell,
was before the Council last night
with suggestions as to two city i'm
| provements which are dee med neces.
sary as we'll as desirable, viz: what
disposition is to be male of the circle
near the Market House, which many
people style the "City Park" anC
the laying Of a cement floor in the
Market House.
The question Of the Market House
improvement was also laid before thc
Council in the form of a petition
from a number of stall holders, il
which attention was called 20 tn,
| condition Of the brick floor and thi
| fact that il is undermined by rats
an altogether unsanitary. In th,
course of discussions the Council
| showed its inclination to make thi
improvemnt, but it was stated tina
the busy season for market men /
nov coming on, and that it could no
be one until August, as provision 70
Ii will have to be made in the mex
levy, in July.
Mrs. Moss, Mrs. FeIdmeyer an
Mrs. Cresap and Mr. Frank A. Nun
roe, who accompanied the commit
te, addressed the Council in regard t
proposed improvements to the park
1t was strongly urged that the littl
circle could be made one of the mos
attractive spots in the city by er
closing it with a hedge, planting aC
ditional trees, laying walks and adopt
ing police regulations to proven
children from defacing the property
Many visitors pass through the cit
on the inter-urban cars of the Ele,
trio Line, il was pointed out, and I'll
park in its present condition is q
eyesore.
The committee appreciated the fa'
that steps have been taken from tin
to time by the city to improve th
plot of ground, bat there have bee
no measures to prevent children fro
using it as a playground AS a r
suit flowers, grass and everythir
have been trampled under foot.