The Washington times., 1917-04-10

DO"Su NhO "SAohe OA JSoAo oAAN
misfortune. today faces the loss Of his
hsme and means Of livelihood In Ia
koma Park through the very progress
Of the community Of which he Is q pio-
neer.
Unless he can raise s1124s. due on his
property as county taxes. municipal
taxes, and the first installment Of q
special assessment for the improve
ment Of the street on which his home
is located, approved by the Takoma
council last night, his property will be
taken to satisfy the levies.
Two years are allowed under the law
for the redemption Of the property, but
the old man is practically without
funds.
County Buys Property.
Taxes owing to Montgomery county
amount to t57.7s. and the property was
bought in yesterday by the county COM
missioners at a tax sale In Rockville
for this amount
General taxes owing to the town Of
Takoma Park amount to $3.50. and the
municipality will probably buy in the
property for this amount at its tax
sale Thursday morning.
In addition to these amounts q
approved by the council last night,
bringing the old soldiers total debt
to $2232e.
The FIRST fifth OF the special assess
ment is due Immediately, and the bal
ance may be paid one-fifth each year.
Dependent upon his small pension
and q mere plttance which he earns
through the sale OF vegetables and
candy, which he peddles in Takoma
Park in q small hand-wagon, the old
soldier despairs of securing the
money to meet the different demands,
and now promises q fight before he
will allow himself to be dispossessed.
Pioneer Of Community.
It Is now more than q score and q
half of years since J. J. Snodgrass
came to Takoma Park. He was then
in the prime Of life, and sought for
the enjoyment of his later years that
peace and contentment OF which those
dream whose earlier years were filled
with the suffering and privation of
the civil war, during which he served
with distinction two enlistments, one
in the cavalry and the other in the in
fantry branch Of the Pennsylvania
Volunteers.
Then there were but three houses
within what are now the municipal
limits Of Takoma Park, Nd
After building what was then q
handsome home, he was appointed
Takoma Parks first school teacher,
an ayocation which he had followed
before the war. 49,
Later he secured q position in the
War Department. through which he
planned to save enough to allow him
to pass his declining years in COM
fort, as his wants were simple and
few.
Misfortunes Pile Up.
One misfortune after another, how
ever, has oVertaken him. He lost his
position in the War Department; se-
cured another in the Washington
Navy Yard, only to lose that, too, in
1912; taxes have steadily mounted as
his income dwindled, and he lives
now practically a recluse, buffeted by
an unkind fate, and dependent wholly
upon his meager pension and the
small returns from the sale Of his
vegetables to his more fortunate
neighbors.
His house, once well-painted, Is
weather-beaten and sadly in need OF
repair, and the grounds, once we'll
kept, are overgrown with brush.
During recent years he has steadily
grown more vigorous in his COM
plants to the municipal and county
authorities oveAthe increasing taxes,
and today he Is bitter against the
members. Of the Takoma Park council
over the new burden caused by the
Improvement OF his street
at curse the day when decided to
come to Takoma Park" he said today.
ct cannot pay the general tax or
unlawful for the council to expect me
to pay for a concrete street which
never use, and which / served notice
on the council l did not want, and
would not pay for.
"They haven't sent me the bill yet,
and 1 will not tell now what I shall
do when / get it"
HASN'T Given Up.
The old man shows, however, that
he has not yet given up his game
fight, hopeless as It has been, against
the charges which he claims, will
amount to a confiscation of his home,
on which he claims to have already
paid more than 81 400 in taxes to the
and the county since he
has lived in Takoma.
His eyes flash as he tells of the
fight which he has waged with the
town authorities ever since the con-
NJ
which has already attracted consid-
erable attention and sympathy in
Takoma, where the veteran is re-
spected, although his view Is opposed
to the entire spirit of the commun-
ity.
The methods which have been en-
ployed by Snodgrass have been
unique.
Posted Notice On Tree.
When the paving of Maple street
on which his house abuts was or
dered by the council, Snodgrass post
ed a notice on the tree in front OF
his house reading as follows:
NOTICE-To the mayor and
town council OF Takoma Park,
Nd. You are hereby notified to
place no so-called improvements
on this street which will lead to
the confiscatiop of lots % or "a,
block 3, or in any way affect said