davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-02-04
New Taxes Bring D. {.
100000 Thus Far

District Assessor Edward A. Dent
announced yesterday the District
had collected about $100, 1000 thus far
from the Districts new corporate
and personal income levies, although
under existig law the payment would
not be due until March IS.
This sum amounts to about 8 per
cent of the grand total expected to
be received. The latest estimates of
revenues are $2,400,000 from the S
per cent. corporate levy and some
81, ,000,0O0 from the graduated. per-
sonal net income tax.
Mr.. Dent said about $4,000 of the
receipts so far have come from
the corporate levy and about $50, 600
from personal income taxpayers.
The proposed amendment to the
tax laws which would extend the
time for filing returns to April IA
and permit semi-annual payments,
the first half on April Is and the
second by october Is. is scheduled
for House action February Il.
Evening star., 1940-02-04

Mr.. Forshee's invention is based
on two automobile batteries which
he charges with a gasoline motor.
The mother, Mary, has been
spending her time fighting the cold
wave. She has sewn q steadily in
creasing number of quilts to pile
on the hunks, and kept the pot
bellied iron stove burning day and
night to cook hot soup and beans
to keep her children warm.
Fish Through the Ice.
The children, Roy, 20; Hazel, 10,
and George, jr, IS. have taken ad-
vantage Of the cold wave by shovel
ing great circles of snow from the
ice, so they could skate and, charge
visitors for the privilege of skating.
They have broken holes in the frozen.
layer to fish for carp and catfish
and have taken advantage of the
ice to walk the breadth of the Po-
tomac to visit friends on the op-
posite side.
There has been work, too. After
Evening star., 1940-02-04
Doomed Girls
Parents Hope
Against Hope

The parents Of Leslie Lee Ross
still hoped last night that somehow
the life of their 3-year-old daughter
would be saved.
At Children's Hospital, where the
child is battling against the ravages
of Emphatic leukemia, 1t was said
her condition was unchanged. Ear
her in the day she was reported a
little stronger.
For several days the parents, Mr..
and Mrs. Leslie Edward Ross of
Cheverly. had pinned their hopes on
reports that a serum for the disease
had, been discovered in Germany.
The State Department, responding
to their plea. cabled Emil Sauer,
American Consul General IN Frank
fort, to obtain phial of the serum
and rush it to this country by
clipper plane.
Yesterday the department was
advised. the report of the cure was
unfounded.
The disease works slowly; its ef-
feet is the destruction of the red
corpuscles of the blood. Physicians
have been resorting to blood trans
fusions in an effort to stem it.
Evening star., 1940-02-04
Shafer Urges District
Elect Commissioners,
Spend Own Taxes
Committeeman Thinks
Votes Would End
Congress Criticism

Disfranchised residents of the Dis
trict should at least be given the
privilege of electing Commissioners
and appropriating their own tax
revenues, Representative Shafer, Re-
publican, of Michigan said last
night.
Mr.. Shafer, a member of the
House District Committee, declared:
Il believe If the people of Wash
ington could elect their own Com
missioners and appropriate their
own tax revenues, complaints against
members of Congress for not treat
ing the District properly would be
avoided"
Sees Double" Representation.
He made the statement in re-
sponse to questions by newspaper
men as to what he believed should
be done to correct conditions at
the Home for the Aged and In
firm and two other District in
stitutions Mrs. Franklin D. Roose-
velt found to be shocking" on re-
cent visits.
Let the people of the District
elect their Commissioners, or the
mayor, city manager, or whoever
else might constitute the governing
body Of the CITY," he declared, land
half of the trouble will be solved.
And let the governing body have
the authority to appropriate the
tax money that is needed to meet
the needs Of the District, and I
don't believe there will be any
more trouble. Personally, I don't
think Congress should have to
trouble itself with these affairs in
the District. have been asked
time and time again why I try to
represent the people of the District
and my own constituents at the
same time. I believe the same ques-
ton has been asked other members
of the committee"
No Answer on Letter.
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee said late yester-
day none of the Commissioners had
answered his letter asking them to
revise their plan for reorganizing
the District government to provide
for an elective rather than an ap-
pointed citizens advisory council
Il am still hopeful" he said, that
the Commissioners will favorably
follow the suggestion I made"
The Commissioners, in the reor-
ganization plan now under consid-
Grafton by subcommittee of the
House District Committee, pro-
posed an advisory council of nine
members to be appointed by them.
Representative Randolph suggested
that, in order to give the people some
degree of representation in the af-
fairs of their own government, the
council be elected.
Evening star., 1940-02-04
Carmody Studies
Elliott Criticism
Of Welfare Assn
Works Chief PIunnino
No Hosty Action
On Association

While denying he plans any
"hasty action" Federal Works Ad-
ministrator John M. Carmody is
making a careful study of the re-
cent report on the Welfare and
Recreational Association to de-
termine what steps should be taken
In the light of Acting Controller
General Richard N. Elliott's vigor-
Gus criticism of the associations S
financial management.
The report was taken up at a
staff meeting attended by w. E.
Reynolds. commissioner of public
buildings, and Allen Johnston, coun-
sci. The study will be continued
next week, according to Mr.. Car
mody, who made the following
statement:
while I've not had time to study
the report In detail; I've discussed
it at length with my associates.
These discussions will be continued
next week. We have deferred the
drawing of any conclusions and the
preparation of appropriate recon-
mendations until these discussions
have been completed. Operations
Of the sort carried on by the Well
fare and Recreational Association
have been going on in Federal
buildings since the war and have
been carried on by this associa-
ton for more than 13 years. I
have no thought of any hasty ac-
ton that in any way would inter-
fere with continuing all of these
services without disturbance"
$1S7,592 Debt Alleged.
The report of Mr.. Elliott not only
questions the legal authority Of the
association, but also declared the
semi-on1cial group Of Government
employees owed the Government
$187, ,59270. Payment of this sum
should be demanded, the report said
The report also suggested that the
facilities of the association, espe-
cially the cafeterias in Government
buildings, might be operated by pri-
vate concerns or that the Govern
ment might take them over under
the supervision of the Federal Works
Agency.
Voiding Of Contract Urged.
Government counsel no doubt will
examine thoroughly the legal as
poets of the association. The re-
port declared the contract with the
Government under which the asso-
citation is functioning should be
Cancelled in accordance with the six
month notice agreement. Even this
contract was illegal, the Acting Con.
troller General said, since it was
entered into by the then director OF
public buildings and public grounds
1t. Col. U. s. Grant III, on behalf
of the Government and Maj. Carey
H. Brown, assistant director, as vice
president of the association.
1t was probable that officers OF
the association would be called into
conference with officials of the Fed
eral Works Agency.
Evening star., 1940-02-04
Several D. T.. Diaries
Plan Milk Price Hike
To 15c, Says Schultz
Enactment Of His Bill
Would Let Public Pay
Only lie, He Asserts

Washington will soon be paying
IS instead of IA cents quart for
milk, 1t was predicted last night by
Representative Schultz, Democrat,
of Indiana.
Long a champion Of 1l-cent milk
for the District, Mr.. Schultz declared
the recent marketing agreement for
the local milkshed which Secretary
of Agriculture Wallace signed "is a
forerunner" of 15-cent milk.
"The price Of cream already has
gone up cents a pint, he said. II
have been informed that several
dairies are now planning to raise
the price of milk TO Is cents .
quart"
Representative Schultz, a member
of the House District Committee, has
u bill pending on the House calendar
which would permit shipment into
Washington for fluid consumption
milk and cream produced outside
the local milkshed.
only through enactment of that
bill will Washington be able to get
cheaper milk" he declared. "The
recent milk marketing agreement
has forged around the throats Of the
people of Washington the link that
prevents 11-cent milk. I am now
going the limit to have my bill
enacted into law"
The milk marketing agreement Is
expected to pave the way for the
sale of milk to the poor and jobless
in the District at cents a quart
No plan has been worked out as YET
for the distribution of the low-priced
milk.
The Maryland and Virginia Milk
Association will hold its annual
banquet tomorrow at the Willard al
noon. The association always OBJ
serves the noon banqueting hour
SO that its members, more than 1,000
strong, can get back to their farms,
some as far as so miles away, in time
for the evenings milking.
Evening star., 1940-02-04
Remon Named Trustee

John A. Remon. vice president
of the Chesapeake & Potomac Tele-
phone Co., yesterday was renomi-
mated trustee of the Worcester Poly
technic Institute Corp. at the
boards meeting at Worcester, Mass
Mr.. Remon, a member of the
board since 1898, will be reelected
In June. He was graduated from
the institute in 1909.
Evening star., 1940-02-04
BY HENRY GEMMILL,
Star Staff Correspondent.


FREDERICKSBURG, Va, Feb. 3.
George Washingtons boyhood
home, Ferry Farm. was sold on the
auction block today amid public
indifference.
The 470-acre estate, lying just
across the Rappahannock from this
city, undoubtedly played a large
part in the early life of the first
President, as did Americas ma
tional shrine, Mount Vernon, during
Washington's mature and declining
years.
Nevertheless. only a score of
townsfolk and roughly clad farmers
were curious enough today to come
to watch the sale of land where
young Washington is tabled to have
cut down the cherry tree. and
where he undoubtedly did develop
the traits which made him great.
Only two bids we're cried out
after quarter-hour exhortation
by the autioneer, red-faced in a
biting wind. The historic planta-
ton was bought back by a mem
Der Of the family placing it on SALE
Highest Bid $25.o00.
The Washington estate was
bought in. by Miss May Belle Col
bert, a small bespectacled woman
whose father built the present wood
en- farmhouse upon foundations Of
the old Washington homestead. She
paid $25,000 to the estate of her
father. J. B. Colbert, and assumed
about $4,000 in Federal Land Bank
mortgages.
It appeared that no representative
was present from the George WASH
ington Foundation, which in 1928
began an enthusiastic program to
buy the farm for a shrine dedicated
to American youth.
A. Stedman Hills, Washington at
torney and head the George WASH
ington Foundation, said the property
cost the organization SIPS, 900 in
1927, of which $85 900 had been paid.
In the last several years, however,
interest had Jagged and donations
were insufficient to take care of
payments and interest.
At the time the purchase was
made, he said, the value of the
property as a farm was conserva-
lively estimated at $4,000 and its
historic value at an additional $50,-
600. Members of the foundation
would be consulted in the near
future as to whether to proceed any
further with the project, but hopes
Of consumating the deal were not
considered good, he said.
The sale today was ordered by the
Stafford Circuit Court to clear title
to the 470-acre farm.
After the George Washington
Foundation was organized, the Col
bert family continued to live there
and retain possession of the farm,
although title was held by the
foundation under its purchase con-
tract. With much principal and
interest in default, Circuit Judge
Frederick w. Coleman decreed the
sale to settle the estate.
Still standing quite sound is the
surveying Office where the youthful
George studied trigonometry and
drafted his maps. It is built Of
whipsawed timber, held tight by
hand wrought nails against winds
sweeping up from the river, and is
warmed by a great brick fireplace.
George Washington came to Ferry
Farm when he was years old, the
son of Augustine Washington, tall,
broad man who COM
manded respect from his son and
Evening star., 1940-02-04
Woshington's Early Home Sold
As Public Ignores Auction
470-Aere Roppohonnoek Estote Brings
$4,000, With Only Two Bidders Present

VINO was MS Cnle1 TUTOR. George
also went to classes in Hobbies"
school, conducted by the parish SEX
ton. Out of hours he rode horse
back, hurled quoits, wrestled and
drilled as a soldier with his school,
mates beneath an elm still standing
like a giant on the hillside.
Historians say that the death Of
his father, when George was 8, was
another of the great factors forming
Washington's character at Ferry
Farm. It placed on him a large re-
sponsibility and increased the in
fluence of his mother. Mary Ball
Washington, "the belle of Epping
Forest"
Weems Labored There.
Another ghost besides that of the
Father Of His Country hovers over
Ferry Farm. It is that Of the rol-
licking parson, Mason Locke Weems
Of Dumphries, Va, who wrote
biography of Washington which has
ever since set serious scholars frantic
but enlivened American folklore.
Parson Weems wrote "The Life
and Memorable Actions of George
Washington"-for which, about 1906
he apparently invented the cherry
tree-hatchet story, the tale OF Wash
ington's hurting silver dollar
across the Rappahannock, and the
famous legend concerning Georges
breaking the neck of his mothers
colt. His book. best seller. went
through 10 editions. five OF them IN
German, and has echoed ever since
The authenticity of all these tales
is sworn to by Miss Colbert, who
thinks she should know. having
lived in the vicinity all her life. She
points out the pasture where the
colt died, the spot where the dollar
was heaved, and the dirt where
the fruit tree grew.
All that can actually be deter
mined about the question of silver
dollars is that in 1882 Walter john
son, baseball star. did throw one
from Ferry Farm to Fredericksburg
on the opposite bank.
Plaque At Tree Site.
There is an impressive bronze
plaque marking the site of the
cherry tree. 1t was erected in 1885
by the local Chamber Of Commerce
but lodges the question of whether
George ever did any hatcheting.
There is also q new little cherry
%ron vs,I,tcI uyo . eyixyoyH oS a ~ ax,a ~,
Michigan orchard interests, and be-
side 1t a big decaying stump. The
stump represents the earthly re-
mains Of q tree alleged to have
sprung up rather miraculously from
the greenery destroyed by George
When Auctioneer Elliott Brooks
rang his bell for the sale today
only one person besides the pur-
chaser was a bidder for the old
Washington farm. He was Lucian
Colbert, brother of the former
owner, who offered $4,000.
But there are indications that the
Federal Government will not in the
future be entirely unaware of SEN
timental value attached to this
otherwise ordinary plot of hay, corn
and wheat land, stretching back a
mile from the river.
Representative Bloom, Democrat
OF New York, in the past head
OF special patriotic committees deal
Ing with President Washington s
memory, declared before the auc-
tion today that Congress might be
interested in acquiring Ferry Farm,
If the seller is a public-spirited
American, who doesn't do too much
flag waving and charge four or i've
times as much as the estate is
worth" .-.-
Evening star., 1940-02-04
Pictures on first page OF roto-
grdDure Section).

Folk of the houseboat colony
above Key Bridge are telling each
other that the Potomac River is pre-
pairing to ruin them. -
The river is usually their friend.
It has given them a home. More
recently it has donned simmer
ing robe of ice upon which the river
people skate-both by day and in
the light of the moon.
But while they frolic the house,
boat dwellers dread the future. They
believe there's every chance this
ice is lying in wait, to rise in the
spring and smash their homes to
splinters.
Not since they remember has the
Potomac's ice been so thick. The
houseboat dwellers chop through
and measures inches. They say
that when the thaw arrives huge
blocks Of ice are likely to b pounded
Evening star., 1940-02-04
Benefit Dance

A benefit dance for the scholar.
ship fund Of the National Catholic
School Of Social Service will be held
In the Pail Mall room at the Raleigh
Hotel Tuesday night. The dance Is
the second this winter sponsored by
the "Committeo G -"
Evening star., 1940-02-04
Exhibition of Coins

A discussion and exhibition OF
coins from members private col
lections will feature the meeting Of
the Washington Numismatic So
ciety at the Washington Hotel at
8 pm. tomorrow. ~
Evening star., 1940-02-03
Rockville.

Vincent r. Nauehton, 81, and Mary Eliza
beth Stoker. 20, both of Washington,
Linwood Thomas Ofiutt, 81. Poolesville
louisville. Md.
Anthony J. Hanainy. 25. and Helen MARI
Cox. %. both Of Washinkton.
Agnes NJ johnson. 23. Wheaton, Md.
Clifford NJ, Lomax, 30. washington; ant
Kenneth b. Bond, 90. Mount Rainier
Nd, and Rosalie Esther Wolf, 19, Chew
Chase.
Warfeld. 10. both Of Dickerson, Nd.
J. Paul Shelton. 22. Arlington. Va. anc
claudia E.. Conawsy. q. washington
and Alice Louise Gallahorn, 3S, Silvel
Spring, Nd.
Evening star., 1940-02-03
BY MARGARET NOVEL;.

1t is the little things you do to
your house yourself that make 1t
yours. It's the little chair without
arms that grandmother liked to sit
in to sew, old fashioned and out of
place as it may be, that still makes
it home to you. 1t takes long
time to rub the shine off a table
until it belongs % you and many a
long evening to dent the cushions
of an upholstered chair lust to
fit"-so that it really your own
and just what you want.
Given time to make a choice, we
all want few special things des-
perately, but all our time and money
seem to 60 into the necessities that
give us no esthetic satisfaction at
all.
Many of us follow the fashion
like sheep, and what a lot is writ
ten about it! Fashions in houses
and furniture change to reflect the
fashions in manners and clothes
That is as it should be, but the
next step to fashion awareness is
to make the mode your own, tc
make the mark of your own pref
erence, good taste and good ideas or
an otherwise dull and lifeless trend
Painting Good Exercise.
If you had all the money in the
world you could not buy house
have it decorated by experts ane
be able to call it your own, because
you would have been left out of it
Human beings have a natura
tendency to interpret their owr
thoughts and ideas, their own per.
sonality in terms of what the coun.
Evening star., 1940-02-03

dents from big brothers class ring
when he went on record" the first
time, pounding the table to empha-
size the fact that he was 10 and
old enough to make his own de-
cisions.
These are the things that make
furniture valuable. To be sure, 1t
is only your own family tradition
that is tied up in these particular
instances, but it's the same idea
that makes the antique dealer
charge you another hundred dol
lars because Robert E. Lee once
slept in a certain bed. Your own
son may be famous some day and
everyone will be interested in the
home in which he grew up. Hesi-
tate and think before you discard
the things that two or more genera
tions have enjoyed! Recognize the
good that is still there and build
on it, with some of your own
thought and ability to make 1t a
better thing.
Know what you like and try to
get it. It will be just as interesting
trying as it will be getting-and the
only time your house will ever bore
you will be when it is finished.
Evening star., 1940-02-03
Marriage License
AppIicotions

Andrew L. Norris, 22. and Alice /. Kisner
Russell A. Phelan
Charles g. Emmett. As. and Hazel H
Sellers, 80. both Of 1928 21st st. NV:
the Rev. Peter Marshall.
Augustus Wedderburn, 80, Vienna. Va. and
Elizabeth Hovey-King, 20. 5412 Conduit
rd NV: the Rev F. Z. Warren.
Wallace jackson. "a. and Mary L. Car
penter, ii. both Of lsIsIa Constitution
ct. NV: Judge Robert E. Mattinsly.
Edward Parreco, %, 4012 10Th pl. ne;
and Elizabeth J. OBrien. 22. 1929 18th
St ne; the Rev. L. E. Robinson.
Cornelius L. Carroll. %, Baltimore. Nd.
and Marian o. Whitlock, q. lib st.
NV: the Rev. Robert M. Williams.
and Humda M. Eldeen. 22, Silver Hill
Md: the Rev. John E. Briggs.
Leonard schuman, 27, 1920 l4th st. NV,
and Rebecca Rosenblum. 30, Abb 9th
st. NV; the Rev. Norman Gerstenfeld
Evening star., 1940-02-03

Harry L. King, Takoma Park, Md,
builder; A. Johnson, designer; to
erect one 1-story concrete block gas
station, 2643 Virginia avenue NV;
| to cost $4,000.
Mrs. Mary c. Tonnelli, 405 Elev-
enth street Sc, owner; S. E. Sny-
der, 1706 Twenty-fifth street S. E.,
builder; C. w. Mead, 1901 Twenty
fifth street Sc, architect; to erect
one 1-story brick and cinder block
dwelling, 3104 @ street Sc: to cost
$4,000.
Melvern Diaries, los @ street NE,
owner; Thomas H. Urdahl and John
G. Lochler, designers; William F.
Nelson, 923 V street NV, builder:
to make repairs, l0l-105 Q street
NE; to cost $4,000.
R. G. Owens, owner: Edward Lee
Huff, 1929 Sumner road Sc builder:
R. c. Archer, 215 Florida avenue
NV, architect; to erect one 2-story
brick and cinder block addition, 1413
Twenty-e eighth street NV; to cost
$500.
Z. van Wyck Mott and Selma NJ
Mott, 1857 Juniper street N W., own
ers and builders; H. w. Games, de-
signer; to make repairs. 10O1-1003
E street NV; to cost $500.
Grant E. Morris, owner; P. S.
Dove, 9l5 Thirteenth street NV,
builder; R. c. Archer, jr2l5 Florida
avenue NV, architect; to erect one
5-story brick addition, 1912 G street
NV; to cost $1,000.
National Paint and Varnish As
sociation, 1900 Rhode Island avenue
NV, owners; Jaffe Dove Corp, GIL
Thirteenth street NV, builders: to
make repairs, 1900 Rhode ISland ave-
nue. NV; to cost $1,000.
P. A. Latimer. 4614 Eighth street
NV, owner; John B. Nu:ter, de-
signer; to make repairs, 4614 Eighth
street NV; to cost $500.
Evening star., 1940-02-03
The Home Clinic
It's the Personal Touch and Memories
That Make House Home

tryside offers and their way OF liv-
ing demands. With little money,
a little help, an idea or two that you
are not afraid of, you can make for
yourself and your family the house
they may be happy in far better
than you can buy it and order 1t
delivered"
Do you know what fun 1t Is to
paint? Do you know that the same
exercises that you pay $3.50 for at
the gymnasium to keep you slim
and trim will naturally work out
for you with the help of quart of
paint and good paint brush?
(And all the thinning will not be
done with turpentineD If the
cream-colored paint in your bed
room bores' you to death with its
practicability when you always
wanted 1t to be pink-paint 1t pink
and like it, and the same little
boost it gives your spirits will be
reflected in your appearance.
We spend years putting up with
things that annoy and dlsplease us
in our surroundings. Why? What
are we waiting for? There is so
much to do, that we can do our
selves and get great fun out of the
doing, why not get down to just
what hour houses mean, just what
We wish to achieve In them, and
build them from month to month
and year to year quietly and hap
PLY?
Age May Be Asset.
If, instead of a new home, you
live In a house 40 years old, coun,
up the assets, the things that were
done better in the old days thar