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To The Hon. Mayor and City Council, Of the City of Fort Worth, Texas.
Your petitioner E.L. Tabor would respectfully represent to your Honorable Body,that he has been paying taxes of Lots 13 & 14 Bloc Block 2 Gounah's Addition to the city of Fort Worth,Texas for the past ten years, but that on ____ day of August 1900 the house situated on said property was destroyed by fire , and that there has since been no thing but the vacant lot,yet notwithstanding which, it has been assessed at the same figure at it was assessed at with the building on same, that said premises with the building thereon was worth $1.000.00 and with the building gone it was only worth the sum of $500.00.
That the taxes for the years 1899 amounting toan assessed valuation of $I.200.00
For the year 1900 assessed at $1200.00
For the year I90I assessed at $1.200.00 amounting altogether to $67.7I have been lately paid.
Therefore your petitioner asks that the question of the various assessments be adjusted so as to correspond to their real taxable value and that your petitioner be refunded back the sum that he has been compelled to over pay which is the sum of $12.95 for the year 190I and the sum of $7.60 for the years 1899 & 1900, amounting to $20.55 for the whole period.
Your Petitioner respectfully requests that said tax matter be adjusted as aforesaid,and will ever pray.
E.L.Tabor.
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Petition
We your finance Committee recommend that if petitioners house was destroyed by fire in August 1900, that he be allowed the rebate asked for for the year 1901and that a voucher be made out in his favor for the proper rebate on said 1901 taxes.
JF Henderson Q.T. Moreland
FILED 4/18 1902 Jno T. Montgomery City Secretary
1268
12
10
FILED 4/10 1902 Jno T. Montgomery City Secretary
1.75 7 12.25
12.25 .37 12.62
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Fort Worth, Texas, March 19th 1902.
To Messers Ward, Waggoman and Moreland. Police Committee & etc.
Gentlemen:
I beg your indulgence and careful consideration to the following matters, which I deem of sufficient public importance and interest, to command our careful attention, and your official action, either by report of recommendation, or Resolution to the Hon Mayor & Council for their action in the premises.
First. Many, many, Citizens and business men of our City, are summoned into our Corporation Court every week and month as Jurors in City cases, where the Defendants have called for a Jury. In a large majority of these cases the City is successful, and verdicts of the Jury are for enforcement of the Ordinances & infliction of the fines & penalties thereby prescribed. But thereupon the defendants attorney at once gives notice of "appeal" to our"county Court". Bond is filed , by the defendant, and the cases are removed from our Jurisdiction. And in nearly all of these "Appeal Cases" nothing is realized by the City; he cases are either continued along from term to term, or dismissed for want of witnesses and prosecution, and the Jurors and witnesses in our"Corporation Court" get no fees no compensation for their enforced attendance thereon.
Second- In scores and hundreds of cases, in our "Corporation Court" where defendants enter pleas of "Not Guilty" and a trial is had by the Recorder, and the defendant is found guilty, and fines assessed and judgments entered in due form; these defendants pay out the fines and costs by labor instead of money. In these cases. citizen witnesses are often subpoened into court to corroborate the policemen and officials, or to sustain the charges and complaints made against convicted defendants, and they get no fees for their enforced attendance upon our Court.
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Third- I beg to assure you that, a great many good citizens and business men, bitterly complain to the officers of our Court and to the Recorder, because they are thus forced into our Court from time to time, and continuously from their business, offices, and homes: and without being assured of the usual and legal fees which should be paid to them, and it is becoming very difficult for the Police officers to secure the Attendance of Jurors to our Court on this account.
Fourth- It seems to me highly important and right that, these public and citizens demands should be heeded, and if possible, under the Public Laws, Ordinances and Charter of our City, that proper provision, regulations, rules and payment for such enforced services and demands upon our business men and citizens, should be provided for by our City Council.
Lastly.- The Hon Mayor & Council, have recently made a movement towards enlargeing & improveing the offices and quarters of City Officials which is both necessary and desireable, and I trust will be done at once. And I most earnestly and sincerely beg and implore that, your committee will invite and accompany the Hon Mayor and his Special Committee of three, down into the basement of our City Hall, to witness the vile filthy, unhealthy, miserable condition and quarters of the city prison, City Court Room, and Police offices of this great and growing City.
Respectfully, Submitted, Wm.W.Stewart Judge of Corporation Court.
