Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 3.djvu/629



the recovery of any fine or penalty arising or incurred for a breach of any law or ordinance of the corporation, execution shall and may be issued, as in all other cases of small debts.

. And be it further enacted, That real property, whether improved or unimproved, in the city of Washington, on which two or more years’ taxes shall have remained due and unpaid, or on which any special tax, imposed by virtue of authority of the provisions of this act, shall have remained unpaid for two or more years after the same shall have become due, or so much thereof, not less than a lot, (when the property upon which the tax has accrued is not less than that quantity,) as may be necessary to pay any such taxes, with all legal costs and charges arising thereon, may be sold at public sale to satisfy the corporation therefor: Provided, That public notice be given of the time and place of sale, by advertising once a week in some newspaper printed in the city of Washington, for at least six months, where the property is assessed to persons residing out of the United States; for three months where the property is assessed to persons residing in the United States, but without the District of Columbia; and for six weeks where the property is assessed to persons residing within the District of Columbia; in which advertisement shall be states the number of the lot or lots, (if the square has been divided into lots,) the number of the square or squares, or other sufficient or definite description of the property selected for sale, the name of the person or persons to whom the same may have been assessed, for the respective years’ taxes due thereon, as also the name of the person to whom the same is assessed, and the aggregate amount of taxes due. The purchaser or purchasers of any such property shall pay, at the time of such sale, the amount of the taxes due on the property so purchased by him, her, or them, respectively, with the amount of the expenses of sale; and he, she, or they, shall pay the residue of the purchase money within ten days after the expiration of two years from the day of sale, to the collector of taxes, or other officer of the corporation authorized to receive the same; and the amount of such residue shall be placed in the city treasury, where it shall remain, subject to the order of the original proprietor or proprietors, his, her, or their, legal representatives; and the purchaser or purchasers shall receive a title in fee simple, in and to the lot or lots so sold and purchased, under the hand of the mayor and seal of the corporation, which shall be deemed good and valid in law and equity: Provided nevertheless, That if, within two years from the day of any such sale, or before such purchaser or purchasers shall have paid the residue of the purchase money as aforesaid, the proprietor or proprietors of any property which shall have been sold as aforesaid, his, her, or their, heirs, agents, or legal representatives, shall repay to such purchaser or purchasers the moneys paid for the taxes, and expenses as aforesaid, together with ten per centum per annum, as interest thereon, or make a tender thereof, or shall deposit the same in the hands of the mayor of the city, or other officer of the corporation appointed to receive the same, for the use of such purchaser or purchasers, and subject to his, her, or their, heirs, or legal representatives’ order, of which such purchaser, his heirs or legal representatives, shall be immediately informed, by notice in some newspaper printed in the city of Washington, or otherwise; he, she, or they, shall be reinstated in his, her, or their, original right and title, as if no such sale had been made. And if any such purchaser shall fail to pay the residue of the purchase money as aforesaid, within the time required by this section, for any property so purchased by him, he shall pay ten per centum per annum, as interest thereon, and in addition to such residue, to be computed from the expiration of the two years as aforesaid, until the actual payment of such residue, and the receiving of a conveyance