4

thousand dollars - notwithstanding the
boom in real estate -

That the lots are in a [sway?] or
low place much lower than property
adjacent to it - and it unfit for building
sites in its present condition and in
order to make it at all fit for building
sites it will be necessary to fill up
to a depth of several feet

Not on account of the fact that
there has been no responsible party in
charge of said property it has produced
no income and the taxes have been allowed
to accumulate until now the city claims
that Petitioners are indebted to it in the
sum of $223.30 besides interest penalties &c -

Petitioners say they are poor
ignorant colored boys and are depen-
dent on hard labor for support and
are unable to pay said amount except
by a sale of the property at a sacrifice -
but that if the Honorable City Council
will reduce the taxes to a just and equi-
table basis they can and will be able
to pay the said taxes without selling the
same at a sacrifice -

Where that in making the assessment
against the said property the assessor
doubtless took into consideration
the four houses thereon - when in
truth and in fact only one of said
houses belonged to Petitioners