Evening star., 1877-11-10
Extension OF the Capitol Grounds.

The BILL AND DEBATE In THE SENATE.
In the Senate yesterday, Mr.. Dawes re-
ported from the committee on public build
ings ard grounds, the bill to authorize the
taking Of certain parcels Of land for the pub
lie use al the intersection of Pennsylvania
ard Maryland avenues on the west front of
the Capitol grounds, with a slight verbal
THE BILL AS AMENDED
provides that in order to continue the road
way end fOOt-valk the proper width at
PenDsylvaLia Ia and Mary land avenues around
the circles at the intersections of said ave-
ues and 1sf street. at the foot of the Capitol
grounds, In accordance with plans OF Fred
Law Olmstead, heretofore approved and
d. tposited in the room of the Senate commit
tee on public buildings and grounds, and
sgred ty N L. Dawes, chairmac Of said
committee, Nov. 9, 1871, there shal! be pur-
based portions of lots numbered 1, 2, ,, and
5. square 515, and a portion of original lot
Iun bered 9, square 5'6. That authority and
permission Sre hereby granted TO take and
use, fer the purpose of completing the road
ways and foot walks around the circles as
Aforesaid, so much of the corresponding
grounds OF the botanical q arden as may be
necessary. That il shall he the duty of the
SecTetary of the Interior to purchase the
grounds above named from the owners there
Of That tO ascertain the value of said prop
eTly, IL shall be the duty of the Secretary OF
the Interior TO make application 10 the
supren.e court of the District of Columbia,
which court is authorized and required ,
upon such application, in snch mode and
under such rules and regulations as IL may
adopt, tn make q Just and equits BILE pppraise-
msnt OF the cash value of The several inl lerests
Of each and every owner of the al estate
ard Improvements thereon necessary to be
taken for The public use, in accordance with
the provisions of this ac', and, in all such
5ppIalsementS damages as well as better
ntnts shall be taken into consideration.
4 Other sections moved for The condemnation
| of pTOl eriy which the owners Will not accept
| the 81 praise Enert price for.
IN EXPLANATION OF THE BILL.
MI Dawes said 'that always, but more
especially since the erection of the monu-
ment at the west entrance OF the Capitol
grounds, there has been q very narrow pas
sage way for travel on either side of the Cap
1tOI grounds Since the erection of the naval
mODun ent on tie west front, the space has
been reduced 10 q mere throat, almost entire
ly occupied ny the railroad tracks: so that
upon The north sideitis very inconvenientand
very dange.Cus 20 the public travel. Tt has
always been contemplated, or at least for a
great many years, to widen that space by
taking off a little portion Of the corners OF the
lots st that point and then to complete the
circle by tskir e from the public grounds
upon the other side, thus making q perfect
circle. The absolute necessity of doing this
is now mUcn more apparent than ever be-
fore. IL ! also proposed TO complete CORE
sIOnding circle ai the Maryland avenue en-
trance. The whole matter has been before
the Sc nate heretofore, and the bill has been
passed on two occasions. Once il went
through the other branch in an appropriate ion
bill; but in a committee of conference IL fell
through. The necessity of II is so apparent
u.
there is no objection to il, as early as posi-
BILE. The form of the proceeding is precisely
The same as was adopted when the two
squares on the east side OF The Capitol were
CffaiDed."
The assessed value of the property in ques-
ton was shown To he 500 s25 35
DRIFT OF DEBATE.
Some discussion ensued, Mr.. White and
others taking the ground that the bill left too
much TO the court, and that il was rather
hard on the property owners who should re-
fuse Their appraisement.
Mr.. Davis, of Illinois, said "The bill leaves
TOO much, in my opinion, to the Supreme
Court of the District of COlumb bia. Ii seems
TO me THAT there ought 10 be an absolute pre-
scTiptiCn that the value of this property
should he ascertained by five diSinterestei
fretbolders, by majority of them, in such
manner as the court should direct. / TN ink
lfat In tre statute We should either say il is
20 be done by jury or 10 he done by Ger
Ia IN plumber Of freeholdefs in the District
wfO are disinterested. | think il is not best
10 leave too much to court in a matter of
THIS kind; II is better TO prescribe absolutely
what you want Gone. And the citizen must
be protected as well as the government. Five
oislnieresttd fTeeholders certainly are few
enough for such purpose, allowing a ma
JOIlly Cf thfm 10 report 10 the court upon the
sUtitct. Such body composed OF freehold
Crs and diSinterCstet men, ii StrlkeS me,
would be The better mode Of ascertainin9 the
Vslue OF the property than the verdict OF a
jury. i prefer that il should be made specific.
The bin went over. subject to amendment
when next considered by the Senate.