Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-01-18
THE DISTRICT IN CONGRESS-.
Ia prov Cnlent Of the River Flats Etc

took up for consideration the subject OF tht
improvement Of the harbor OF Washington and
Georgetown, and the reclamation OF the Poto.
mac flats Gen. Eppa Hunton, chairman of the
House District committee, appeared As the
organ OF that committee and made an urgent
appeal fer the appropriation. He held that the
improvement was clearly such ma ter SIS
Should be covered by the river and narblr dill.
Tor the reason that the river improvement and
tnc improvement or the sanitary condition ot
the city were one-that is. the one could not ne
accomplished without the other Major Twin.
Ing, OF tie District commissioners, was also
heard, together with Gen. Birney In eyn,ana.
tion OF the following bill, which was Presented
to the committee.
THE BILL TO IMPROVE THE BARBoR OF WASHING
TON.
g. The folloWing contains all the importan!
features OF the Dill: The first section provides
Tor the appointment Of an engineer comm,s.
sion. which, among other engineer officers, is
10 nave upon 1t the engineer officer of the L. S.
coast survey and the engineer officer in charge
OF the public buildings and grounds The en-
mission is empowered to stake out the lines of
TIT harbor of Washington and GeorgetoNn,
beginning with the lines Of the harbor of
Washington. After adoption of any section o..
lines, a plan of said section signed by ma
Jority of said board, shall be filed in the olIica
OF the chief OF engineers of the Z. S. army, aud
Tecoroeo IN the land records Of the District of
Columbia Each OF said section plans shall show
the distance OF the adopted harbor lines from
high-water mark on the existing shore, the
boundaries and extent Of land known TO said
Doara not TO be the property OF the United
states, and lying between said harbor line and
said high-water mark. and in the city OF Wash
1ngton the land boundary of water street.
, WneIe, ID the opinion OF the board, such a
street Is advisable, and the width of said
street. Plocided, That authority aud perc1s-
sion are hereby granted to take imined!ate q
possession Of, and use for said harbor improve
ment, including said Water street. so mncl ss
may Io necessary or fnR ~
public reservations adjoining said navirebla
streams, CT the shores which have been l;aI;red
Dy the United States, and Of the lands covered
by high tide water which were ceded TO the
United states by Maryland for public purpo3es.
Sec. 2. That all land, franchises and rights
whats whatsoever . lying within the lines of said pro-
tesol posed Improvement, as shown by the plans
aforesaid, and not the property or the United
states, are hereby condemned for public use:
ard just compensation therefor shall be made
on the requis1tion OF said board OF survey.
Sec. 3. 1t shall be the duty OF said board. after
1lilEg any section plan as aforesaid. to give pub.
nc notice, Dy advertisement twice week for
Iour consecutive weeks in two daily papers pub
lished In Washington city, to all persons VINO
may nave Claims to land, franchises or rights
required for, Or affected by the proposed iTn
pIovements or the enjoy oyment Of which is inter-
writing 10 said board On or before day named.
which DAY snail be not less than two months
after the date of the first publication OF said a.
vertlsement. II On or before the day so named
the owner or owners OF any land, franchise or
I1ght condemned III this act for public use shall
not present 10 said board In writing q claim for
compensation; he or they shall be held to have
waived such claim and to admit that the advan-
tages and benefits OF said improvements. in
regard to him or them are equal to the dam
ages; such claim from and after the day 50
named shan be forever barred: the fee simple OF
the land condemned shall Immediately vest i'm
the United States for public purposes: the
franchfseS and rights shall be ext1nru;shed.
and the said board shall take immediate posses,
sion $40 OF the premises: But II on or before said
DAY any claim In writing shall be filed with said
ooard rOr compensation for land, franchises or
rights condemned as aforesaid, and the board
and claimant shall agree on the amount, and
the board shall not dispute The tlJIe. comp,nSa
ton Shall be made as provided In the Second
section OF this act. But If the parties shall not
agree Oh the amount, or IL the board shall dis
pute the title OF claimant, Or II the board shall
have knowledge OF valid title or franch.sl Or
right in some person subject to legal c.ss-
oillty, for whom no claim has been nl adp
then the board shall direct the marshal OF tha
District TO summon jury OF twelve judiciouS,
dis1nterested freeholders, not related to or til;
creditor OF the claimant or holding stock in auy
claimant, ii corporation. to be and appear az
he premises. or as near thereto as prac5icab BILE.
on Gay specified to assess the compensation
for property condemned or damages, II any.
winch the claimant may sustain Dy reason or
t he proposed improvements. Aud tie marsIal
snail summon such jury land ii uecessarY,
tu1SNhlSU/ ouN O9tn OF aifl!ml-
tion TO each juror, that he will, without favor
or partiality TO any one, to the best OF his ilIg
ment, after Inspection OF premises and hearing
such testimony as may be offered. assess
the compensation Tor property cSSll.iemhed Or
damages, il any, which the claimant may sus-
tain by the reason Of the proposed improve
ments; out In doing this, the jury shall take
INTO consideration the nature, rightfulness and
Of the claim and the dement's and advantages
as wen as the damages resulting TO the claim
ant from said improvements. 1t shall be the
duty OF the marshal, upon receiving the order
not less than ten days notice of the time and
place OF the meeting OF the july. The Jury.
having seen the premises, considered the Claim.
IN Ee e,SsT naGiS Of any
oe duly sworn by either the marshal or
MS deputy, and fixed the compensation or as
sessed the damages, shall make out written
verdict to be signed by the jurors and attested
0y the MARSHAL or his acting deputy which the
marshall shall. without delay, transmit to the
board, and which shall be recorded, and shall
1e hnai ma an ara i conclusive m as to the amount II
II necessary, successive juries shall be tmpan-
Ieled until agreement is had. II the b1ari
shall rot decide to dispute the title Or legal
paid to the owner or owners respectively. or to
such person as shall be authorized to receive
the same for any such owners, OF, II the owner
Or agent make no demand for ten days. it shall
states to the credit Of such owner or owners
respectively. On such payment or deposit. the
Zee simple OF the land condemned shall vest I'm
The United States, the franchises and rights
shall be eXt1nguished and the said board shall
lake immediate possession OF the premises for
[he United States: Provided, That before such
payment shall be made, the owner or owners OF
The property, unless under legal disability.
shall, by good and sufficient deed or deeds, In
1ue form of law. and approved by the Attorney
General Of the United States, fully release aud
convey to the United States all their and each
of their several and respective rights in said
little TO such LANDS and property so condemned.
lf the board OF survey shall decide to dispate
Lhe title or right OF the claimant, It Shall cause
she amount found by the verdict of the Jury to
be. deposited in the Treasury OF the United
States, subject to the order Of the Supreme
Court OF the District OF Columbia, in the suit
hereinafter provided for. On such deposit, the
lee simple OF the land condemned shall vest
u the United States, and the said board shall
take immediate possession OF the premises for
The United States. Sec. 4. The Attorney
General shall, on the nomination OF said board
0r survey, appoint special counsel for said
board. The duty OF such counsel shall be 10
advise and counsel said board and to attend to
be interested. The rate or his compensation
shall not exceed 81, 500 yearly, and shall be paid
u quarterly instalments, on the requisition of
.he board, out OF the appropriations for the i'm
orOvement. The Attorney General shall cause
suit in equity to be Instituted In the name OF
he United States, In the Supreme Court OF the
District OF Columbia against any and all claim
ants OF title under any patent, which, In the
opinion OF said board, was by mistake or un-
ldyisedly or Illegally issued Dy officers OF the
ynited States or OF the state or Maryland or or
VIRGINIA