Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-18
SCHOOL SITE PURCHASES.
The House Committee VIII Report the
Resolution for an Investigation.


The House District committee to-day took
up Mr.. Taulbee's resolution for an investiga-
ton into the District Commissioner method
Of purchasing school sites, and after some fur
ther discussion decided 10 report IL favorsbly
Before this action was taken Mr.. COX, who
has been making the purchases for the Com
missioners made q statement, the purpose of
which was to show that he Was acting indie
pendently Of the Commissioners as an agent.
THE RESOLUTION As PASSED.
There were only some slight verbal changes
made IN the resolution. which is as follows:
"Whereas 1t is stated in certain newspaper
that the Commissioners of the District Of Co
iumbia have in recent purchases OF real estate
within ana Tor the use Of the District of Column
bia paid to and through certain agents an
pointed or employed by them prices above
that asked or received by the vendees or own
ers OF such property contrary to Law, therefore.
Resotoed, That the Speaker Of the House Of
Representatives appoint a special committee
OF nve members to investigate the matter, and
report 70 the House in writing, at any time, by
bill or otherwise; and that said Committee be
furnished stenographer BY assignment by the
speaker from the ron Of stenographers now in
the employ Of the House. and that they be au-
thor1zed to employ clerk at a compensation
OF IS per day, to be paid out Of the contingent
fund OF the House, and that said committee be
authorized to sit during the sessions of the
House and authorized to administer oaths and
send for persons and papers
SPECIAL IMPROVEMENTS REBATE
In addition to this the committee directed q
favorable report upon the Senate bill TO give Q
rebate 10 the owners Of certain property
against which the full amount Of cost for
special improvements was assessed and col
lected The bill was at first designed for the
relief Of st. Vincent's orphan asylum. but was
amended by the Senate to make it general in
Its application.
The report explains its purpose as follows:
THAT, according to reports of the officers Of
the District government, all the assessments of
April %, 1921, with the exception of the one
against the property Of this asylum because
upon the wrong book, were revised under the
provisions of law by reducing them to one
third their amount. That the law which gov
erned the assessment for this work required
that the cost of such work should be assessed
IN reasonable proportion, not exceeding one
third of such cost, upon the property adjoining
and to be specially benefited thereby; that this
statute was overlooked or disregarded in making
certain special assessments; that in these cases
the entire cost Of the work was charged against
the abutting property, and that subsequently
the Commissioners decided that the law was
applicable to these cases also, and they direct
ed a reduction Of the same to one-third Of the
Cost VI the WOIk. LII view OF THIS law. ana the
action Of the Commissioners Hereunder, the
committee is Of opinion that the bill should be
of a general character" The general bill is
approved by the House committee.
TEMPORARY TRACKS TO ACCOMMODATE INAUoURA-
TON TRAVELLERS.
The committee approved, also, bill per-
hitting the Baltimore and Ohio railroad COM
pany to lay temporary tracks for use during the
Inauguration:
First. Commencing at the east side of North
Capitol street, and crossing said North Capitol
street to ID street, and down the bed of d
street. occupying it with two tracks to its inter-
section with New Jersey avenue.
Second. Commencing at the south side of
Massachusetts avenue, and extending in a
southerly direction across Z street, at or about
the building line into square 6S1, ne property
OF the Baltimore and Ohio railroad company.
and running parallel with the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad company's freight warehouse to
North Capitol street.
Third. To cross the unnamed street running
north and south through square 67s, between
+ and G streets, with five tracks, being the ex-
tension of the five tracks now in use in the
southeast portion of square 67s, with the privi-
lege OF closing this street to travel from the LIST
TO the 9th of March, inclusive.