Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-29

THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS ASK CONTROLLER
DURHAM II THEY CAN LEGALLY USE A PART OF
THE CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR CON-
pENSArIoN AND PURCHASE OF TIE PROPERTY.
In February 1887. the property owners along
the line Of 4th street extended submitted q
proposition to the Commissioners to the effect
that they would donate Q sufficient quantity Of
ground Of their respective tracts for the extern
sion Of 4th street east from Boundary street to
the Bunker Hill road. Upon . survey being
made to establish the line of said street il was
found that the street, If extended, would cut
through several houses There was an appro-
priation of els, 900 passed for the improvement
of this street, and the Commissioners to-day
wrote the following letter to Controller Dur
ham asking il a portion Of this amount could
be expended in the condemnation and pur-
chase of those houses which conflict with the
extension of the street:
MARCH 2s, 1889.
Hon. Milton J. Durham, First Controller, Treas
sry Department, Washington, d. c.:
SIR-During the month of February, 1881,
the landowners living in that part Of the
county along the line of 4th street east, upon
the prolongation Of that street northward, hled
a petition in this Office agreeing to dedicate a
sufficient amount of ground from their re-
spechve tracts necessary for the extension OF
4th street from Boundary TO the Bunker Hill
road. In the act of Congress making appro-
priations for the District Of Columbia for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1889, approved July
IL, 1883, the following provision is made:
"For work on 4th street northeast extended
toward Bunker Hill road and on LIST street ex-
tended to Michigan avenue, and from thence
along said avenue to Lincoln road, $4,000
which clearly shows that il was the intention OF
- aa.NNaxr e.,
accept the proposition heretofore spoken of.
They therefore accepted this proposition on
their part, and orders were given to survey
and plot the ground in order that the lines OF
said street extension might be permanently
marked, and the dedication properly recorded
upon the records of the surveyors Office of
the District of Columbia.
Upon the survey being made it was discovered
that the street extension passed directly through
the dwelllng-house, stable. and other outbuild-
lngs and also destroyed the well of Michael
Conner, one Of the land owners who signed
the original proposition offering to dedicate
land needful from his tract. Upon this dis
covery Mr.. Conner refused to make the official
and legal dedication, as required by the Dis
trlct until he should be compensated for
the removal Of his buildings to new sites.
District, officers were instructed to make an ex-
animation and estimate of the cost of removing
the buildings from their present site to a new
locality close by, and they reported that
S2,30O would be reasonable provision for the
execution of such work.
The question which now arises is, have the
Commissioners authority to enter into contract
with said Common for the removal of these
buildings, which constitute an obstruction along
the line of 4th street east, from their present
locality to new site and pay him the sum
herein named, or any reasonable sum less than
that named herein, from the appropriation as
made by Congress for the opening Of this and
other streets. At the present time the Com
mlssloners have contract for the grading and
opening of this street, and such work has pro-
ceeded to Connor's line. As it is desirable. for
the convenience of the public, that this street
should be opened at an early day, the Commits
sioners would ask that the question may re-
ceive early consideration.
Very respectfully, W. B. WEBB, President.