Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-08
ROCK CREEK PARK.
The Bill Which Chairman Hemphill
will Introduce.

will Introduce.
Representative Hemphill, chairman of the
District committee, has the following bill in
charge, which he intends introducing in the
House at the first opportunity.
BE IL enacted, &C., That tract of land
lying on both sides of Rock creek, be-
ginning at Woodley Lane bridge and run
ming northwardly, following the course of
said creek, of a width not less at any point
than 400 feet. including the bed of the creek,
of which not less than so feet shall be on
either side of said creek, and of such greater
width at any point or points as the Commits
sioners designated in this act may select, shall
be secured, as hereinafter set out, and is per-
petually dedicated and set apart as a public
park or pleasure ground for the benefit and
enjoyment of the people of the United States:
provided, however, that the whole tract SO to
be selected and condemned under the provis-
ions of this act shall not exceed 2, 500 acres
Sec. 2. That the chief of engineers of the
United States army, the secretary of the Smith
sonian Institution. and the Engineer Commits
sioner of the District of Columbia be- and they
are hereby, appointed commission to select
the land for said park. Of the quantity and
within the limits aforesaid. and to have the
same surveyed by the assistant to the said En-
gineer Commissioner in charge of public high
ways, which said assistant shall also act as exec
utive officer to the said commission
Sec. 3. That the said commission, imme-
diately after making the selection of said tract
shall make application to the Supreme Court
of the District of Columbia, at a general or
special term. by petition containing particu-
lar description of the property required, with
the name of the owner or owners thereof and
his. her, or their residence, as far as the same
can be ascertained, and said court is hereby
authorized and required, upon such applica-
ton and without delay to ascertain and assess
the damages occasioned by the taking of said
land to each owner thereof or to any person
having legal claim to said damages, in the
manner provided with reference to the taking
of land for highways in the District of Column
bia.
Sec. 4. That the fee simple of all premises so
appropriated for public use, of which an APP
praisement shall have been made under the
order and direction of said court, shall, upon
payment of the appraised value, to the owner
or owners respectively, or to such persons as
shall be authorized to receive the same for any
such owners, be vested in the United States;
and if, in any case, the owner or owners of any
portion of said land shall refuse neglect after
the appraisement of the cash value of said
lands and improvements by said court, to de-
mand the same from the said commission. upon
depositing the appraised value in said court to
the credit of such owner or owners respectively,
the fee simple of all such lands shall be in like
manner vested in the United States. And the
said commission is hereby authorized and re-
quired to pay to the several owner or owners
".
aforesaid. the appraised value of the several
premises as specified in the appraisement by
said court, or to pay into court by deposit as
hereinbefore provided the said appraised value.
Sec. 5. That said court may direct the time
and manner in which possession of the prop
erty condemned shall be taken or delivered,
and may, if necessary. enforce any order or
issue any process for giving possession.
Sec. 6. That no delay in making an assess
ment of compensation. or in taking possession,
shall be occasioned by any doubt which may
arise as to the ownership of the property or
any part thereof, or as to the interests Of the
respective owners. In such cases the court
shall require deposit of the money allowed as
compensation for the whole property or the
part in dispute. In all cases as soon as the
said commission shall have paid the compensa-
ton assessed or secured its payment by de-
posit of money under the order of the court,
possession of the property may be taken.
Sec. z. That to defray all expenses of in
curry, survey, assessment payment for lands
taken and all other necessary expenses incl
dental thereto, there is hereby appropriated
out of any moneys in the treasury not other
wise appropriated. the sum of $500, 200, or as
much thereof as may be necessary. to be
placed to the credit of said commission and
disbursed on its requisition.
Provided that one-half of the sum which shall
be expended under the provisions of this act,
shall be paid out of the resources of the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Section 8. The public park authorized and
established by this act shall be under the ex-
elusive control of the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia. whose duty it shall be as
soon as practicable to make and publish such
regulations as they may deem necessary or
proper for the care and management of the
same. Such regulations shall provide for the
preservation from injury or spoliation of all
the timber, animals or curiosities within said
park, and their retention in their natural con-
dition."