The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1889-01-02
A PRETTY HOW D'Y' DO. .
DISPUTE OVER THE SUBDIVISION OF
WEST BRooKLAND.
Captain Symons Claims That IL Has Boon
Made Contrary to Law, and That tho
District Surveyor Has Allotted the
violation The Commissioners Order.

Captain Symons of the Engineer De.
partment on the Goth of December, wrote
Engineer Commissioner Raymond, for
warding plot Of u subdivision of prop.
erty lying at the junction of the Bunker
Hill road and the Metropolitan Branch
of the b. d o. Railroad. lie stated that
this subdivision is not in conformity
with the general plan of the city. and
parties interested were told by him that
it would be constrary to the law to
record 1t.
"Since then they have apparently gone
to work and made this subdivision with
the assistance of the Surveyor of the
District of Columbia" says Captain Sy-
mons, who, according to the certificate
on this plat, surveyed and plated the
land in November, ieSS, after the pass
age Of the act referred to" This act
provides that all proposed subdivisions
must be approved by the Commissioners
of the District before being admitted to
! record
Captain Simons also stated in this
letter that 'it is the apparent intention
of the owners to sell these lots probably
without their being officially recorded by
meete and bounds to persons whom they
may delude into buying them, and in
| this they have been aided and abetted
| by the Surveyor of the District,
On December 81 Captain Symons wrote
the following letter on the same subject:
Major Raymond, Engineer Commissioner, d. e..
SIR desire to invite your attention to an
advertisement which | have recently seen In
the daily papers Of this city Offering for sale
lots In the subdivision of "West Brookland."
This is the subdivision which | recently
brought to your attention in letter in regard
to the same having been surveyed, since tue
passage of the act of August 9th, 1855, by the
Surveyor Of the District. 1t is evident there
fore that these lots have been surveyed and
plated and are now being offered for sale,
Notwithstanding the fact that this subdivision
is in direct defiance of the will of Congress as
evidenced by the act OF August %.
| write this letter and suggest that the mat
ter be referred to the attorney Of the District
for his opinion as to whether the owners and
agents of this ''Wcst Brookand,n sO-called
cannot be restrained from selling, or Offering
for sale, lots therein.
would also suggest that steps be taken
by public advertisement, IL necessary, t.
warn the public against purchasing lots IL
this or any other subdivision laid out not ii
conformity with law.
The subdivision Of West Brookland, accord
ing to the map is owned by j. Henry Brooks
j. G.. Hester and X. W. Walker and the liant
is offered By Walker & Watson, real estat
agents. lOOG + streets northwest.
Acting on these advices the Commits
sioners to-day issued the following
Ordered That hereafter all proposed sub
divisions Of land in the District of Columbi
will be certified to bv the Surveyor of th
, District of Columbia, in conformity with pro
visions Of the Revised Statutes of the Unite
,, States relating to the District of Columbia
: and Will be transmitted BY him to the Con
action in pursuance Of the act entitled "A
act to regulate the subdivisions Of land With
$ the District Of Columbia" approved Augu:
: %, 1883.
The Surveyor of the District is hereby d
I rected not to certify in any manner whatevt
! 10 any new subdivision or part thereof, eS
I, cept FOR the transmission OF the same to Ii
+ commissioners for the'' action. -,..
There have been several propose
II subdivisions of lands in tine county di
approved By Captain Symons on accour
of the failure of the owners to provid
for alleys in the squares.
II A plat has been made of the Bea'
n property, at the head of North Capit
/ street, and the same objection has bee
:. raised against it.
|. The regulations governing sui
!, divisions, recently adopted by the Con
= sioners, leaves it discretionary wit
q them whether they approve SUI
3 division without alleys.