Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-18
ROCK CREEK LANDS.
Experts Talk Today Abeus the Money Value
q Trees.

Experts Talk Today About the Money Value
q Trees.
The commission resumed its session at 10
o'clock this morning and the government called
VIM H. Mohlsr. who tsstiasd that the stone Of
the Shoemaker tract was 90 situated that il
could not be worked advantageously. for the
haul to. the city was too great, and besides i,
was hard stone and dificuls to work and did
not come in layers.
On crosse xamina.ion witness said he Vas
working quarries on the Potomac above the
Aqueduct and furnifhing stone to the govern
ment and to private parties- The blue stone
was not used as jet above the belt course of
buildings for fronts. The Shoemaker stone,
As well a. his own stons, was zoo hard for paw
ing blocks.
Redirect-He would not 20 to the Broad
branch quarrics for stone for they were too
Tar from the city. He had furnished stone for
q house at Mount Pleasant.
Mr.. VIM. Saunders testified that the purple
beech trees on the Shoemaker tract were worth
nothing to move except for FIRE wood. They
had been planted - nursery trees twenty years
ago and were not slightly trees. The trees de-
tached from the ground have no value except
for fuel.
On cross-examination Mr.. Saunders said that
one Of the purple beeches was growing on the
creek and WIS q fine one. These trees were
not so rare as might be supposed. There was a
fne one at Oak Hill, perhaps 100 feet high and
sixty years old. II those in the clump referred
to had been isolated they might have been
forty feet high. The group was to q certain
extent symmetrical. He knew Of no funda-
mental factor which would enable one to pu,
money value on q matter Of taste.
Mr.. Wilson asked II he had such group on
ME place what would he charge q man who
would cut them down.
Mr.. Saunders answered that he vould no,
ask more than the price Of Ere wood. They
were not healthy trees and would decay In 8
short time.
On redirect examination Mr.. Saunders said
snat forest and lawn could not be maintained
on the same spot.
On recross-examination witness said that hs
had advised his clients generally to cut out the
trees and set out anew. II is but seldom thai
an isolated tree in forest can be made o thine
OF beauty: He had in some instances recon-
mended the cutting out Of lawns, leaving GER
tain trees.
BY NJ Burchell-The purple beeches as they
stand he could not say added any thing to thu
market value of the land.
by Commissioner Norris-He would not, Il
he owned the land permit them TO be cut down
but if another man owned it he might MOI
value them. As to giving additional value {.
the land, that depended on the owners taste
truman Lanhan, superintendent of tree
planting under the parking commission, testi
neo. Inc purple peecnes. ne said, were twelve
in number, standing closely, deformed and un
slightly II isolated and were too large to trans
plant They were old and as group wer,
worth nothing, except with reference to tn,
taste OF the owner, and he could not put {
money value on them. They were rather rare
Lafayette Square, Franklin Square and 34tl
street, West Washington having specimens
Witness was raised on farm.
Mr.. Wilson smiled, and Mr.. Perry said wit
ness had qualified himself and had touched Mr.
Wilson in a tender spot
Mr. Lanhsm spoke Of the effect Of tree,
growing together. He thought that the tree
would add to the value for ive-acre villa sites
ior the trees and shrubbery not needed could
be cut out. II divided into city lots tree
would depreciate the value Of the land.
On eross-examination witness spoke Of hi
farm life and his experience in planting trees
In private park a certain number Of treei
would be desirable, but forest would not