Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-26
THE ROCK CREEK PARK.
Counsel FOR the Property Owners Begin The
Arguments.

r@StN ~ IN INV
Arguments.
The commission appointed 20 apprsise ths
land sought TO be condemned for the purpoeesst
the Rock Greek Park resumed 10. session this
morning. CIR. Henry Wise GARRETT appearing
Tor the Rock Greek Park Company,
said that from reading Of tie
sraH Of Friday he learned that his distinguished
friend. Mr.. Perry. had taken occasion 70 criti.
else the Rock Creek Park Company a. specula.
tors who had bought simply for the purpose q
trading on the necessity OF the governmeus
after the passage Of the act creating the pro-
posed park. Mr.. Garnet, said tina, whom his
clients bought or what purpose they
had. had nothing whatever 30 do with the case
IL should make no difference TO the comma
! sion what the object of his clients was The
land purchased by them bad been valued by
experts and n consideration OF that valuation
was all they could or should consider in theis
deliberations.
Mr.. COLEMAN ARsrNExr.
Mr.. Coleman followed Mr.. Garrett promising
his argument by the reflection that notwish-
standing the assertion Of the counsel for tho
government. the people OF this District we're
not In need OF such a park. neither were the
rest Of the people of tins country in need q
such a resort And even IL they were. h.
| claimed Il would be in reach OF the wealthy
only. The most striking feature OF Washing
ton, he SAID, was its wealth OF parks. there
being not less than 8 200 acres OF parks In this
CITY and District The government in this case
NAG signaiiy and utterly failed to
tabiish the fact Of necessity for this
park. and 10 take mans property
without showing necessity for IL was uncon-
stitufion9l. and there WAS no doubt OF the act
being declared SO by the court when the proper
| tlme comes The fact that the act itself de-
scribed the proposed park as q pleasure
ground left no question of such a course by
the proper legal tribunal when the case comes
up for review.
The course Of the government in this case
be asserted, had hardly been a fair one. for ia
learned counsel had taken occasion 20 try the
| case as II II was one before the Circuit Court
resorting TO every legal device 10 belittle the
claims of the land owners
Out of the 500 real estate dealers in this eitv
he said, only those who were financially inter
| ested an the success Of the park had been
placed on the witness stand by the government
for the most part.
The speaker had no fault 10 find with the
course OF the governments witnesses for he was
glad TO see such enterprise and energy dis
played, but he did object to his client being
made the medium of filling the pockets OF
other gentlemen.
a., Yet in the debate preceding the passage of
this act II Was stated again and again that
81 600 would not purchase the land de-
sired. The whole truth OF the matter WA
TINS: The amount was TO be used only as an en-
lCElfk Ntugc.
AT this point Mr.. Coleman suspended for a
Few minutes In order that a photograph OF the
commission, counsel and others Interested might
be made by Mr.. {. NJ. Bell. the photographer
Mr.. Mchenney expressing the regret Of counsel
Tor the land owners that the governments trio
OF witnesses. Messrs Truesdell, Saunders and
Paul. were absent
Mr. Coleman then proceeded 10 discuss the
testimony given by witnesses for the owners
following 1t by discussion OF the testimony OF
the governments Witnesses claiming that
the latter gave their testimony without
having first gone upon the land OF
has client. Mr.. 1ruesdelL For this failure to
actually view the land, Mr.. Coleman argued.
their testimony should in all propriety be dir
regarded by the commission.
Keverting TO the secret which Mr.. Coleman
argued lay hidden in the movement creating
the proposed Rock Greek Park, the explains
tion, he sand. could be found in the fact that
with the land in the park taken forever
from the market the lands held by the
park scheme agitators on either side OF
the proposed park would be enhanced in value
to that extent Every curbstone real estate
broker, he said could be found on the street
corners loudly advocating the creation Of the
park The entire press of the city had been
subsidized IN the interest OF the agitators of
the park, and the claims Of the owners had
been increasingly belittled and ridiculed-