Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-15

Another Weeks Testimony as to the vaius
Of Landa C1esed.

o. A>a00A CAoeoo.
SEVERAL ExPERrs Examined YEsrxRpAY-sPAn-
RHO BETWEEN COUNSEL As TO THE EFFECT
on THE MARKET II ALL THE GROUND WAS
SUDDENLY THROWN on TIE MARKET.
Yesterday afternoon the Rock Creek Park
commission, Messrs. James L. Norris, George
J. Seuffsrle and N. W. Burehell. held a session
till 4:So O'Clock and took testimony as to the
value OF the property and adjourned until
Monday morning. M. VIM. Stone Albert sug-
gested that a. they had worked two hours lon
ger each day than is usual in the courts they
would shorten their labors by adiourning over
Monday. The commission suggested that some
OF the property holders had arranged to have
their Witnesses present and they hoped to have
all the evidence Of the owners in on that day.
MIR. Perry said that perhaps outside of the
commission he WINS the hardest worked man and
hoped that the commission would sit Monday.
anu II the owners closed he would have the bal
nnce OF the week to prepare and put in his evil
denee, and he did not expect to occupy a week.
ine commission then adjourned to Monday.
ASSAY OF THE rnuEspELL QUARTZ.
AFTER recess Robert B. Riggs was examined by
Mr.. James Coleman and testified he was q pro-
iessor OF chemistry living at Hartford, and he
received in the winter OF l8s9-90 some Quartz
fock; which he assayed for gold and found it to
yield IS per ton.
This testimony was taken with the under
standing 1t IL to be connected with the Trues-
dell tract on the creek near the Military road,
John W. Willis testified he bought his tract
SNo. ~, o. acres, at the junction of the Broad
branch ana Biagden Mills roads, in 1883. He
Paio Sl7o per acre, and be cleared it up for his
9uIenPancy as nome. He valued 1t at 81 800
ne mad made road costing 800; bride path.
sS9; posts palings, DC, S72.AS: fruit trees he
valued At IS each, ESQ. He would give the
2ts shade trees and spring to the government
Ills green house he valued at "a. 500, and
dwelling. DC, at e2.600. He had brought no
they had had enough a. to the ground. HIS
green mouse. 40 feet long, was SO situated that
1t required but nine tens of coal last winter. 1t
would have cost him fifty tons elsewhere. He
nau looked about for another site az eligible,
but could find none.
On cross-sxaminstion witness said the build
lnss were put up by days work and could not
say exactly what they cos, him.
Mr. WILLIS IMPROVEMENTS.
John Z. Louthan testified tEat it would cost
S2,Ooo to build a house like Mr. Willis. and
from 800 to $500 for the green house without
the machinery.
". d. Larman testified that the pipe and
$500. "' "'''" WV W
Smith Petit testified that the boiler and pine
at $780, o
=, M. Starkweather was recalled and testified
that the Nckeown tract (No. go was worth
tuore 70 the Shoemaker tract and he valued it
AZ y, 10Y 10 Il 300 per acre. There we're ex-
oeitent views OF the river TO near Mt Vernon.
crosse xamlned by Mr.. Perry---Hs would
give $1,000 or 81 800 and take the chances Of
get'ing out II be owned the Shoemaker tract
On On elther side he would give as high as $1,000.
ne would, If he undivided ii, hold it 1t ~, 500
to 5000 per acre.
THE PRICE PER FOOT.
1t would depend upon what latitude would
be allowed at the District Office in regard to
the subdivision as to what price he would fix
per foot. II he got fair treatment at the Dis
trict office he could buy for. 1880 per acre
ao9 ~ per cent for grading and subdivision
and Its value would be enhanced 40 to 80 per
cent. Tie thought in much OF the subdivisions.
the natural beauty WAS destroyed and expense
enhanced. He would not plat by foot but by
acre. lie had bought tracts on the line OF
massachusetts, and Pennsylvania avenues over
tne Eastern branch fOrfrom 800 5000 per acre.
witness was asked if every other man III tn.
county subdivided and put his lots on the mar
Rct would 1t Interfere with his plans! He
answered that he did not think it would, but
would impress the visitors.
MI. Perry-Bring them right in3
Witness-Ies sir.
=, by Mr.. W. Stone Abert-The north tract OF
Mr. Dos Passes is worth 81 900 and the south
tract 81 200.
LAND AT AVALON Hr1aHrs
Mr.. d. ID. Stone (renl estate) testified that he
mad laid out Avalon Heights on the Bladens-
burg pike, two and one-hals miles out, and was
selling lots at and 10 cents per foot He sold
to syndicate for $500 per acre. In LAYING ont
tne land one-third was lost for streets and
the grading cost about $4,000. He had sold
piece OF land near TenIeytown at 81 200 per
acre. He had been over the Zepp CMcKeoxnl
tract and 1t was worth $500 per acre. He
bought the property near Tenieytown for $500
per acre before the Methodist University and
the railroad were projected. He had been
Vnefeo q piece OF ground within few yards of
Avalon Heights within a few months at $500
per acre. but he declined to take it, To subdi-
vide FOR small lots he would want level land,
put Tor acre more rolling land was not OBJ.
5ectionable. II the land was precipitous the
expense OF subdivision would be increased.
Hls experience was that it required about
double the price per foot to pay for streets,
expenses, DC. Land at cents per foot would
have to bring cents per foot to nav expenses.
4he bulk OF development has beeu in the north
west, although there were subdivisions all over
the District.
WANTED TO GET IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
mr.. ID. ID. Stone said when he heard of any,
tnins likely to cause boom he tried to get in
on the ground floor. II all owners made and
put subdivisions on the market it would effect
the sales and mako it somewhat difficult to selI.
Mr.. Starkweather estimated parcel 4S. seven
tenths OF an acre, at the rate of 81 600 per acre
MIR. fenwick testified that Crutchfelds
small tract near the north corner of the Dis.
trict was worth $500 per acre.
Joseph Il. Hartford (real estate) was called
as to the White tracts (23 ana part 36l by
Messrs j. w. Warner and X. Z. L. White. He
testified that the land was rolling on both
SIDES OF the creek and extending above and
below the Military road and about one-thjrd
wooded, some OF the trees being large. and ON
1t were some nice high points. He valued il for
villa sites at $500 to 81 900 per acre
On cross-examination Mr.. Perry asked il there
was market for all the sites in the park
Mr.. W. Stone Albert objected and claimed
that the question was as to the yalue of the
property for each piece Of land for the most
valuable use to which it could be put. Zach
piece was to be examined separately and it was
not fair 70 assume that the whole park YVES to
be put into villa sites and placed on the market
at once.
This was discussed by Mr.. Perry, Mr.. RIM
DALI MIR. Albert and Others
Chairman Norris asked Mr.. Perry il the
stock OF financial institution was placed ON
the market at once would not it depreciate the
price.
AVAILABILITY AND MARKET VALUE.
Mr.. Perry answered that that would be the
result and said it had been shown that these
lands were suitable for villa use and claimed