Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-31
MORE TESTIMONY HEARD.
The Appraisers of the Rock Creek Park
Property.

Property.
THE APPLICATIONS OF ATTORNEYS FOB THE PIECES
OF LAND TO BE CONSIDERED SEPARATELY DE-
NIED-THE SHOEMAKER AND BLAaDEN TRACTS
PRINCIPALLY CONSIDERED TODAY.
yesterday afternoon the commissioners
(Messrs. J. L. Norris, George J. Seufferle and
n. W. BurchelD to appraise the Rock Creek
Park land continued hearing evidence as to
values ac., after The Stars report closed.
Mr. Frank Shoemaker testified that he had
made sketch of his place, dividing it into Eve
lots, each OF which would have . good building
site and plenty of trees.
j. I. Dyer testified that some Of Blagden's
property IVES worth 10 cents per foot and the
rest 50 70 per acre.
Francis Hufty testified that some Of the
biaSden property was worth 10 cents per foot
and other parts S2,5OO per acre.
MR.. rHos. BLAGpEv
Mr.. Thos Blagden testified that most Of his
land was valuable for villa sites and he
had improved It with the view Of subdividing
It into twenty-six sites. He considered parcel
"a worth 10 cents per foot and 73 5000 per
acre. From five villa sites view ws of the Washing
ington monument could be obtained, and he
thought he could not get equally as good sites
Aor iccs suuu So,uOV per acre. In thls oOCUl-
vision the lots average 200 feet in width.
On crOss-eXamination by Mr.. Perry witness
said that since the partition o{ his fathers es-
tate three portions haa been sold some Of it in
1873, but the prices were low. and the last sale
Of any part by him was fourteen years ago On
being Questioned as to the hillsides he said
he valued the land aud timber at 5000 per
acre
By Mr.. Abert--Ihe taking Of the land shut
him off entirely from the Pierce Mill road.
Reditect-Mr. Louis Shoemaker's acre was
worth 10, IL or Is cents per foot. Frank Shoe
makers land was g. 600 per acre.
By MIR Abert-He claimed, one Of the heirs,
an interest IL the Pierce Mill road
Mr.. PAIRo AGAIN.
Mr.. Pairo testified to Mr.. Blagdens land
that from the 14th street road to the entrance he
drove in nine minutes. Parcel "a as a whole
was worth - 900 per acre. for it WAS the pret-
tiest land in the south end of the park. Parcel
rs was not worth 50 much-25 to 80 per cent
less.
On cross-examination Mr.. Pairo said if the
property laid out villa sites on the slope was
worth 10 cents per foot that on the crest was
worth 80 per cent more. With others he sold
BrOokland lots on the rise, with a view for
several cents higher than those on the plain.
1t all depended on the taste Of the purchaser,
| and he had known some who preferred the
meadow.
loDAA lEoIlnoSI.
The commission resumed its session this
morning to continue until 4 o'clock-that
| being the hour for daily adjournment-no ses-
sions to be held on Saturdays.
L. R. Hinsdale, civil engineer, was called by
Mr.. Wm Stone Albert and testified to the cor
rectness of maps of MIR. Blagden's property.
He testified that east of the park line there is a
strip OF gully which is actually worthless and
he then described the lay of the land referring
tn tho huil1pO rocl II the ha,,
thirty to forty feet high.
Mr.. Albert asked how long it took to drive
from the place to l4th street, and Mr.. Perry
objected to the time and submitted that the
distance and nature of the ground could be
given.
Witness then said the road was comparatively
level and he had done some bicycling on it.
Mr.. Albert offered the subdivision of the
Blagden place made in August 1876, in evil
dence.
Mr. Geo B. Starkweather testified that he
| sold some land in 1880 to John Z. Beall for far
| less than il was worth. He sold il for S2l 600,
and it was 13. Oh acres. He thought 1t worth then
81, 900 to q, 500 per acre ana thought it was
| worth now 10 cents per foot. He regarded
parcel 73 worth 10 cents per foot and parcel
| "A 81 900 per acre and the smaller parcels 10
cents per foot.
On cross-examination' he said he bought the
land at $500 per acre on September IL, 1854.
| He was dealer or operator liz suburban real
estate and ceased operations in the northwest
| when the park project was a2itated and is now
operating In the northeastern part of the Dis
| trict He now owned home near the park of
nine acres, for which he paid $500 i'll 1885,.
| BY Mr.. Abert-He valued his land opposite
| the quarry at 80 cents per foot.
MIR. l.. p. Shoemaker was recalled and said
| as to parcels II and ", that desrabl building
| lots were in the park. Mr.. Mathewson's land
was worth 81, 500 and one Of the Blagden tracts
$4,000.
MR. JOHN +. wAGaAMAN's VIEWS.
| John +. Waggaman dealer in real estate)
testified as to the Blagden tract (parcel IA,
that it was suitable for building sites (villas)
and was worth from 5000 to s1O,O per acre
| for such purpose.
Mr.. Waggaman said he was interested in
Woodley west of the park and he valued the
| property at $4,000 per acre, and there were
| over l30 acres. 1t is fact that the Chevy
Chase Company is investing heavily along Con-
| necticut avenue extended, but he did not know
that they had put any of their property in the
| market
| Mr.. Perry asked question to show that the
history OF such streams as Rock creek was that
if not protected by parking or otherwise they
would be converted into foul sewers and rem
dered unfit for villa sites. He said LIE would
show that this was the case with Jones' Falls in
| Baltimore.
Mr.. Albert objected, saying that it was prob.
iematicai eiairvoyant idea, and such testimony
4
Mr.. Perry said that much of the testimony
yesterday was as to villa sites, and it was
| proper to show that as the city grows unless the
| creek is protected the value Of sites for villas
| was deprecated.
Mr.. Perry then asked as to the desirability OF
the banks of the creek below P street bridge
and Mr. Albert objected, saying that it was not
the future with which they were dealing, but
the present.
| The objection was sustained.
With the understanding that Messrs Regi.
nald Fendall and Chaplin Brown could be heard
and proof given as to the title of the roadway
the case as to the Blagden property was closed.
| THE SHOEMAKER TRACT.
| Parcel SO, the Shoemaker tract Of 245. .406
| acres, was taken up.
Hon. Jere Wilson and T. A. Lambert ap-
peared for the owners, and stated that this was
| one of the cases in whichJ certain proceedings
had been had, and asked that this case he
| tried 80 as to have clear record. They pro-
posed first to offer their testimony, and
after the testimony for the government to offer
rebutting testimony.
| Mr.. Wilson said that the Commissioners had
taken $50 acres, had gone as far as the govern
ment and the state Of Maryland would allow
| them, taking in the large and the small parcels
| and punching all, but he claimed that they had
| nothing to do with the contiguous property
and desired to try the case as an independent
one.