Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-14

Among the last things the President did last
evening before sweeping Oh his desk prepare
tory to leaving it for his months tour in the
south and west was to attach his signature to the
paper left with him some days ago by the Rock
Creek Park commission and thereby approving
the project Of condemnation.
1t was feared that possibly this matter. which
has been on the Presidents desk for over a
| week, might be lost in the general shuttle OF
things that took place at the executive man.
sion last night: But the President is not
to the scheme devised by the
commissioners and the schedule Of prices.
Accompanying tine papers was a large map,
park. This was also approved, and the commits
sioners were notified this morning OF the fact.
A coMMrssIoxERs' MEETING.
There will probably be meeting Of the COM
mission this week, at which the map will be
formally signed, and then it will be taken do wn
to the office of the recorder Of deeds and filed
In compliance with the law.
This act stipulates that the Offering Of prices
to private owners at the rates agreed upon
shall be completed within thirty days from the
| filing Of the map, and hence the commission will
lose no time in writing to each of the holders
announcing the rate which the government
| Will pay for the land. In case sales are not
concluded by this method within the thirty
| days application is to be made to the court for
condemnation proceedings.
THE PRICES OFFERED.
The prices that are to be offered are kept
| secret at present in order to prevent undue
combinations on the part of property owners
in the tract selected, but it is possible that
| soon all of the offers have been made the
commission will consent to publication of the
schedule.
The map that is to be filed this week is re-
garded by the commission as one of the finest
pieces of work ever done. 1t is about four feet
by twelve and is very complete in its detailed
description of the proposed park.
TALK WITH GEN. BoYNToN.
Gen. Boynton, member Of the commission,
said to STAR reporter this morning:
Capt Rossell had full charge Of this work
OF survey and preparing the map, and 1 must
say that he has done magnificent. He has given
US the finest possible survey and one of the
most complete maps l ever saw. 1t
shows the exact boundary of the park,
the bounds Of each holding the character of
the land, whether marshy, hilly, rolling, fat,
wooded, clear, smooth, stony, agricultural or
otherwise; it indicates every building and all
improvements and is. in fact, a most complete
picture of the whole territory
THE WORK WAS PUSHED.
81 do not believe 1 ever heard Of q public
work that was pushed forward with as much zeal
and skill and intelligence. Not moments
time was lost, and bad weather did not delay
the surveying any more than was positively
unavoidable.
1.-The captain put his men in rubber boots and
had them out in the field all through the win
ter working during all kinds Of weather, ex-
cept when 1t was raining or showing SO hard
that they could not get their sights. Capt.
Rossell had full control. II he wanted any
thing he received it and when he made an
estimate that he could use a certain number Of
men he was told to get twice many three
times as many, il they could be found and
utilized. No stone was left unturned to shove
the work ahead at top of speed, and to Capt.
Rossell is due all Of the credit"
MR.. PERRY AND THE LEGAL MATTERS.
Mr.. Il. Ross Perry, the legal member of the
commission, has in preparation a letter to the
Attorney General asking for full intepreta-
ton of the law constituting the commission,
particularly upon the point as to whether
or not that body has the authority. in
case sales cannot be effected within the limit
stipulated-S1, zoe, 0OO-to go beyond that sum-
MIR. Perry will submit o number of direct ques-
tions. the answers to which will greatly facili-
tate the work of the commission.
THE REPORT IN CAPT. RossELLs HANDS,
The valuation report made by the commits
sion to the President, and bearing the Presi-
dents signature. was lying today on Capt
Rossells desk at the District buildings. 1t
is voluminous package Of papers. en-
bracing both the report Of the committee
appointed to appraise the land and also that
made by Capt. Rossell, who was instructed by
the commission to have an appraisement made
Of the houses and other improvements on the
land that the government will have to pay for.
The next step in the proceedings will be the
filing Of the map Of the proposed park, which
has been prepared by the commission.
CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS MAY BE COMPLETED
INA MONTH.
Mr.. R. Ross Perry. a member Of the COM
mission, said to a STAR reporter today that the
| work now before the commission would be
| pushed without delay. After the map
is filed and the thirty DAYS allowed
| for private arrangement with the prop
erty owners have elapsed Mr.. Perry said
| the commission would be prepared
to at once file its petition with the court. Under
the law, he said, the park commission will con-
duct the condemnation proceedings, and he be-
lieved they could 30 expedite the work as to
| have 1t all completed within a month.
In the cases Of property owners who accept
| the offers OF the commission the amounts Of
| fered will be paid soon as the titles are ex-
amined and approved.
| CANNOT ANTICIPATE THE PROCEEDINGS.
| There is a contingency which may make
further legislation necessary. After the park
commission has purchased tracts here and
| there by private agreement, it may happen that
the commissioners, to assess the land to be con-
demned, may fix upon prices SO great as
| to make the whole amount required exceed the
appropriation. In that event the ground can
not be paid for without additional appropria-
ton. The commission, however, will 60 ahead
with its work, paying for ground
| where their offers accepted. One
| Of the commission said to a STAR reporter to-
| day that they had no RICH. to assume an
| ticipate what the amounts to be awarded by
| the assessing commission may be.
| 1t seems to be q general opinion in which the
| members Of the commission share that little IL
| any Of the land will DO obtained by the govern
ment as the result of the offers about to be
| made by the commission.
| now VALUES WILL BE FIXED.
The principles Of law which the commission
expect to have applied to the case are those
laid down to govern the post office site COM
mission. The value to be fixed for each parcel
| of ground, Mr.. Perry said today. was its value
| to one who wanted to purchase it for farm
| ing purposes or for a villa site. Its value
| for park purposes could not, he thought, be
considered, for the separate parcels in them
! selves had no value for park purposes. 1t was
| only when they were all considered together
| that they had value as park.
| ELECTRIC WIRES IN GEORGETOWN.
| Assistant Attorney Thomas Says the Consent
Of Property Owners 10 Necessary.
Some days ago the Commissioners received
an application from Mr.. ]. C. O'Gorman Of
II