Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-10
THE ROCK CREEK PARK.

The ComuaSssion Issues IN Order for the
Payment Of the Money.
The dscision in the Rock Cree Park case, rem
dered yesterday by the Court In General Term,
as mentioned in TIE STAB, directed
that the awards approved by the
President should, with the exception Of
those in the Shoemaker and Truesdeii cases, be
atoncs paid into the registry Of the court.
Immediately after the order WAS signed GER
tilted copy Of the order was prepared and pre-
sented before q meeting Of the Rock Greek
Park commissioners held yesterday afternoon.
The Commissioners ut once directed that an
order on the Secretary Of the Treasury for the
amount of the awards DO issued. The amount
represented by these awards 10 about ease, 900.
TIE SHOEMAKER AND rRrEspELL TRACTS.
In the matter Of the Shoemaker and Trues-
dell interests counsel were granted postpone
ment until today for the purpose OF submitting
q motion for the issuance in their cases Of SUI
persedeas.
MAY TAKE POSSESSION.
II is also said that neither the granting of an
appeal nor the issuance Of supersedeas would
prevent the government from taking
By the Messrs. Shoemaker and
MI. Truesdell. 1t ia thought that the court
will direct the amounts awarded them to be
toAA AHto oouTt III Jay OF TWO. ND6n tnlS
Is done the title to tho whole
park as It now stands will be vested in the
United States. The labors Of the Rock Creek
Park commissioners will then have been COM
pleted, SO far as the requirement of the land is
concerned, apd they will at once turn the park
over to the Permanent park commission, which,
under the park act, will be composed OF the
Commissioners of the District and the chief OF
engineers Of the army.
THE ISSUE AT THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
The Secretary OF the Treasury has been put
In somewhat embarrassing position in the
matter OF the Rock Greek Park payments.
AZ the instance Of the chairman of
the House appropriations committee a
few days ago upon the notification that
resolution OF inquiry Ia pending, the Secretary
suspended payments for the property 10 be
taken by the government. The notice given
the Secretary was Of u character which treasury
officials say could not be ignored, aud the cash
for The payment rcrnains in the treasury vaults,
in the sum OF n found million dollars.
Now comes the court with mandate to the
Secretary tC pay this mcnsy into the court
The Secretary az d matter Of custom, it is said,
must give heed TO requests OF the appyoprIa-
tl)ns committee, but IN this case he il con-
eronted with an order OF the court which IL OF
higher authority than the command Of a COM
mistee Of Congress.
What JUGDE HOLMAN SAYS.
speaking OF the decision OF the court in the
Rock Creek Park matter Judge Holman said
that he supposed that the Secretary of the
Treasury would withhold the payments for u
reasonable time and see what Congress
would do abOut the investigation. or
course, he sad, it is not TO be supposed
that the Secretary of the Treasury will with
hold the payments for the purpose. merely
OF seeing whether or not Congress will re-
peal the law. He said there was only one prece-
dent for Withholding tho payment, and that was
in the case of the purchase Of the grounds for
Fort Brown. In that case it was found that an
exorbitant price had been authorized to be paid
and by the action Of Congress the price
WAS reduced and no title could be given
80 the matter hung up and the
War Department refused to spend the money
until Congress should decide definitely what
should be done. Judge Holman said that next
Monday, which is suspension Monday, he would
attempt to pass the resolution for an investiga-
ton of the Rock Creek Park under suspension
OF the rules.
The Fort Brown case, to which Judge Holman
referred, is in no sense analogous to this par
ticular case.