Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-30
EXTENDING THE STREETS.
The House Statement Accompanying the
Conference Report on the Bill.

The House Statement Accompanying the
Conference Report on the Bill.
The House statement which accompanies the
conference report on the bill extending the
streets and avenues of the city throughout the
District reads az follows:
"The most material amendment Of the House
TO which the Senate objected related to the
payment of damages assessed for the coudem-
nation Of land taken for the purposes of high
why's, 30. The Senate bin ~ It originally came
to the House provided that one-third Of the
damages assessed should be put upon the land
abutting upon the highway. The House
changed this by providing that the amount
awarded as damages in any case Of condemna-
ton should be assessed upon the lands bene-
q ted thereby or upon the lands In the District
OF Columbia, as the court should ad1udge,
and that the amount assessed against the Dis
trict Of Columbia should be paid eKolusively
from tho revenues thereof. The Sonste fn-
ststs that the proportion 10 be paid In each
care by the District and the property owners
respectively shozld be definitely fxed IN the
law, and insists on making IL half to each, and
the House conferees recommend agreement
thereto. The fourth amendment Of the House
was designed to exempt the United States from
all liability to any expenses with any street,
reservation or circle or other Improvement out
side of tho cities Of Washington and George
town. The oonferees Of the Senate insist that
this exemption ia too broad, a. II would apply to
the Washington aqueduct and apply to any
and al dnds of improvement now existing or
hereafter to be made in the District outside Of
the cities under authority Of Congress, and that
IL IL better for Congress TO deal with each such
case as 1t may arise on fts merits. The con-
forces, agreeing with this, recommend that the
House recede from said amendment. The
Senate recedes from its disagreement In the
amendment in regard to condemnation with the
following subamendment: In case the court
shall enter Judgment Of condemnation in any
case and appropriation Is not made by Congress
for tho payment ofsuch award within the period
OF six months, Congress being In session at that
time after such award, or for the period Of six
months after tho meeting of the next session Of
Congress, the proceedings shall be void, and the
land shall revert to the owner
"Ihis amendment is to provide against the
act becoming imperative by reason Of Congress
not being in session in time to give effect to its
terms relating to the appropriation of the money
necessary to satisfy awards made against the
District Of Columbia.
1.-The seventh amendment Of the House was
designed to have preference in the opening Of
streets and avenues 10 those localities in which
the greatest areas Of ground might be dedicated
FOR such use. Your conferees agree with those
of the Senate that such provision might compel
the opening Of some streets and avenues in
preference to others in which the public had q
much more important interest. That In this
regard the Commissioners should be allowed
discretion in this work greater than would be
thus given them 10 select for first attention
those sections demanded by the best interests
Of the public. We therefore recommend that
the House recede from the amendment"