Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-09
ROCK CREEK ARCH.
The Cost of the Proposed FILLING aud Value
of the Ground.

| A REPORT By CAPT. FIEBEGER-HE THINKS THE
WORK PROPOSED WILL TAKE TEN YEARs-THE
VALUE OF THE RECLAIMED LAND.
Capt. Lusks report upon the resolution OF
the Senate calling for certain information rela-
tive TO the arching of Rock creek
printed in Saturdays STAR. Today Capt.
Fiebeger, to whom referred that por-
ton of the report relative TO the FILL
ing in between the banks Of the creek and the
estimate of the value to the government of the
land reclaimed by such work in excess of the
probable judgment of condemnation, submitted
his report. 1t is given in full below:
In making the estimates required have as
sumed that the land reclaimed will be sold SO
as to indemnify the government. as far rs pos
sible. for the cost Of making the improvement.
To this end il should be subdivided in ac-
cordarce with the city plan and be graded so as
to give acceptable building sites. This subdi-
vision is shown on the plan and the grades Of
the streets on the sections hereunto attached.
DESCRIPTION OF THE IMPROVEMENT
South OF Pennsylvania avenue the top Of
arched water way will be about twenty feet
above the level of the streets at its intersection
with street and still higher at Virginia ave-
nue. This viii necessitate considerable filling
to bring the adjacent squares to this level and
to connect the streets OF Washington with those
Of Georgetown.
Between Pennsylvania avenue and + street
the top of the arch will be below the level Of the
banks of the creek and there will be no difficulty
i'll uniting the two cities with the present
grades OF the streets
Between T. and X streets it is proposed to fill
the valley SO that both Q and Il streets may be
connected with oath and 25th streets extended.
AS shown on the plans and sections
North of j street. Massachusetts avenue is
parallel to the creek and has its grade estab-
lished, it is proposed 20 fill the valley in such
O way that its slope viii incline
gradually from the avenue westward to
Park drive, which will be located on the east
line Of Oak Hill cemetery. The inclination
will be such that street will have greater
slope than four feet in 100 and the encrosch-
ment Oh the cemetery will be as little as pos
sible.
Park drive will pass under Massachusetts,
avenue. as heretofore proposed. into the valley
above.
AMOUNT AND COST or FILLING.
The total amount OF filing which is given in
the accompanying estimates. is over 6 ,OO0, 900
cubic yards. Such quantity of material could
not be obtained in any place in the District
west of the Anacostia river. and could be OBJ
tanned most cheaplv from Virginia south of the
Potomac. 1t would. however, be advisable to
obtain us much as possible from the suburban
streets adjacent to the valley. even al a higher
cost. have, therefore. made the estimate at
40 cents a cubic yrrd. which 4 somewhat
greater than it would be if all the material were
obtained from single borrow pit on the south
side OF the Potomac river.
During the progress OF the work an amount
not to exceed 100 900 cubic yards per year will
probably be deposited in the valley by con-
tractors and builders
1t is estimated that 900 900 cubic wards
would no fhus IepoEifad without -,
improvement.
The remaining amount is distributed in the
the various sections of the work as follows:
From Massachusetts, avenue to Potomac river:
5, POS $40 cubic yards at 10 cents. 81 OS3 324
From Massachusetts avenue to Pennsyivania
avenue: 1881 ,O6O cubic yards at 40 cents,
S1.752 424.
From Lyons mill to PENNSYLVANIA avenue:
2,20l6 cubic Yards at 40 cents. $780,
All east Of 18th street extended l. O69, 555
cubic yards at 40 cents, o4a7 s22
Ten per cent should be added TO the above
for engineering and contingencies.
LAND TO BE ACQUIRED.
The amount Of land to be acquired by con-
domination is shown approximately upon the
accompanying plan.
THE VALUATIONS.
The appended tables. kindly furnished me by
the assessor of the District give the approx
valuations are based on the last assessment re-
vised for Washington but unrevised for George
town and the county
The relation between the values Of piece Of
property as determined by Condemnation
and by assessment Is very uncertain
ratio. In the case of the Rock Creek Park
the amount paid for land and improvements
was from two to ten times its assessed value,
and the average about SEVEN In the case
OF the post office square the amount paid was
from two and seven-tenths to eight and seven
tenths the assessed value and the average WAS
four. In the case of the square purchased for
the printing oficel the amount to be paid by
agreement is about three times its value under
tho latest uurevise assessment
On account of the assessments given for
Georgetown and the county being generally
considered high. have estimated that the
values under condemnation would be four
times the assessed values between Pennsylvania
avenue and p street, five times between Penn
sylvahia avenue and the river on account of the
riparian rights, somewhat uncertain and five
times in the county above p street, where the
land is still in large tracts.
IL the condemnation proceedings are DELAYED
any considerable length of time these values
must be still further increased.
condemnation proceedings would be a. follow:
FROM Massachusetts avenue to Potomac
river: Massachusetts, avenue to street.
1850 600 square feet: assessed value ESQ., 600:
estimated value under condemnation. o., SOC, 600.
street to Pennsylvania avenue l. l5, $50 square
feet: assessed valne, s24S 90 ;estimsted under
condemnation. $685., 760.2 20. Pennsyivania ave-
nue. to river. 3o6, 1893 square feet-Assesset
value. So. s29. ~; estimated under coudemns-
non, S5s9, l41. 10. Total, 81. 03l. 907.30
From Massachusetts, avenue to Pennsylvania
avenue: Massachusetts, avenue to r street.
1850 900 square feet; assessed value, e5O0 600:
estimated value uncer condemnation, 81. 500.
COG. street to Pennsyivsnis aven<s, l,Ol5,-
$50 square feet; assessed value e2l8, l90 05: es-
timated under condemnation, esq, 76O. 20.
Total, 3,492, 760. 20.
From Lyons mill to Pennsylvania avenue:
Lyons mill to street, 1885,, s6s square feet;