Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-11
DISPUTED GROUND
Uncertain Ownership of Many Wash
ington Squares and Lots.
MUCH BELONGS TO THE UNITED STATES
Necessity of Prompt Attention to
Perfecting the Titles.
OLD RDS FADIN G.

Recent action by Congress emphasizes in
a practical way the urgent necessity for the
compilation and protection of the cid records
of the United States pertaining to Che ten
miles square constituting the seat of the
national government. The case In point Is
the act authorizing the sale by the Secretary
of War of certain lands At Cabin John
Bridge occupied by the Messrs. Bobinger,
and improved by them in the erection Of a
hotel and in other ways. un1ar the er-
roneous impression that they held clear
title to the property. As a matter Of fact.
the title to the land Is 5aIly C!ouded and
the action of Congress was necessary 10
make it clear. There is a great deal more
land within the limits Of the District of Co.
lumbia that is held under similarly doubtful
titles. The latest official estimates show that
there are twenty entire squares and about
900 single lots within the ci,y limits, now
claimed by other parties, To which tn. Cni-
ted States has a fair legal title. All the
early orlcial records bearing on this inn
portant subject are in the custody OF ',ol.
John NJ. Wilson. corps of engineers. L. S. A,
by virtue OF his office as commissioner Of
public buildings and grounds IN the District
of Columbia. That gentleman, as well
his predecessor, Col. Ernst, now supe-in-
tendent of the United States Military Acad-
envy, have repeatedly ursel upon Congress
the importance OF making immediate pro-
VISION a complete and exhaustive eS-
animation of the old records of the District,
together with an examination Of the files OF
the ONCE OF the Secretary o. the Interior
and of the late corporation of Washington,
auctiCneerS books and AL ether places
wnere ii is at all likely that information
can be obtained calculated ID throw lISnt on
the subject OF the title 20 property III the
District of Columbia.
Much Land Belonging to the Govern
mcHt.
Col. Wilson says that such examinations
his duties would admit of have led him
TO believe that there is large amount OF
land within the city limits held by private
parties. that legally belongs to the general
government and for which no deeds of
transfer of title have ever been legally exc
cutei. For the past five years ne and his
successor. Col. Ernst, have erdeavored TO
secure legislation for a proper indexing and
arrangement of these records with a view to
hnal determination of just what land
within the city limits actually belongs to
the United States. Col. Wilson says that he
hesitates to cloud the title to property of
any man who holds II under the impression
that his title is perfectly clear and there
fore. he will not officially Indicate, until the
matter is more critically examined, the pre-
else squares and lots, which, from the in
complete records on tile in his office, appear
10 belong to the United States. 1t was five
years ago, when Col. Wilson was in charge
OF public buildings and grounds, during
President ClevelaEd's former administration .
thai he first invited the attention of Con.
gress TO the necessity of action In this mat
ter. Col. Ernst, who succeeded him DURING
the four years of President Harrison's adj
ministraticn, annually asked for legislation
on THIS subject, and the matter was agar
brought up IN Col Wilson's reports of last
year ana the present year, but sin nothing
mas been done Notwithstanding the FACT
that the records are becoming seriously i'm
paired by age and constant use. Congress
apparently does not mean to act i'm The mat
ter eNcep; in isolated cases like that of the
Cabin John bridge property
What Old Records Show.
The old records Of the city OF WASHINGTON
show the action OF the original Commission
ers, under whose direction the city WAS
laid out, and also the sale of United States
lots since October Il, 1871. They are Kept
In the office of the commissioner of public
buildings and grounds. in the basement of
the west wing of the State War and NAVY
Department. Owing TO the fire-proof nature
of the building, they are perfectly safe
there SO long as they last. They are mil
Gewel and discolored with age, however
ard many of them have been torn and mu-
tllated by frequent handling. They were
turned over to the commissioner Of public
buildings and grounds originally in a con-
fused mass, without index of any kind, ami
are stil In very incomplete state For
the past eighteen years they have been un
der the Immediate supervision OF Mr. John
Stewart, a Scotch draughtsman of rare ill.,
te, rity and fidelity. who has devoted all
Lis ST., re time during that long period i'm an
attempt T., bring order out of chaos and to
arrange ,b-s valuable papers SO that they
may be readily A. cessible an6 easily under
stood by the memp>rs or the legal fra
ternity engaged in inves.- a."S .hs ute to
sol
acting under instructions from q Wilson,
made thorough examination of the lords
to determine exactly what land in this cn
held by other parties is believed to belong
to the United States. He reported that after
a very careful search and examination he |
found no satisfactory evidence I'm the records
to show or prove that the United States
sold, received payment or granted deeds I'm |
fee for twenty entire squares lying at the
northeast section of the city, on the East
ern branch, nor for 2.OO1 single lots in
different parts Of the city.
Obtained by Deeds of Cession,
1t appears that the United States obtained |
the ownership Of the half part of these
twenty squares. with many of the given
number Of lots. through and by deeds of |
oession from the original proprietors of the
land in the year 1871, and of the remainder
of the lots referred to at subsequent dates
The original conditions agreed upon by the
commissioners for the sale of CITY lots
We're that the purchaser of q lot was TO nav
down one-third of the full amount of his
purchase at the time of such sale and the
deferred amount in two equal annual in
stallments. with interest. Upon making his
last payment the commissioners ordered his
deed to be prepared; 1t was not delivered
till so ordered. Both orders were entered
on their daily record of proceedings MANY
purchasers paid their purchase in full at
the sale or sales. 1t so happened. however.
that many persons purchased more lots
than they were able to pay for, and if not
fully paid for at the end of two years the
lots were frequently resod The specified
time was generally extended upon good
security. The more fortunate purchasers
who had secured deeds frequently went Sc
ourity for their less fortunate brethren. and
in this way many of them forfeited their
own secured lots.
Another class, contractors Of various
works, purchase and paid for many lots
and received deeds in fee for the same |
They were required to furnish security for
the execution Of their contracts, and gave
their lots as security. By failure of their
work their lots became forfeited All of
these forfeited lots were previously re-
corded in the office for recording deeds, and
also in the records Of the Commissioners
office. Such Of them as were resold had
new deeds, and appear a second time upon
the records without any explanation. II
this second disposal DO on record now 1t