The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1895-12-27

10 property owners IN the section northwest
of the city where the opening of new streets
all the way out TO tue District line
is now being planned.
It's eighteen feet long by ten high and has
the cd proposals for streets In orig inaI black
lines and the alterations In red. Everything
Is on so large a scale that even "a small lot
Is easily found and the whole work under
discussion Is readily followed. Every day
there are a mum Der of persons in to see it and
they spend from fifteen minutes to an hour
In porting over its lines. They have many
questions to ask and criticisms to make.
Later they find their way to Major Powell
and explain what they think ought to be
done. Frequently men who have never
before met are drawn to the same point
before themapa NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
lead to warm and interesting discussions
For example, recently twogentlemen were
looking at the chart when one of them made
some remark a bout the share thegoverDment
ought TO bear in the outlay for new streets.
The other took IL up and insisted that the
District ought TO pay for all.
He said further that there was no occasion
now for the opening Of streets. 1t would
be a hundred years before the ground was
builtupoD where ninety mine one.bundredths
of the new streets would run. 1t was an
outrageous burden TO impose upon the
people to ask them to tax themselves now
10 pay for these streets 80 long in advance.
CHEAPER TO OPEN NOW.
The reply was that It would be cheaper
now than when building had begun in the
sections indicated. The land could be
procured now by condemnation proceedings
at comparative small price, a mere song
as compared with what 1t would be when
houses had begun to go up and thepopulation
had pushed its wa out 50 as toma kea strong
demand for the ground.
He also made the usual argument thai the
general government owning Rock Creek
Park and many other reservations for the
benefit of the whole people OF the United
States ought to bear its full half of the
expenses, as it is the settled policy OF Con-
gress TO do In all expenses for the city
as it stands today.
Among other suggestions made IN discus
sions OF the map is that OF Mr.. Mcpherson.
He said: why do not the Commissioners
adopt the suggestion of Mr.. worthiDgton
when the highway extension was first
propoeed?'
what was THAR"
ITO make the expense OF opening the
streets In three parts-one to be borne by
the District. one by the citizens whose prop
erty is benefited, and one by the general
government
why should not the citizens whose lands
are to be made into town lots bear the
whole cost of the streets by dedicatlng
them?' asked IA newcomer in the District
That Is what is usually done in extending
a city. i understand that Is what was
done when Washington was first laid out
The donations were unusually liberal at
that time. Not only was the street given.
but every alternate square OF ground was
given TO the public.
WOULD BE BURDENSOME.
such thing would be insufferably
burdensOtne now" was Mr.. Mcpherson s
reply. In some cases the street takes n
mans whole lot. II would be a great
hardship for hun to dedicate his entire
property TO the public without any direct
benefit whatever, and the conditions OF
ownership range all the way from small
lots all OF which are required for street
use. to hundreds or acres where the wealthy
owner would be sufficiently benefited by
the extension 10 make IT worth while for
him to give the street
The case is the stronger in that the own
ers of these small holdings are frequently
government clerks, VINO nave invested all
their savings in this way.
AT this time there will be some dcdica-
ton of land for streets. The longer the eX-
tension is delayed. the more numerous Will
become the small owners; the greater the
improvements. the fewer the number who
can and will give the streets. aud cons,-
quently, the greater the cost of the extern
SON.
But" it was urged on the other side,
1.-The prices asked for your lands are SO I'M
reasonably high. You want $1,000 an
acre for ground that is just as good and just
as useful and can be bought any where III
the West for 81 o an acre. In fact, 1t Is not
necessary to go West at all. You can get
II at that price in Maryland and Virginia
within fifty miles of the capital. / think
probably some can be found within twenty
miles,"
came indignant. The idea Of comparing the
value of farm lands with that OF building
sites within the District was too preposter-
Gus to be entertained patiently.
This ground is not to be used for agricul-
tural purposes" he exclaimed. 1T is for
building sites. 1t will become the location
of handsome residences. the villas of men
of large means, who are able to pay hand
somely for their beautiful grounds. located
within easy distance of the National Capt.
tai. 1t is absurd to compare its price with
that of even the finest farm lands i'll the
world"
But when will it become such property
as you describe?' was the answer. us not
this valuati ton purely speculative? VIII it
not be fifty years t least before any consiG-
cradle portion OF the ground to be suhl-
vided-say third-will be wanted for this
purpose, and more than a century before
most OF ii will be subject to such demand?
Meantime what can you do with it that
makes it worth the prices you ask? II GER
tainly is not now being put to any use that
justifies them. Is there any reason TO SUP
pose it will be in the near future? II seems
to me a property valuable for what ii will
now produce, not for what il ma be brought
to produce by expensive waiting and ini-
provement.
ADVANCED IN PRICE
A cursory examination of the records
shows that the property which witnesses in
the cases now in court have estimated to be
worth from 10 cents to So per square foot.
the equivalent OF $4,000 to 500. GOO per
acre, has been held within the past half
century at prices which make these seem
wildly extravaganza. In some cases the ad-
vances have been made by actual sales to
prospective residents or to other spectators
and the shrewd dealer has 'salted down.
his profit of 100 to 500 per cent in some
other business or in government bonds.
In many instances, however, these magni-
ficent advances are still on paper, and the
spectators are still rich only in the hope OF
sales and the opportunity to pay taxes. In a
few ca SEES also the business depression OF the
past two years has hit so bard that the purse
from which money for taxes in prospective
gains must be dra wn Is almost empty. 1t
follows that the holder is very anxious To
have the ground laid out In city extension
and part taken for streets and paid for.
At the same time proper resistance to
the condemnation suits must be made in
order to carry the value appraised under
the proceedings to the highest possible notch.
IF ALL OTHERS FAIL CONSULT