The morning times., 1895-11-27
HIGHWAY lc1 BLOCKED
No Fund TO Pay the Jury of
Appraisement.
IN CoMPTRoLLER'S HANDS
Attorney Thomas Informed the Court
That This I'm pOrtant Point Had Been
Overlooked-Compl Which
Are Probable-.yarious Ways Out
of the Dilemma Suggested.

The bond bill. which has its roots in
the Highway ACT. is fast becoming thing
OF shreds and patches. The street ex-
tension scheme, is only feasible under
provision which Senator Proct or said
would involve 1.-The branding for condem-
nation of between three and four million
dollars worth of suburban property.
This very fact. he said, and so reported in
committee. carried with it the. utter dis
arrangement of local property values and
put the owners at the mercy of the mere
contingency as to whether the bill would
pass or not. II has been shown by The
Times that incalculable injury has been
done to property near Florida avenue and
generally in the section where the red
brand has been put on trac cts of land.
RUN ON THE REEF.
The Times has said for the past week
that there was something adverse to the
bill going on in court circles. 1t has been
an open secret that the extension business
would have to come to sudden stand
still. and yesterday it was steered on the
breakers by the attorney for the city, and
now it is high and dry in the office of
the Comptroller General.
Mr., Thomas made a tatement in the
court of Judge Bingham yesterday that
80 per cent. OF those Interested in the con
demnation proceedings had not put in an
appearance iii Obedience 10 the summons.
~. William Birney made statement to
the effect that it was merely the non re ST
,n'uIs wno mad not answered TO the notice.
He desired thai the seven appraisers con
and that in his cases the appralsements
be proceeded with.
NO FUND TO DRAW ON.
Mr.. Thomas made the important point
that no provisions had been made for the
payment of the Jury of appraisement or
for their witnesses and thisspoiDt made
The court knit its brows and think. 1t
was suggested that the expenses could
be paid out Of the contingent funds of the
United States court by Marshal Robson
who declined 10 act without the sanction
OF the Attorney General.
This necessiIated an interview with the
officials and Of hP Department of Justice
and the Treasury and as result a final
reference was made TO Comptroller Bowler
who ii is EXPECTED will give an opinion to-
day.
That the jurors could wait for their money
so that the business might proceed at once.
AS there are no Jurors yet their opinions
on this opinion are not TO be had. Should
the Comptroller say today that the ONLY
way out OF the dilemma is to wait on Con
gress TO put another patch on the bill there
the very first week of Congress.
WHAT MAY DEVELOP.
II will be show Down of hands very
early in the game and 1t will be very easy
10 spot those who are most interested in ,
the regions far beyond the boundary.
There are about two thousand actual
owners or trustees of property involved I'm
the condemnation proceedings. There can
be ro doubt that each case must or sh ould be
fiilly heard and there is no telling how
long the cases might be dragged along. In
the opinion of one of the court officials the
condemnation proceedings will cost much
more than fifty thousand collars, so II viii
be interesting 10 note out of what fund ir-
respective on Congressional Comp
troller will suggest tiat the hitch can be
removed.