The evening times., 1895-08-16
TANGLES FOR fHE COURTS
Knotty Legal Points Involved in
Street Extension Suits.
Endless Litigation Promised Over the
Proposed Plan as It Now
Stands.

The proposed street extension Of Wash
the Commissioners, will undoubtedly re-
suit in more litigation in event any attempt
is made to carry it into effect, ,thanaDything
that has ever been ordered by legislative
body. The battle royal win be iDaugurated
with the initial skirmish OF Armory H. Tin
gle, OF Spring road, when his suit en1oin-
ing the Commissioners from carrying out
their plan is heard in court next Monday.
A prominent lawyer, in discussing the
matter this morning, said:
1.-THE prospect of long and intricate legal
battles before the dream of the future WASH
ington is realized, is strong. What should
have been done in Gov. Shepherds time
is now contemplated and is being done.
The delay has already proven disastrous
and longer putting aside of the matter
will prove fatal. Washington must grow,
| and her growth must be provided for. Why
| delay the matter longer?
Just as In this approaching initiatory
| case. there are hundreds of others where 1t
| would seem that irreparable hardships are
| to be wrought upon the owners OF property
| entimentalism cannot enter into the af-
| fair. IT 1t does the Washington to come must
be confined and cramped within the Wash
ington OF the present The outcome of this
one suit will properly determine whether
the rule OF eminent domain shall still hold
and this city shall be broadened int crown
ing metropolis for a great republic, or
whether the sentimental associations OF
some of the living property owners OF the
Districtshall hamper the progress OF the
future generations.
I'm the Tingle case / understand the
pretty four acres and more that have been
the home of the compliments for upward of
a third of a century is to be almost COM
pletely wiped out, leaving them three
wedge shaped tracts of land only frac-
ton as large as what they now own. OF
course it looks like hardship.
But the government pays them for what
land IL takes and the very presence of new
streets enhances the value of the remaining
tracts until each of them is worth as much
as the whole of the original. The house
associations have been martyred for the
good of the community.
Another thing, their land lies immedf
ately in the direction of the citys most
rapid growth at present, and the sooner
some definite understanding is reached
in regard to that section OF the city the
better.
LAS I understand 1t, there is another
feature of interest in connection with the
proposed street extension. The law pro-
vides that in a subdivision when city
street is extended in conformity with the
new plan and it fails to coincide with
an extension already laid down, by the
founder of the addition. the latter street
shall be abandoned, SO far as the govern
ment is concerned.
THAT is, the Government will not Ion
ger look out for the improvement or pres
ervation of the old thoroughfare, which
reverts to the property-owners along 1t.
This law is to take effect upon the filing
of the plats, and 1t is easy to conceive the
rather delicate questions that may grow
out of it in the event half the property
owners vote to do one thing and half vote
for another along a certain block"