Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-06
HIGHWAY EXTENSION
Commissioners Have Prepared a Ten
tative Amending Bill.
CONSULTING WITH BOARD OF TRADE
Reduction Of Cost to Less Than
Four Million.
INTERESTS OF PROPERTY

The Commissioners. and especially Engi-
neer Commissioner Black, have been in
earnest consultation lately with the high
way committee of the board Of trade in
regard to the highway extension act, and
as result of these conferences the Com
missioners have formulated tentative bill
amending the highway act. This bill,
while it has been approved by all the Com
missioners, is still in their hands for posi-
BILE changes growing out of suggestions
from those interested In the aci, 1t being
the purpose of the Commissioners to CO.
operate with the board Of trade in a united
effort to secure necessary amendatory leg
lslation. The bill in it's broad aspect
amends the first section of the highway
plan as adopted by radical Examinations
and provides for plan for thorough
fares where absolutely needed, or where
it is certain that they will be needed in the
near future. 1t provides for a bond issue
and for general assessment of benefits
over an entire section. 1t allows the Com
rhissioners to make necessary changes in
any recorded subdivisions without going to
Congress. and provides for an elimination
OF taxes on land taken for highway pur-
poses AS 1t stands now, the bill reduces
the estimated cost in the first section rom
about eight million to $3.211 600, and a fur
Their reduction of this amount is expected.
The entire cost of the street extensions is
estimated at four millions under the new
plans.
Commissioner Black, in speaking of the
new bill today, said that the whole trouble
with regard to street extensions was that
plan had not been adopted twenty years
ago. The country around the city,, he
said. grows up in spots and these spots
gradually enlarge themselves until they
merge into each other. Unless some ac-
SfaD he ritr,
confusion necessarily results in the street
plan. In this city the law of 1883, which
provides that all subdivisions to be made
should conform with the plan Of the city
was well enough in it's way, but was de-
fective from the fact that no one could tell
what the plan of the city would be in any
specified part of the District. The high
way extension act itself was defective in
attempting TO do too much and in enta ming
some unnecessary hardships on property
owners. The new bill eliminates much of
the first section, including Takoma Park
and the unsubdivided tracts south of Piney
Branch, and provides a certain number of
changes equal to the needs of the District
and for the thoroughfares needed now or
In the near future. 1t provides Tor the
iiling of a new map of this section and
further gives the Commissioners power,
which think Is very necessary power to
make such changes in the unsubdivided
and undedicated tracts shall seem nee
essary to them without action of Congress.
power is found in the recording in one OF
the maps of a reservation for reservoir
1t has now been found that it is impractic-
able to place a reservoir at the place de-
siSnated, and under the old Plan, while the
territory is unsubdivided and dedicated no
alteration could be made without authority
OF Congress. The hardship of property
owners whose land may be condemned in
having their property both tied UP and in
having TO pay taxes and assessments on
them nevertheless, is felt, and provision Is
made so that no taxes or assessments shall
be collected on land during the time OF con-
demHation, and none at all shall be collect
ed on property finally taken. Provision is
also made to avoid the hardship of COM
pelling property owners to wait a great
length of time for their money. The new
bill provides also for general benefit as
sessment on a whole section not taking
them up piecemeal, and repeats all OF sec
ton 10 of the old act. Under the new bill
such part of the proceedings already taken
as applies to land which Will be needed I'M
der the new bill will stand, and proceedings
applying to land which will be abandoned
will be wiped out
The Proposed Bill.
The new bill, as tentatively adopted by
the Commissioners. is as follows:
An act to amend an act approved March
2 1888, entitled, AN act to provide a per-
manent system of highways in that part of
the District of Columbia lying outside of
cities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, That, for
the purpose of reducing the expense of car
rying into effect act of Congress en-
titled An act to provide a permanent sys-
TEN of highways in that part OF the District
of Columbia lying outside of cities. the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
are hereby authorized to alter the map
known section /, which was filed by
them in the office of the surveyor of the
District of Columbia, on the - day of -,
1S9-, by emitting therefrom all changes
proposed within the existing subdivi-
sions and also in the unsubdivided land
south of Piney branch and Spring road as
extended, and substituting therefor the fol-
lowing changes, 10 wit:
A map showing such alterations shall
thereupon be filed by the Commissioners of
the District of Solumbia in the office of
the surveyor of said District, from which
time the map of said section l. as 1t now
exists. shall be deemed and held to be
changed accordingly. Such amended map
shall be filed in the office of said surveyor
within days after the passage of this
act. excluding Sundays and legal holidays;
and when filed said amended map shall
take the place of the map previously filed,
and all legal proceedings Instituted for the
condemnation of any highway not shown
void. and any judgments entered by the
court for the taking of land, or the aban-
Comment of streets, not shown on said
map shall be vacated and for nothing held.
Sec. .. That the Commissioners of the