Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-04
TO BE REPEALED
Action of House District Committee
Taken This Morning:
TEE HIGHWAY EXTENSION ACT
Substitute for the Metropolitan
Railroad Company's Bill.
TWO IMPORTANT MEASURES

| The House District committee at an ex-
ecutive session this morning took favorable
| action upon two important measures of
legislation. Favorable reports will be made
upon them this week and the bills will be
ready to be called up in the House next
| Monday, which will be District day.
The first bill authorized to be favorably
| reported was House bill 10209. which was
| introduced late yesterday afternoon by
Chairman Babcock himself and referred to
| the committee this morning This bill pro-
vides as follows:
That the act of Congress approved March
| 2, 1893, entitled IAN act to provide a per-
| manent system of highways in that part
| of the District of Columbia lying outside
of Cities, be, and the same is hereby, re-
pealed, and all proceedings Hereunder are
hereby declared null and void, and the
| owners of land affected by such proceed
| inEs. whether by the laying out or the
| extension of streets or by the proposed
| abandonment of old streets, shall have
hereafter the SANE free use and enjoyme mt
of their land as though such proceedings
| had never been instituted: Provided how
ever, That no subdivision in said outside
| or unsubdivided part of the District of CO.
lurHbia shall hereafter be permitted OF
| pubic record unless approved by the Com
missiOners of said District as being in sub
stantial conformity To the general plan
| of the city of Washington. and no street or
highway in the aforesaid outside part of
said District shall hereafter be exte nded or
improved i'll any respect whatsoever at the
public expense by grading. paving lighting
sewering or otherwise. where such street or
highway does not substantially conform to
said plan of the city of Washington.
metropolitan Extension Bill
substitute bill for the Metropolitan ex-
| tension bill was then considered, and au-
thCrized to be favorably reported. This bill
provides:
That the Metropolitan Railroad Com
pahy be authorized and required to extend
by double tracks the line of its under
ground railway from its present terminus
at the intersection of 18th street and Co
lumbla road. east TO Erie street. thence
along Erie street to 18th street northwest
thence north along 18th street to Park
street.
The company shall have the right to ac-
quire and obtain the right of way over and
through the land on which the aforesaid
line and route is to be located and extend
ed, ana IN the event that the company shall
not be able to come to an agreement with
the owners of any land through which the
line and route may be located, proceedings
Tor the condemnation for the use of the
company OF so much land as may be re-
quired for the right of way Dot exceeding
thirty feet In width may be instituted in
the Supreme Court of the District of Co.
luHlDla, under and in accordance with the
provisions of sections 257 to 267, both inclu-
slve. of the Revised Statutes of the United
States relating to the District of Columbia,
and in making their decision and in de-
termning the value of the land to be con-
denned under the provisions of the said
act the jury shall take into consideration
and make due allowance and deductions for
and in respect of all benefits that the Jury
snail find the railway may be to each own
er OF any lot or lots part of which is con-
demned. by enhancing the value of the re-
mainder of the said lots
Provided. That in the event Erie street
or nth street shall be hereafter opened to
the public along the right of way above
mentfored, then the company shall convey
TO the District of Columbia free of cost
TO: the use of the public. the right of way
over the 30 feet. subject, however, TO the
right of the company to use and occupy
the same for the operation and the main
tenanCe of it's railway
THE Commissioners are authorized and
Empowered to locate the line of the rail-
road OF the company within the area so to
be acquired. The extensions herein pro-
v:ded for shall be completed and put in
operation within one year from The date
of the passage Of this act"
1t is understood that the bill has the ap-
prevail of the District Commissioners, of
the railroad company and many residents
of the section of the city through which
the proposed extension will lass.