Evening star., 1898-05-07
THE COMMISSIONERS BILL
A Substitute for the House Repeal Highway
Act.
Prepared After Consultation With
the Board of Trade COM
mittee.

The Senate District committee, as printed
some days ago in The Star, decided to re-
port favorabiy to the Senate the bill amen
datory of the highway act which was pre-
pared and indorsed by the board of trade
and the District Commissioners. This BILL
in addition to radically amending the high
way act, proposes bond issue of four mill
ions for the rectification of misfit subdivi-
sions, to be borne equally by the United
States and the District of Columbia.
The Senate committee has become doubt
full whether Congress, in its present frame
of mind, would approve such bond issue.
and has, therefore, asked the Commission
erS and the board of trade committee to
frame alternative amendatory bill which
shall involve no appropriation bond is
sue. but which shall preserve the highway
extension maps so far as the unsubdivided
lands in the county are concerned. In con-
formity with this request the Commission
ers, after consultation with the board of
trade committee, submitted the following
bill:
proved March 2, 1893, entitled An act to
provide 6. permanent system of highways
in that part of the District of Columbia
lying outside of cities" and the amend
mentS thereto.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives CT the United States of
America. in Congress assembled:
That sections g, Z, s, o, 10, II, II. 13. IA,
Il, 16, II, Is and 10 of the act of Congress
approved March =, 1893, entitled AN act
to provide a permanent system of high
ways in that part of the District OF Co
lumbia lying outside Of cities" be and the
same are hereby repealed.
.. That the map known as Section One"
filed in the office of the surveyor of the Dis
trct of Columbia on the 31st day of August,
1895, under the provisions of said act of
ha nd he iS a n
nulled, and the Commissioners of the Dis
trct of Columbia are hereby authorized and
directed to forthwith withdraw the same
from the office of the said surveyor, and to
discontinue all pending condemnation pro-
ceedings relating to subdivisions included
within said map.
3. In order to provide grounds for educa-
tional. religious similar institutions cr
for large estates, the Commissioners of the
District Of Columbia be, and they are here
by, authorized to abandon or readjust
streets or proposed streets affecting local
tiles that may be or have been purchased
for such purposes: Provided, That under
the authority hereby conferred no changes
shall be made in existing subdivisions, or in
avenues. or in important lines Of travel.
The plat of such readjustment, after be-
ing duly certified by said Commissioners,
shall be forwarded to the commission. con-
sisting of the Secretary of War, the Secre-
tary Of the Interior and the chief of en-
gineers of the United States army, and
when approved by said commission or ma
in the office Of the surveyor Of the District
of Columbia and become a part of the per-
manent system of highways and take the
place Of any part inconsistent herewith
4. No map hereafter prepared and filed
In the office Of the said surveyor under the
provisions Of sections and of said act, in
cluding any map or maps of the territory
included in the map of said section 1, shall
contain any highway or reservation, or
part thereof, upon any land lying within
recorded subdivisions existing at the time
such map shall be filed, whether such sub
division shall have bean made under the
act of Congress approved August p, 1883,
entitled AN act to regulate the subdivision
Of land within the District Of Columbia"
or not.
5. The owner or owners of land over or
upon which any highway or reservation
shall be projected upon any map filed undsr
said act of Congress shall have the free
right to the use and enjoyment of the same
| for building or any other lawful purpose.
and the free right to transfer the title
thereof, until proceedings looking to the
condemnation of such land shall have been
authorized and actually begun. And as to
eny highway or part OF highway which by
| any such map Is to be abandoned. neither
| the right Of those occupying or owning land
abutting thereon or adjacent thereto, nor
| the right Of the public to use such highway
| or part of highway, shall be affected by the
| filing of such map until condemnation pro-
ceedings looking to the ascertainment of
| the damages resulting from such proposed
abandonment shall have bean authorized
ana actually Deguns nor Sndll the oDL8atlon
| of the municipal authorities to keep the
same In repair be affected until they are
rendered useless by the opening and i'm
| provement of new highways to be evi-
| denced by public notice by tbs Commfs-
| sioners of the District OF Columbia
| 6. Said Commissioners shall not submit
| for approval to the highway commission
| created by section Of said act any map,
| or plan hereunder, until the owners OF the
land within the territory embraced within
such map shall have been given an oppor-
| tunity to be heard In regard thereto by said
| Commissioners. after public notice to that
| effect for not less than fourteen consecu-
i.tive days, excluding Sundays.
'.want" ads. in The star pay because thsy