Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-02
Argument in Favor of Its Amend
ment.
GOVERNMENT SHOULD SHARE EXPENSE
Hearing Before Part of the Senate
District Committee.
VIEWS OF THE SPEAKERS

iic StHdle committee on tne lDStflCi OF
Columbia gave n hearing this morning to
citizens of the District in relation 10 high
way extension. Members of the subcom-
mittee present were Senators Mcmillan,
Faulkner and Bacon.
There was a very large assemblage OF
citizens of the District. mostly represent
ing the citizens associations central COM
mittee. Among those present were George
ID Harrtes, secretary of the board of
trade; A. S. Worthington of the board OF
trade, William q. Henderson, Stilson
Hutchins. Evan ii. Tucker. Louis p Shoe
maker. William c. Dodge. W. l.. Cole. Ed
ward T. Bates. General Ellis Speare l.. NJ.
Saunders. James Somerville, w. Riley Dee
BILE. William V. Cox. Thomas Blsgden. Z.
B. Townsend, Loring Chapel NJ. A. Bal
linger and Donald MCPHERSON
On behalf of the citizens associations
central committee ex-senator Henderson,
chairman OF the executive committee of
thqt body, presented a statement, approx
ed tby the executive committee, in relation
TO highway legislation. This statement Mr..
Henderson read as follows:
Mr.. Henderxon's Statement.
"We find. upon examination that all the
various resolutions, except those offered
by Mr.. Ballinger. which were adopted by
the committee on the l6th instant and SUBJ
mitted herewith. are burdened with cer-
tain details to how this act should be
executed, which We are of the opinion
should not be considered al this time We
believe the act as IL now stands is imprac-
ucable, If not impossible, of execution. If
the United States government will not pay
half the cost of executing the highway act
then We are of the opinion that the same
should be repealed and all proceedings un-
der ii be declared void at this session.
H.
one-half OF such cost, then We respectfully
suggest that the Commissioners modified
plan to extend streets as far as Piney
branch be approved, and that certain lead
ing and necessary streets in different sec
| tions of the District be at once opened up;
that is, the land condemned and the streets
or avenues graded and regulated, and a
further provision that any future subdi-
vision made by property owners shall be
| subject to the approval of the District COM
missioners, thereby preventing any irrcgu-
| lar plan, such as now exists In all sub
divisions, and remove the terrible cloud
| caused by filing maps years In advance of
the necessity to establish streets which
maps operate as confiscation of private
property The land necessary for such
streets should be paid for when condemned
and there should be no assessment of sup
posed benefits except possibly OF those
special or peculiar benefits which attach TO
certain holdings and are not such
| enjoyed in common by the other land own
Y
1 that assessment should he made by rea-
| son of or on account of the mere transfer
| of the ownership of land from the individu-
| al to the government, but that the assess
ment of benefits, If made, should follow
grading ard regulating the streets and
after sonnet hing substantial has been done
| in the nature of an improvement.
I'VE do not believe that the mere trans
| fer of title. ipso facto, creates n benefit
which should can be the subject matter
| Of assessment We are also of the opinion
| that maps should not be filed or placed on
record except at the request of the land
! owners showing any streets plans OF
| subdivision unless the authorities are pre-
pared to at once condemn the land and pay
| the awards. and that map now OF record
showing LAND taken for streets which cam
not be condemned and paid for should be
declared void and effaced from TIE record"
Position of thc Central Committee.
Mr.. Henderson also laid before the SUBJ
committee The following resolutions 2dopt-
| ed at meeting of the citizens associa-
ticns central committee:
Resolved That this committee favors
such amendments to the highway act
| Will provide:
First That the general government shall
bear one-half Of the expenses of executing
such act.
Second. That provision shall be made in
the act itself for the payment OF ali prop
| erty condemned Hereunder.
Third. That falling in either of the
above amendments. the act should be at
| once unqualifiedly repealed. and ali pro-
ceedii.gs hereunder, whether by the Com
mssioners i'm filing maps, by the courts Or
other wise, should be declared void.
Mr.. Henderson continued to enlarge upon
this statement of the citizens associations
central committee and in doing so took
occasion to say that he favored having the
District cf Columbia represented in Con-
gress. If i'm 70 other way than by dele
gate who might not have the power to
vote, nut who would have the right to
talk. and in that way lay before Congress
in an urgent manner the needs of the Dis
trict of Columbia. He said that United
States senators could not be expected to
know all about matters affecting the Dis
trict but that il the District had a dele
g:.te in Congress its interests would be
served.
Government to Benr Half the Ex-
pensc.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Henierscn's adj
dress to the subcommittee. M. A Balm
ger said that he Endorsed al! that Mr.
Henderson had said, and said tnat the
citizens associations central committee
represented all the territory which wcuil
be affected by street extension. excepting
that portion of the District represented by
the Mt. Pleasant and the Washington
Heights asscc:a.!oIs. He said that this
central committee represented 1900 mea
with properly interest that would be affect
&c by the highway acs. He said that the
whole proposition had settled down to one
thing, and that was that the general gov
ernment should beer one-haf the expense
Of street extension, and II that could not
he done the whole act should be repealed.
Senator Faulknc. remarked that the
policy of a majority of congressman at
pres was to keep down expenditures.
ard in order TO do that Congress had
started out by cutting down expenditures
$50 900 600. though he did rot think sach
large saving would be accompl s.ed when
ali the appropriation bills were disposed
of. For that reason. he said. there WIS
disinclination on the part OF Congress TO
hsve the general government pay half The
cost Of street extension In TIE District OF
Columbia
Senator Mcmillan. chairman of the Sem
ate District committee. said he did not
believe II possible to pass the amendment
to the highway bill through the House CT
Representatives with provision that the
general :soverninent pay one-hnif the ex-
penses incurred by street extension.
Senator Bacon inquired whether citizens