Evening star., 1898-12-10
Commission Reports Its Findings in
Reference to Benefits.
NO APPRECIABLE EFFECT ON PROPERTY
Statements of Witnesses Exam.
ined by the Commission,
COST OF THE ROPERT Y

The report of the Rock Creek Park COM
mission created by act of Congress, ap-
proved September 27. 1880, entitled AN
act authorizing the establishment of a pub
lie park in the District of Columbia, was
this afternoon fled with the clerk of the
District Supreme Court. The commission
reports, in substance, that it finds the
benefits accruins to abutting property by
| reason of the establishment of the park to
be inappreciable at this time. The report
details the proceedings of the commission,
contains extracts from the law creating 1t,
is accompanied by maps and other exhibits
and is signed by John NJ Wilson, brigadier
general, chief of engineers, United States
army chairman: Lansing H. Beach, Engf-
neer Commissioner. District of Columbia:
H. V. Boynton, S. p. Langley and Richard
Weightman.
No AppreciabIe Increase.
The commission, in it's report, states that
it made a personal examination of the park
and took into consideration all the testi-
mony given before it, and after having
thoroughly discussed the matter has come
to the conclusion that evidence has shown
that no appreciable increase in value to the
surrounding property, due to the location of
the park, has resulted. and that while they
believe Rock Creek Park, if improved and
laid out as a public park, would be of spe-
cial benefit to the surrounding property,
yet, in it's present state, 1t has, to date,
conferred no appreciable special benefit on
the surrounding property, and therefore the
commission. in carrying out the provisions
of section of the act, that 1t assess such
proportion of the cost of the land for the
park upon the lands, lots and blocks situ-
ated in the District of Columbia specially
benefited by reason of the location and inn
I0Gf of arIt hH
in proportion to the benefits resulting to
such real estate, do determine such bene-
fits to be inappreciable at this time and
therefore not sufficient to be indicated by a
money value.
The commission explained that 1t heard
testimony from prominent business men in
the city of Washington, as well from
owners of property abuttiEg the park, all
of whom, with two exceptions, testified
that, in thsil opinion, the land surrounding
the park had received no special benefit by
reason of the location of Rock Creek Park,
and certainly none from the Improvement
of the park, as it never had bean improved,
and that the market value of the property
adjoining had not increased since It's eStab-
lishment; but. on the contrary, there had
been no demand for, and no SALES of prop
erty in that immediate vicinity since the
establishment of the park.
Views of Witnesses.
Witnesses stated that If the park were
improved as city parks usually are they
would concede that the park would then
be of benefit to the surrounding property
by reason of the outlook of the property on
a public park, and the certainty that no
noxious trade would be established on the
ground occupied by the park but, with
the two exceptions indicated, they were
unanimous in declaring that at the present
date in their opinion no special benefit had
accrued to the surrounding property by
reason of its establishment
The park as now established consists of
1885 acres of land. the actual cost OF
which has been 81 ,125 2159S, and this sum-
together with the sum of the expenses at
tending the purchase of the park amount
ing to S50.93o.5I made the total expendi-
lures for the park to date 81, ,176, l46 55,
leaving balance of the appropriat ton of
S25, ,S53.45, which balance is subject to be
reduced by expenses of the commission be-
fore it's dissolution.