Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-18
AGAINST DEL AY
Property Owners Memorabilia the
House Of Representatives,
EARLY ACTION ON 4 PENDING BILL
Proposed Purchase of Site for Su-
preme Court Building.
RES ULTS OF INDIGESTION

A memorial of certain property owners
Of this city praying that some action may
be taken upon the bill authorizing the pur-
chase of site for a building for the &C.
commodation of the Supreme Court of the
United States was submitted to tina House
yesterday by Representative Circuit.
The memoriaiists state that they are the
| respective owners of divers lots or parcels
of lard, improved and unimproved in the
city of Washington. which parcels lie and
are situated in the three general divisions
of land designated on the plan Of the city
of Washington as square No. 72S and tri-
angular pc reels Nos. 728 and 727, the whole
occupying the same relative position in
the northeastern section which the Library
of Congress occupies in the southeastern
section of the city Of Washington.
The memorialists call attention that there
has been recently passed by the Senate of
the United States a bill, entitled "A bill
authorizing the purchase of a site for the
accommo dation of the Supreme Court of
the United States the purpose of which
Is to authorize the purchase of the square
and triangular parcels of land herainbefore
described and which is now pending before
the House, and to the further fact that a
bill similar in its title and in it's purpose
was introduced into the Senate during the
flfteth Congress, and that it was acted
but was not acted upon by the House; that
a bill similar in its title and it's purposes
was introduced into the Senate during the
f1fty-irst Congress, and that it was pass
ed by the Senate, but was not acted upon
by the House; that a bill similar in it's IT,
tie and its purposes WAS introduced into
the Senate during the Fifty-second Con-
greSS, and that it was referred to the prop
er committee and favorably reported back
to the Senate and that no further action
was mad upon 1t; and that bill similar
in its title and in it's purposes was intro
duced into the Senate during the Fifty
third Congress- and that it was referred
to the proper committee and favorabIy re-
ported back to the Senate and that no
further action was had upon it,
Results of Indecision.
The memorialists then allege that the
failure of Congress to take final action
upon any of the bills hereinbefore describ-
ed has to 6 very great extent DESTROYED
the value and the salable qualities of their
property, by reason of the fact that a great
uncertainty of opinion exists as to what
the final action of Congress may be; that
the owners themselves hesitate and many
OF them have been unwilling to improve
their property by reason of the fear that
the government may eventually condemn
and purchase their property and have
been and are unable to sell it at fair price
because prospective purchasers are deferred
by the same fear.
1t is further presented that not only has
TINS uncertainty as to the action of Con-
sreSs in the matter existed during the ten
years during which the bill first herein
before described and bills similar thereto
nave been pending, but that it has also
existed Tor long period of time during
WHICH the question was pending in Con-
Sress of purchasing a site for a building
10 accommodate the Library of Congress
ifey assert that the cause of the uncer-
fanny as to the course of the government
1 mr. h.ar
the urWliiingnesS of property owners TO
improve their property, and of prospective
purchasers to buy and improve it, is the
general belief, amounting almost to an alb
SoIute certainty. which exists among all
persons having any knowledge of the action
of Congress that the government will at
some time in the more or less distant future
condemn and take this property for some
purpose in order to complete the symmetry
of the Capitol grounds and their surround
ines, which symmetry has been destroyed
by taxing the ground whereon is erected the
building of the Library of Congress, and
leaving untouched the square and parcels
in the opposite square.
Early Action Desired
The momorialists, IN conclusion, state
that while neither asking that Congress
pass the bill mentioned, nor asking Con-
gress to defeat it, since some of the SUBJ
scribers desire that the government con-
denim and purchase their property and
some hold the reverse view, they respect
fully pray that the House shall take action
upon the bill as soon as may be in order
that the uncertainty referred to and the
hardships resulting from such uncertainty
may be removed by the passage or the de-
feat of the measure.
The Sisners.
The memorial bears the signatures of j.
B. Gregg Gusts, Nehemiah G. Ordway, w.
C. Dodge, C. T. Dodge, by w. C. Dodge;
Lambert & Lambert, for Virginia f. Lucas;
Mary H. Copp, Ellen D. Copp, James S.
Easily Smith, trustee; Frank T. Browning,
w H. Sholes, Fl. c. Sholes, F. F. Repetti,
NJ D.; John Mclaughlin, w. r. Russell,
Jas F. Oyster Franklin Barrett, Mrs. l..
H Newman, per VIM. e. Newman; F. A.
Smith, b. F. Bingham, J. F. Beale who ap-
proves the memorial excepting the state
ment that he has hesitated TO improve his
property; Ida NJ. White, per E. S. Mussey;
Annie A. Drummond, per E. S. Mussey; s.
T Thomas, trustee: Ellery c. Benson,
Agnes Messer VIM. P. O'Connor. Sarah Ann
Spofford, Rosina E. Hayt, Ada B. and Ida
l. Case, Clara Wheeler, per Woodbury.
Wheeler, her husband; Charles C. Lancas-
ter, Jennie L. Munroe, Lewis d. Means, per
NJ. I. Weller, attorney; Jane Lynch, per
NJ. l. Weller, attorney; Lizzie H. Chamber
lin, per NJ. L. Weller, attorney; Mary Jane
Beatty, per L. K. Beatty; estate of VIM.
r. Lockwood. per r. NJ. Morrison, agent;
George NJ. Holmes, per R. NJ. Morrison,
agent; John Cook, trustee; Emily A. Prior,
Geo. J. Johnson, E. NJ. Willis, M. l.. Willis,