Evening star., 1899-02-07
Commissioners Comment on Project
ed Reservation in Northwest.
ESTIMATED COST OF THE site NAMED
Suggestion That Bids Be Invited
as More Economical
ESTION OF LICY

In a report to Representative Mercer. act
ing chairman of the House District COM
mittee. on House bill 1929, establishing a
public park at the northwest corner of Co
ltfnbia road and 14th street. the District
Commissioners express the belief that if
favorable action is taken on the measure
in its present form there will be a number
of similar bills introduced.
The bill directs the Commissioners to Sc
lect not to exceed three acres of land at
the northwest corner of Columbia road and
1ith street for park With their report
they transmitted two maps. showing the
tract of land in question-one showing the
lots which it is proposed by the bill shall
be taken for the park, and the lots imme-
diately adjacent. upon a scale of one inch
To 100 feet. and the other showing the same
tract of ground upon a smaller scale of
one inch to 1G00 feet.
Estimated Value.
THE value of this land" state the Com
missoners. may be taken fairly it is be-
lieved. at S1.65 per square foot, this being
the price which, it is believed, was paid
for lots Is and 10. in block 80. which are
just across Columbia road from the pro-
posed park. At this price the value of the
The grove of trees standing at this To-
cality has been used by the people of Co.
lumbia Heights for some time past for pic
mics and entertainments, on many occa-
SlOnS. and they doubtless have some feel
ing for the tract in question. 1t is. how
ever. not believed to be the best policy to
purchase a particular tract for which a
high price may be asked. If it is consider
ed necessary to have park in this vicinity
it is believed that much better results
could be obtained by permitting the Com
missioners to invite proposals of sale from
parties possessing the required acreage in
the vicinity. In this manner, it is believed.
eXorb1tant prices could be avoided and
equally good grounds for park purposes OBJ
tanned at probably a less figure than would
be charged for this particular tract.
The Commissioners feel it to be unde-
Slrable to take any ground as a park which
is not bounded entirely by streets. If pri-
vate holdings dbutted upon the park in
such manner that the rear of the lots are
against the park. the disadvantage of the
arrangement is readily recognized For the
lots facing the park the effect will
be practically to make the park serve as 4
front yard for the premises in question.
The Commissioners would therefor recon-
mend that no ground he taken as a park
except where it is entirely surrounded by
streets or is of such size and location that
the park which will be formed from it can
be entirely surrounded by streets
Assessment of Benefits.
Concerning the payment for the park,
the Commissioners would recommend that,
in cases where such small parks are
acquired the entire cost of the purchase or
condemnation of same be assessed as bene-
fits against the property in the vicinity. the
amount decreasing with the distance of the
property from the park the limits of the
benefits to he determined by the jury of
condemnation, or. in case of purchase by a
jury to he impanelled for the purpose
The Commissioners have reason to be-
lieVe that If favorable action is taken upon
this bill in its present form there will he
a number of bills introduced for the pur-
pose Of acquiring parks outside of Florida
avenue, and while it is recognized that the
establishment of limited number of such
parks is desirable, the advantage is be
lieved 10 he mainly local. and the method
Of assessment OF benefits leaves it optional
with the people Of any section concerning
the number Of parks which they insist upon
having"