Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-12

representative OF the chief of engineers, is
the actual custodian of the records in ques-
ton
Colonel Bingham prefaces his report with
an elaborate review of the legal status of
the records from the time of the organiza-
ton or form of government for the city
of Washington under the provisions of the
act of Congress of July is, 1870 providing
Tor the appointment by the President of
three commissioners to lay out the new
city and establish ''metes and bounds" He
shows how closely the general government
retained control of everything connected
with the new city and states that all the
original surveys for the division of lands
and the sale of lots were made by surveyors
acting under authority of the general gov
erlment.
Surveyor Federal Official.
Colonel Bingham quotes various statutes
relating to the matter to show that the
surveyor of the city referred to in the
early legislation for the city was not a
local or municipal surveyor, working for
the city corporation. but a United States
surveyor Of the city of Washington work.
ing under the superintendent a federal Off
cial, and above him, under the President of
the United States. 1t anpears from Colo
mel Bingham's review that from the very
beginning in 1870. as land began to be di-
vided up and sold off. each separate square
was drawn upon large sheet of paper. the
square then divided into lots. and on the
division of lots between the public and the
original proprietor both parties and their
witnesses signed the division thus made OF
that square Three copies of each division
were so signed One copy was kept by the
commissioner as representing the United
States second COPY was given to the
original proprietors as representing them
selves. The third copy was given to the
recorder of deeds for the use of private
owners 1t is these maps specially intrusted
TO the guardianship of the United States
surveyor by Congress in 1899 and regularly
of io-r- -
chlef OF engineers of the army today on
which rest all the title of the United States
to its various properties in the city of
Washington. which" Colonel bingham
says. the bill under discussion proposes to
hand over to a subordinate official of the
purely local government of the city, .
owing to the legal doubt of the former
city corporation having any authority to
have a corporation surveyor" continues
Colonel Bingham, the United States city
surveyor often did the work found neces-
sary by the corporation on private land
and there Were several cases where the
same man held both Offices and thus it
happens that today the corporation sur
veyGr has in possession one of the original
copies OF division Of squares. namely, the
set which was originally set aside for the
city"
Coming down to more recent times. Col
Bingham shows the steps through which
the land records passed into the custody Of
the chief Of engineers. and he closes his re-
port follows:
Changes in District Government
Act of February u, ISL changes the
form of local government of the District to
a governor. Legislative assembly and board
of public works. but no mention is made of
anything OF interest in this discussion ex-
cept to note that the local government is
given authority and compelled to repair
streets. avenues. &c.
A. %
again changes the local form of government
to three Commissioners, one of them an en-
gineer officer Of the army: he succeeds to
the duties of the chief engineer of the
former board Of public works and to the
guardianship of all such maps and records
the board of public works had More
over. the local city surveyor Is regarded as
of SO little Importance that he is reduced to
taking fees in compensation for special SER
vices and assistant surveyors are abolished
Note that all this while the office of public
buildings and grounds is in existence as
from the beginning, and the surveyor en-
ployed by it is still the only United States
city surveyor.
Act Of June IL. 1878 (Stat. 90 D. 1927, es-
tabiishes the present local form of govern
ment Of the District. AMI since one Of the
commissioners is an engineer officer of the
army no local or corporation CITY surveyor
is mentioned al all in the law The Com
m!ssioners have found it necessary to have
such an official for purely local Volk on
private property. but he is merely an an
pertinent BIZ the Commissioners So that
the local or corporation cIty surveyor is an
office not recognized by any act of Congress
now IN force.
In the Governments Custody,
Il. In view of the preceding it is clear
that now for one hundred and ten years
Congress has carefully kept in the custody
of the general government all the records
of the national capital. except those per-
tairing to purely private land. Congress
has remembered that this is the capital city
of the" whole nation. and has for over a
hundred years carefully kept the policy OF
its growth Within its own hands tealously
preventing purely local interests from get
ting control OF the nations city
- The transfer of records prnnosed nv
this bill would seriously cndans-er The in.
tereSts Of the United States by sienrivinp
them of the records on which rest the tities
of the United States to its vartons proner.
ties in the city of Washington incEIIinp
the very streets 1t would be Ike lepr;vine
an owner of property of his deed and othe1
evidences OF title thereto. and surely fhe
United States ought to be BILE to preserve
its own proofs of possession.
Had these records not been kept in tbs
possession OF the general government IL L
not impossible the United States would have
been unable to prove its title In the greai