The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-16
AFFAIRSOF THE DISTRICT
The Question Of a Site for the
New Municipal Building.
Representative Mercer Makes En-
auiries Relative TO Square 2I5-Thc
Park Space and Closing of r street
The. Opinion of Attorney Duvnli
Regarding the Fish Wharf.

The Commissioners are in receipt OF
communication from David Il. Mercer.
Chairman of the House Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds. relative
to House resolution s7e9. This resolution
provides for the purchase of a site for
and the erection thereon of municipal
building in the city of Washington, Dis
ifict OF Columbia"
Mr. Mercer informs the Commissioners
that he desires to ask their opinion upon
The following proposition. suppose, I'M
der the provisions Of this bill. the Com
miasioners, authorized to act therein,
should select square 255. would 1t be
proper to amend the bill SO that in case
such square were taken for a site for n
municipal building. to provide that the
park reservation Immediately to the north.
as well as Street, bounded by square 2oa
and said park reservation. and limited
by the side streets Thirteen-and-a-haf
and Fourteenth, would be appropriated
and included as part of said site!
Mr.. Mercer states that ii seems to MIN
that the streets were appropriated by SIM
liar legislation upon the Library site be-
fore the new Library was constructed
thereon. He then asks whether, in the
opinion of the Commissioners. such appro-
priation would interfere with the rights
of the city, either in appropriating the
reservation or the section OF the street
referred to.
The Commissioners yesterday sent their
reply to the questions propounded by Rep
resentatiSe Mercer. as follows, capt.
Lansing H. Beach writing for the Board:
IL would state that it is believed the
t,,-x &c coz
and that its insertion in the bill would be
advantageous.
u have seen the United States authori-
ties under whose charge the park is and
can state that NO opposition will be made
By them. l have also seen the officials OF
the Washington, Alexandria and Mount
Vernon Railway. whose tracks run through
the portion of Street in question. and
can state that-the company is favorable
to the closing of the street for the pur-
pose indicated, provided that other termi-
nal arrangements can be made for them
To this end. a provision should be in
serted that the Commissioners shall have
authority in case this site should be Sc
lected to relocate the road on such street
and by such lines as may be considered
most desirable for the interest of the
railroad and the public convenience, pro-
vIded that the road is not to enter or cross
Pennsylvania Avenue.
The Mercer bill provides first for the
creation of a commission to purchase the
site and erect the proposed municipal
building. This commission is to consist
OF the Secretary of the Treasury, the At
tornsy General, and the Engineer Com
mission. The bill instructs them to pur-
chase one Of the squares or half-squares
on the south side of the Avenue between
10 Gardens.
including the vacant square 2o5. where
the old power house stood. Other sec
tions Of the bill provide for the pur-
chase Of the site by condemnation pro-
Ceedings il necessary, for securing plans
from architects, etc. The bill also pro-
vtdes that a sufficient sum OF money be
appropriated to pay for the site. to secure
the plans, and to erect the building, not
to exceed 81 100000, one-half of which is
to be paid by the District and one-half
by the United States Government
Andrew B. Duvall, the Attorney for the
District, has submitted to the Commission
ers an opinion upon the communication OF
Lieutenant Hollinberger. of the Metropoli-
tan Police Force. relative to the danger
Gus condition of the Eleventh Street wharf
now occupied by W. W. Riley. 1t will be
recalled in this connection that the letter
the dangerous condition of the timber and
floors OF the wharf was published in The
Times. With reference to the matter the
Attorney says:
This wharf is the fish wharf where
ell the fish are required under the old cor
poration ordinance TO be landed from the
river boats. Mr.. Riley has secured this
right for his wharf from the Commission
ers fer one year by virtue of being the
highest bidder for that privilege. The
wharf is reported to be out Of repair to
such an extent as to be dangerous, even
liable TO collapse. etc.
" had occasion on the 18th instant. in
returning to you the application Of Thomas
r. Riley for permit to repair his wharf,
10 call your attention to the status Of
wharf property on the Potomac River
front The case now under consideration
is evidently one that requires immediate
actien..I have consulted with the United
States Attorney for the District upon the
subject. and while he has no remedy TO
suggest he seemed to accuiesce In my sug-
gestions that at least the United States
could file a bill In equity to enjoin the
further use OF the wharf which is in a
dangerous condition.
SIN my opinion We should make an ef
fort to deal with the situation and / have
the honor to advise that The Inspector of
Buildings be directed TO examine the
wharf. and II 1t is found to be In a danger
Gus condition. TO proceed in accordance
with section. IA. OF the building reGuia-
lions.
at may be trde that this section was