The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-11
SOME DISTRICT MEASURES.
A Sweeping Law Relating TO tiIey'
Introduced in the senate.

Mr. Mcmillan. Chairman of the Commit
! tee on the District of Columbia. yesterday
| introduced in the Senate a bill amending
| the existing law relative to the opening
Of alleys In the Dis riot. As amended the
! bill authorizes the District Commissioners
! TO condemn. open. extend, widen, or
( straighten alleys in the District upon the
| presentation of the plat OF said alley ac-
cOmpanied by a petition of the owners of
more than one-half of the real estate in
/ the square in which such alley is situated:
or when the District Commissioners shall
certify that the preservation of peace. good
order and public morals require that. any
| such alley should be opened. extended.
! widened. or Strengthened, or when said
! Commissioners shall deem that such work
/ is necessary in order to provide proper
drainage facilities for the square, or when
: the Commissioners shall certify that it is
necessary in order TO properly accommo-
date vehicle traffic in such square; or when
the Health officer Of the District shall
certify that it is necessary for the public
health. The Commissioners are also au-
thorized to extend widen. or straighten
minor streets in the District OF width
not less than forty feet nor more than sixty
feet, to run through a square from one
ment Of said Commissioners, the public
interests require it.
The bill also provides that in the OPEN
ing, extending, or widening. or straighten-
ing of alley or minor street IL shall
be lawful TO close any original alley, or
part Of an original alley, the fee OF which
is in the United States which may thereby
become useless or unnecessary; and that
it shall also. in like manner be lawful
10 close any other alleys or parts of alleys.
the title thereto TO revert TO the person
or persons who dedicated the same for alley
purposes. or to their assigns.
II is further provided that the Commits
sioners be authorized, whenever in their
judgment il may be necessary or expedi
ent, to close an alley. or part of an alley.
the width of which is less than ten feet.
when the assent thereto in writing has
been obtained from the owners Of the ma
jority Of the real estate abutting thereon |
II the fee title to the land contained in !
the alley, or part of an alley. so to be /
closed y in the United States the said /
Commissioners are authorized TO dispose /
of said land by sale to the owners of the !
lots or parts of lots contiguous thereto. at /
a price TO be agreed upon between the |
Commissioners and owners which price |
shall not be less than the current market 1
price OF the ground in the contiguous lots |
II the fee title TO the land in the alley |
or part Of alley so to be closed is not in /
the United States. the title to said land /
is to revert 10 the person or persons who /
dedicated the same for alley purposes. or |
to his or their heirs or assigns.
Mr.. Mcmillan also reiltroduced a bill
that was before the last Congress. and that |
has been approved by the Commissioners,
for the creation Of a commission for the |
condemnation of insanitaTy buildings in |
the District of Columbia. The measure !
provides that the senior assistant 10 the 1
Engineer Commissioner OF the District of /
Columbia. the Health Officer of the Dis
trict OF Columbia. and the Inspector Of |
Buildings OF the District be constituted a
commission. with jurisdiction and au-
thority to examine into the sanitary con-
dition of all buildings in the District Of
Columbia occupied or intended to be occu-
pied by human beings. and IT, in their judg-
ment, they find the same unfit for such
by reason Of their insanitary |
to condemn the same and 20
require the occupants thereof to vacate
within thirty days from the order OF con-
domination.
Before proceeding 10 condemn auy build
ing under the provisions OF this act, the
Commissioners are required TO give ten
days notice 10 the owner TO show cause
Why the building should not be condemned
If the owner OF any building condemned |
under the provisions of this act shall make
such changes or repairs as, in the opinion
81 said commission. will remedy in a sat
sfactory manner the conditions which led
10 the condemnation Of the property. said
commission is authorized to cancel its
order OF condemnation, and the building
may be again occupied. Provided that
built Of wood and having an as
sessed value for taxation OF not more than
$780, which have been condemned. shah
not again be occupied. but shall be de-
molished by the owner thereof within 4
time specified by said commission; and il
said owner shall fail to deInolish such
building. the same shall Ice demolished
under the direction Of the Commissioners
1f the District Of Columbia. and the cost
Jf such demolition be assessed as tax
against the premises on which such build
ng was situated, to be collected In the
same manner as other taxes are collected.