The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-30
DEFEATED IN TIE SENATE
Proposition to Buy Land for the
Insane Asylum Rejected.
Amendment to the Sundry Civil APP
propriRtion Bill PrOvOkcs Discus
sion-Ckargcs Thnt Property WINS
offered the Government ut
Higher Figure Than Its Real Value

During consideration of the Sundry Civi
Appropriation bill in the Senate yesterday
an item appropriating s210,Co0 for the pur
chase of 1i0 acres OF land adjoining tn
Government Hospital for the Insane. which
had been inserted as committee amend
ment, gave rise to discussion, in which
dozen Senators participated and th'
item was stricken from the bill by an al
| most unanimous vote 1t was charged thai
the land was assessed at $50 per acre, while
the owners endeavored to obtain 81, 500 pei
! acre for 1t from the Government.
= The committee amendment providing FOL
! the purchase of land adjoining the present
site of the Government Hospital for the In-
sane. provides that il said amount oi
land cannot be purchased for said amount
or for a less sum- the amount herein APP
proprated shall be applied to the construc-
tion of buildings for special classes of pa
tients on the present grounds Of the hos
pital, suitable for the extension as herein
| proposed; and that the subdivision OF
| Pencote Heights, in the District OF CO.
lumbia, be, and the same is hereby, re-
voked and annulled."
When the amendment was taken up for
consideration Mr.. Gailinger stated that he
would make a point OF order against the
item, but that it had been provided for in
the book Of estimates. He stated that much
of the land provided for was not available
for building purposes.
1.-The land is, assessed at $4,000. but it is
proposed to give 100000 for it," he said.
Il don't see why we should pay twenty
eight times what it is worth. The people
OF Congress Heights have protested
against the purchase. and I want this
thing to go over until we can investigate
it," 5t'
How many inmates are there in the
hospital?" asked Mr.. Jones of Arkansas.
About 2,G00.' said Mr. Gallinger. but
IL an investigation were made l think about
800 OF them could be let loose, as they are
not insane"
Mr.. Butler declared that It would be
robbery to give s210.00O for the land.
Mr.. Penrose stated that he had received
protests from many citizens against the
item. Mr.. Gallinger read protest from
the Congress Heights Citizens Association.
Mr.. Gailinger then offered a substitute
amendment providing for the appointment
of special committee Of three Senators
and three Representatives to examine into
and report on the needs of the Government
Hospital for the Insane.
Mr.. Elkins raised the point OF order that
the item had not been reported from the
Committee on the District of Columbia
before going irto the bill. The point of
order was overruled.
"If this property is worth $500 rer
acre, why is it assessed at $50 per acre?''
asked Mr.. Pettigrew. There is either
big steal here or Congress ought to in
vestigate the methods of the District Tax
Assessors Office"
Mr. Allison stated that 1000 insane peo-
pie were too many in one asylum, and
that additional buildings were badly
needed. Land. he said, was also needed.
Mr. Cockrell read q letter from the
District Tax Assessor stating that land at
Congress Heights had >been assessed in
some instances at cents per square foot.
and in others at 5000 per acre.
Mr.. Allison recommended that the item
be adopted.
Mr.. PettigTew thought the 500 acres
used as the asylum farm should be used
for additional buildings. He asked that
the item be stricken from the bill. He
read letter from the District Tax AS
SCISSOR showing that the highest assess
ment made in Pencote Heights, where the
iauo PiopOStu Ill tue item Is Sltudteu, was
$S5 per acre. and the bulk of it was as
sessed at $50 per acre. He recommended
new buildings, but said they should be
built on the asylum farm, or elsewhere.
distant from the city.
Mr. Hawley described the present over
crowded condition Of the asylum as dis
grace to civilization. and q repetition of
the old black hole of Calcutta. descrip-
tion which was characterized by Mr.. Gal
linger as an unfortunate expression, hav-
ing no justification in the facts
Mr.. Gallinger withdrew his substitute
and the committee amendment was defeat
ed without division