The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-05

! sons which have led them to recommend
! the appropriation in the present bill. The
! present hOspitafhuildings are located upon
| land belonging to th- Government, lying
! between Nichols Avenue and the Anacostia
| River The Government also owns land
OF the other side of Nichols Avenue which
4 it uses as farm tributary TO the hospi-
! tai. The land which il is proposed to pur
! chase a1joins the Government land upon
! which the hospital buildings stand.
! The proposition TO purchase the land in
/ question appeared first in the form of
/ Senate amendment TO the Sundry Civil bill
/ for the fiscal year 1900, where IL was pro-
posed TO purchase l05 acres fer S245. 000.
/ This amendment was disagreed to without
! discussion by the House and went out of
! the bill in conference. In the Sundry
Civil bill for the current year the COM
mittee recommended an appropriation of
| $21O,OC0 for the purchase of 40 acres of
land adjoining the hospital buildings At
ter debate in the House the provision was
stricken out. 4 large expenditure how
ever, was authorized for the construction
of much needed hospital buildings. which
were required to be constructed upon
lands already owned by the Government
or upon such suitable lands as might be
donated to the Government within the
District OF Columbia for that purpose. The
plans for the buildings are now completed
and the work Of construction can soon be-
gin But as no .laa{ has been donated to
the Government for The purpose the build
inss must, unless Congress should other
wise determine, he constructed upon the
farm lands attached to the hospital, upon
the other side of Nichols Avenue
1t is the opinion OF the superintendent
of the hospital that for many reasons it is
inexpedient to construct the new build
ings upon the farm lands. and he has
urged upon the committee the considera-
tions that the difficulty and expense of
administration would be much increased,
that the lands are not adapted for hos
pital purposes and that farm is abso-
lutely necessary for the employment of
inmates in the interest of their health and
successful treatment. The Secretary of
the Interior with great earnestness sup
ports the Views of the superintendent
Therefore the committee recommend
and report this appropriation to the House
for its action. 1t will be observed that
by the Senate amendment to the Sundry
Civil bill for 1900 the price proposed was
s., 1873 per acre. An appraisement of the
land was made for the committee at the
last session OF Congress. which fixed the
value at 81, 900 per acre. The recommen-
dation of the committee at the last ses-
SIGN. which was rejected by the House,
fixed the price at 81. 500 per acre. The
committees present recommendation fixes
the maximum price at $1,000 per acre.
Although the land has been taxed at
much less figure. the committee after in
vestigation believe that il has cost the
owners somewhere between $500 and $500
per acre, including tine interest on the
purchase money.
Representative Cannon. Chairman of the
Appropriations Committee, who reported
the bill. said last evening that he ex
peeted to get it through the House by the
end of the week.
Among the items for the improvement
of rivers and harbors is $9s.0G1 for the
Pot mac River below the city of Wash
ingt n.