The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03

accommodation of the Supreme Court of
the United States, the Department of JUS
tice. the Court of Appeals OF the District
OF Columbia. the Supreme Court of the
District OF Columbia, the Court of Claims
the National Law Library, and for other
purposes, the following parcels of land
situate east of the Capitol grounds shall
be purchased by commission hereby Gre
ated consisting of the Secretary of the
Interior, the Secretary of the Treasury,
and the Chief Justice of the United States
Cor taken for public use), namely: Squares
designated on the plan of the city of
Washington Is numbered 72S. triangular
parcels designated thereon as numbers
I26 and 727. the whole being bounded on
the north by B Street north. on the east
by Second Street east. on the south by
East Capitol Street and on the west by
First Street west. and supposed to con-
tain, 226. 157 superficial feet exclusive of
avenues. streets. and alleys
Section 2. That An act TO provide for
the erection of a building for the Depart
ment OF Justice approved March 3, 1899,
is hereby repealed and the Attorney Cen
sral IS hereby required to render an i'm
mediate accounting to Congress, showing
in detail the expenditure OF the sum Of
$4,000 or any part thereof appropriated
under section OF An act to provide for
the erection of a building for a Depart
ment OF Justice approved March 3. 1893.
and to return to the Treasury OF the
United States any part Of the sum of $25,-
coo unexpended by him in hiring temper
airy quarters for the use Of the Court of
Claims, and in removing said court and
its records and archives thereto, and the
sum of 100000 appropriated in section
1 Of said act, to be expended under the
direction of the Attorney General, is here
by diverted from the objects and purposes
therein expressed. and reappropriated for
the objects and purposes OF this act, and
so much of said appropriation as may be
required is hereby made Immediately avail
able for the acquisition of the land de-
scr'bed in section l OF this act. to be ex-
pended under the direction OF said com
mission, and any unexpended balance OF
said appropriation not required for the &C
QUESTION of said land shall remain in the
Treasury OF the United States. to be ap-
piled TO the sole and exclusive purpose of
constructing Temple Of Justice building
hereinafter provided for
Section g. That the said Commission
is hereby authorized to purchase said land
or any part thereof. as soon as praeti-
cable at such prices as may be fixed by
agreement between the said Commission
and ire respective owners not exceeding
the actual cash value thereof the same to
be ascertained by the Commission from The
testimony of real estate experts or OF her
wise. as IL may deem necessary; and ray
ment therefor shall be made to the re-
spectiYe owners. on the requistioI.s OF the
said Commission, upon the release and
( conveyance of said lands to the United
States by good and sufficient deeds exc
cuted in due form of law: provided that
no money shall be expended for the pur-
chase Of said land. or any part thereof,
until the written opinion of the Attorney
I General shall be had in favor OF the Va
lidity OF the title to said land
Section 4. That If the said Commission
shall be unable to purchase the whole of
said land by agreement with the respect
i've owners within ninety days after the
passage Of this act. it shall at the ex-
piration Of such period of ninety days
make application to the Supreme Court
Of the District of Columbia at a general
or special term, by petition containing
particular description of the property
( required. with the name Of the owner, or
owners, thereof, and his her, or their
residence, as far as the same can be as
eertatned, which court is hereby author
lied and required. upon such application
without delay to appoint five commits
sioners, freeholders OF the District of Co
iumbia, who shall. before entering Upon
their duties. take and subscribe an oath
before some officer in the District of Co.
iumbia authorized to administer oaths that
they are entirely dlsinterested in the pur-
chase or sale Of said real estate, and
that they will we'll and truly discharge
their duties as such commissioners: and
they shall then proceed to make a just
and equitable appraisement of the cash
value of the several interests of each and
every owner OF the real estate and i'm
p:oYementS thereon necessary to be taken
for the public use in accordance with the
provisions of this act which aDpralse-
ment shall be subject to ratification by
said court; and when the question OF
ratification is considered by the court
both the United States and the owner of
the land shall have the right TO introduce
testimony as to the value OF the property
and to be heard by counsel or otherwise;
and il at the expiration OF ninety days
after the passage OF this act said court
shall not be in session IN general or spe-
cial term special term shall be held
commencing on the dag next thereafter
for the purpose OF making the appraise-
meni and ratification herein provided for:
Provided, that written notice OF the time
and place OF appraisement shall be given
by said commissioners to each owner of
real estate, the purchase of which is con-
templated by this act al least thirty DAYS
before proceeding to appraise the came:
and in the case of a nonresident owner
similar notice shall be given by pubii-
cation in three daily newspapers of GEN
eral circulation published in the city of
Washington; and II it shall appear that
any owner or party otherwise Interested
in any portion of said real estate be