The Washington times., 1901-10-26

points out. were Of great Importance to
LLl district. Five cases are referred to
y hicn were disposed Uf in the SUPREME
Court of the Distric. of Columbia.
IA concluding his report, Mr.. puvall
calls attention to seyeraI matters as ioi-
lows;
The Code of Law fer the District was
finally enact,d by Congress March j. 1911;
to go into effect and operation from ana
after January l, 1902. The desirabllty OF
a Codihc2tion of our complex system ol
law has been recognized for many years.
and several futile attempts in that direc-
ton had been made. As enacted the IoHs
covers the general law; 1t was prepared
by Hon walter :. Cox. Tor many years
an hUnored justice of the Supreme Court
Of tn District, whose legal attainmCnts
and intimate knowledge of the SUBJECT
peculiarly fitted him for such task, ANA
il has received the Intelligent and pans
taking revision Of our entire local bench
ana committees OF leading members of
our bar.
"W Whiie lmprrfections may be found in
he CCtC and yNp.ris ace may demonstrate
that some Of It's provisions re Iuire amend
r2ent. nevertheless it VIII undoubtedly
prove Of incalculablc benefit to this COM
bsrod. does ret prCCcsS 10 embrace the
entire body Of existing law; there yet re
mains to he systenu ,Ized the bulk Of the
law relating more particularly to the de
tail Of municipal matters.
Proceedings on behalf of the United
States hay. been resumed in the case
OF hoTri. vs.. United States. relat-
ing to me Potomac flats and the
river ,ront ana testimony is being
taken to ascertain the amount of com
uenSatiUn to be allowed for the wharV cS.
warehouses, and ether structures erected
and InaintIincd by thu occupants Of the
water front From present indications,
until this award has been made, the Com
missioncrs will not be put in possession
of the water front so as to carry into ef-
feet he act of Congress, relative to the
i n v-1 IF mr. tn
nh, very difficult ana important sub
ject of street extension and special as
sesSment therefor has been finally set
tied. as above indicated, by the adJudi-
cation of the highest court, as to the con-
stitutionaiity Of the law of the proceed
ingS. The several acts cf Congress on the
subject provide that these assessm eats,
when confirmed by the court, shall be a
lien upon the land assessed, and shall be
payable in four equal annual installments
with interest at the rate Of per cent per
annum, from the da;e of confirmation
until paid The order confirming the
award of the jury in these cases is sub
ioct to appeal within twenty days. and
until that time has expired the order is
not so final as that il could be safely
acted upon by the Commissioners
In most of the cases appeals were
taken, and 4 very considerable period of
time elapsed before the final confirmation
on appeal. The resulting condition was,
and suil is, that the owner assessed in
these proceedings 10 practically unable
to escape the penalty OF interest. He can
not pay the assessment. The court IS
not authorized to receive it. aud the Com
missioners are unable at once to obtain
and spread upon their assessment books
the assessments confirmed by the court.
1T is manifest that some relief should
be provided, and / have the honor to sug-
gest that you recommend that the pro-
vision respecting the charge of interest
in all the street extension condemnation
cases be changed. SO that interest will
be chargeable only from ard after sixty
days, or some longer time. after tho Inal
confirmation OF the awards and that
there be refunded TO parties. who have
paid under written protest, interest on
these assessments for such period