Evening star., 1902-03-14
REGARDING SURVEYS
CITY SOLICITOR iuBn1rs AMEND
MENT 70 CODE.
Effort to Accommodate Provisions to
the Conditions Existing in
ae4fstown.

| The District Commissioners today re-
! ceived an opinion from the city solicitor,
| Mr.. A. B. Duvall. on the communication OF
| the District surveyor calling attention to
the impracticability OF the application Of
| the provisions Of section 1856 Of the new
code of laws for the District to surveys in
| that part of the District formerly consti-
tuting the city Of Georgetown. Section
| 1885 Of the code Is reproduction OF sec
| tion 4S1 OF the Revised Statutes OF the
| District which constituted section OF
the act of Congress approved January Il,
1909, which in terms related to the SUBJ
ington.
1.-The system of apportionment provided
| in said act of Congress-" says the solicitor.
| never prevailed in the city OF George
| town. From the date of the incorporation
! of that city an entirely different system
| was in operation, and under that system
lots have been located and houses erected
on the principle of throwing all the excess
or deficiency existing In a Diock iront' t1. IN IN
actual measurement, as compared with the
record, into the highest numbered original
lot in said front.
Section 1888 of the code provides If the
whole front Of a square exceeds or falls
short Of the aggregate Of the lots on that
side of the square, the excess or denclency
shall be apportioned amongst the lots on
the square front agreeably to their respec-
manifest this section should not operate IN
Georgetown.
Two Methods Suggested.
1.-TWO modes of treatment suggest them
selves" he continues "One is to amend
section 1885 by simply exempting from its
operation that part of the District which
formerly constituted the city Of George
town. The other Is by amending the sec
ton In such a way as to provide system
as near as may be in conformity with the
settled system OF that territory. 10 amend
as suggested by the first method would
leave the subject matter without any sys-
tenn; and this Is not desirable.
Il have secured the assistance of two
members of our bar who are most CONVEX
SAINT with GEORGETOWN titles, and after con-
versations with these gentlemen and the
surveyor, an amendment has been prepared
to section 1885, which l have the honor to
submit herewith.
1.-The proposed amendment, while 1t may
not anticipate all the conditions which may
arise in Georgetown, will. I think, very
largely relieve the situation l have the
honor therefore to suggest that you re-
quest that said section be amended accord
ingly. The matter is one Of magnitude and
urgency, and early action by Congress
would relieve situation which has become
somewhat tense"
The Proposed Amendment.
The section amended as proposed, will
read as follows: =
whenever the surveyor shall lay of any
lot or any parts into which a square or lot
may be subdivided as provided In this
chapter. he shall measure the whole Of that
front of the square which said lot or
part lies. and II, on such measurement, the
whole front of the square exceeds or falls
short of the aggregate of the fronts of the
lots on that side of the square, the same
are recorded, he shall except in that por-
tion of the city Of Washington included
within the limits OF what formerly consti-
tuted the city of Georgetown, apportion
such excess or deficiency among the lots
or pieces on that front agreeably to their
respective dimensions: and in that portion
of the city of Washington included within
the limits Of what formerly constituted the
city of Georgetown he shall allow such
excess or charge such deficiency to the
highest numbered original lot of that front
Of the square. or npportion such excess or
deficiency among any lots into which such
highest numbered original lot may have
been subdivided. Provided, that wherever
in the former city of Georgetown a square
or block of land Is intersected by the d.
vision line between two original additions
to said city, the excess or deficiency found
between the street lines and said division
line shall be applied to the highest number
ed original lot on each side Of said division
line, or apportioned among any lots into
which the highest numbered original lot
may have been subdivided.''