The Washington times., 1902-03-15
Apportionment of Excess
Or Deficiency in
Measure.
DESIGNED FOR GEORGETOWN
City Solicitor Duvall Approves Plan
Suggested by District Assessor and
Recommends Adoption by Congress
Provisions of the Scheme.

Mr.. A. B. Duyall the City Solicitor, has
submitted to the District Commissioners
an opinion upon recommendation from
the Surveyor calling attentiess 10 the pro-
visions OF section s1JS5 of the code and
noting the inpracticability of their ap-
plication to surveys in that part of the
District formerly known as the city of
Georgetown. and enclosing an amendment
to the existing law.
THE system provided by the present
law says the Solicitor, never prevailed
IN the city of Georgetown. From the date
OF the incorporation of that city an en-
tircly different system was in operation
ard under that system lots have been 10
sated and houses erected on the principle
Of throwing all the excess or deficiency
eyisting in block front in actual meas
urement as compared with tba record,
into the highest numbered original lot in
said front.
Not Applicable in Georgetown.
Section 1885 of the code provides that
when the whole front of a square ex-
oeeds or falls short of the aggregate of
the lots on that side of the square the
excess or deficiency shall be apportioned
among the lots on the square front. agree
ably to their respective dimensions. Mr..
Duvall SAYS it is manifest that this sec
tion should not operate in Georgetown.
Two modes Of treatment suggest them
selves, he continues. "One is to amend
section 1855 by simply exempting from
its operation that part of the District
which formerly constituted the city OF
Georgetown. The other is by amending
she section in such a way as to provide
a system to conform with the settled sys-
TEN Of that territory. To amend as sus-
gested by the first method would leave
the subject matter without any system,
and this is not desirable.
Measure of Relief.
The proposed amendment, while it
may not anticipate all the conditions
which may arise in Georgetown, will, 1
think. very largely relieve the situation.
The matter is one of magnitude and urg-
ency, and early action by Congress would
relieve a situation which has become
Eomewhat tense"
The section, amended as proposed, will
read as follows:
Whenever the surveyor shall lay off
any lot, or any parts, into which square
or iol may De SuDClNided, as provided IN
this chapter. he shall measure the whole
of that front of the square on which said
lot or part lies, and II, on such measure
ment. the whole front of the square ex-
ceeds or falls short OF the aggregate of
the fronts of the lots on that side of the
square, as the same are recorded, he
shall, except in that portion of the city
of Washington included within the limits
of what formerly constituted the city OF
Georgetown, apportion such excess or de-
ficiency among the lots or pieces on thai
front agreeably to their respective di-
mensions: 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 apportion such excess or de-
fciency among any lots into which such
highest numbered original lot may have
been subdivided
Border Line Proviso.
Provided, that wherever in the former
city of Georgetown a square or block OF
land is intersected by the division line
between two original additions to said
city the excess or deficiency found be-
tween the street lines and said division
line shall be applied to the highest num- |
bered original lot on each side of said |
division line, or apportioned among any |
lots into which the highest numbered or |
iginal lot may nave been subdivided.''