Evening star., 1903-07-30
FOR HALL OF RECORDS
Secretary Shaw Will Acquire
Square l43.
SUM he WILL PAY
THINKS 100000 A SUFFICIENT
AMOUNT.
This is Two and a Half Times the As
sessed Value-If Owners Object BE
Will Condemn the Land.
SUM he WILL PAY

Secretary Shaw today definitely announc-
ed his intention to acquire square NO. 14''
bounded by 18th and 18th and e and +
streets, as a site for the proposed hall oil
records, in pursuance of IN act Of Congress
appropriating 100000 for the purpose or
securing the site 1t Is the intention OF
Secretary Shaw to acquire the property
either by condemnation or 10y private sale.
and he leaves it to the property owners IN
the square to determine which it shall be.
The act making the appropriation conferred
upon Secretary Shaw the power to ;iurc,ase
at private sale or by condemnation proceed
ings
The announcement today is nothcauon
by Secretary Shaw to the property owners
that he proposes to settle the lonS-pending
dispute and that he Is ready for action of
some kind. The statement Is made In the
announcement that the Treasury Depart-
ment considers S3uD.UD as ample price for
all the property in the square, ana that
it will under no circumstances pay more
unless forced to do SO in condemnation
proceedings. The figure that is set by the
treasury is l-1r times the assessed valua-
ton of the property. and the basis of settle
ment is considered a fair one by Secretary
Shaw. A number of months ago, after the
property owners had submitted figures for
the sale of tie property aSgrcgatinS more
than the appropriation of Congress. the ottl-
cials of the treasury secured the figures at
which all the property is assessed
What He Proposes to Do.
Knowing the attitude of Secretary Shaw
and the other treasury officials, the prop
erty owners reduced their figures that
they finally offered the property at some
thing like $4,000 This was still too much
for the square. and about two months ago
Secretary Shaw sent a circular letter to the
owners stating the basis upon which the
treasury would settle. He announced then,
and reiterates now. that whenever two
thirds of the space is offered at the figure
set by the treasury the offers will at once
be accepted and paid for and condemnation
proceedings begun against the other one
third or whatever amount is still in dispute.
In the last month or so there has been
some evidence that many of the property
owners were getting together in agreeing
to accept the treasury proposition, and the
understa nding is that Secretary Shaw eX-
poets to secure consent of two-thrds
of the owners to his proposition. He
Is hopeful that all the owners will
the necessity of reSorting to cOndem-
nation. The owners who have written
to or discussed the matter with Secretary
Sha have not controlled much two
thirds of the square, but Secretary Shaw
understands, it is said, the views of nearly
all the owners.
Secretary Shaw is distinct in saying that
II as much as WO-thirdS of the space is Of
fered he will accept the offers and proceed
against the other one-third by condemna-
ton. Should however, less than two-thirds
offer the property at the treasury basis it
is said to be Secretary Shaw'S purpose to
proceed by condemnation against all the
property in the square, not accepting at
private sale any that IS offered
Principal Property Owners.
Among the principal property owners
in the square are Secretary Hay and Sen
ator Stewart of Nevada. Out of total
of $4,000 square feet Secretary Hay owns
about one-third and his Is said to be the
most valuable property in the square. He
would probably lose more at the figure
fixed by the treasury, 1t is said, than any
Of the other owners. inasmuch as
is very little below the figures of
fered by the treasury. there being
allowance for reasonable interest on the
purchase price paid by him years ago. The
treasury officials said to be cogniZant
of this, but 1t would have been Impossible
to have attempted to have fixed one figure
for one piece of property and another for
the other pieces. uniform figure had
to be made. 1t is not known what Secre-
tary Hay will do in connection with the
property. 1t is said to be in the hands of
Fitch. Fox & Brown, real estate agents.
who decline to accept the treasury PROPOSE
by the treasury from Secretary Hay say
ing that so far he concerned he
would accept the treasury proposition. but
the property had been in the hands of his
agents a long time and 1t was with them
to decide what they would do. The agents
have so far declined to agree to the figures.
holding that the property is the most val
unable in the square and that the owner
would be a loser by selling Whether this
attitude is to be continued by them is not
definitely known at the treasury. but the
impression prevails that Secretary Hay will
ultimately direct his agents to recede from
their position and accept the basis of set
tlement proposed.
Senator Stewart was one Of the first to
accept the treasury offer, it is understood
and he has been urging other property
owners to settle the matter and not bring
about condemnation.
Position Of the Owners.
Representatives Of some of the property
holders say that they have not heard that
any of the owners have acceded to the
proposition nor offer which has come
from the Secretary Of the Treasury.
They have been asked If they would ac>
cept two and a half times the assessed
value Of their holdings in this square, and
II they should say they would occept, then
there Is no guarantee. they argue that the
treasury people Will not come back and
offer a still lower price.
In other words. the property holders, ac-
cording to some who are supposed to know
propose to stand pat and get what they
think the property is worth.
In regard to Secretary Hays holdings IT
was stated today at the Office of his agents.
Fitch, Fox & Brown. that If the treasury
price was accepted by Mr.. Hay he would
lose 90 per cent on q portion of his holdings
in the square.