Evening star., 1903-08-05
Sec'y Hay Agrees to Treas
ury Departments Offer.
HALL OF RECORDS SITE
OTHER OWNERS, 1T is BELIEVED
WILL FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.
His Action Facilitates the Proceedings
for the Much-Needed Govern
ment Building.

ment Building.
A letter was received at the Treasury De-
partment this morning from Secretary Hay
announcing that he would sell his property
In square 143, the proposed site for the hall
of records, for two and one-tenth times the
assessed valuation of the property. This
action of Secretary Hay was followed by a
visit to the Treasury today of Mr.. Fitch OF
the firm of Fitch, Fox & Brown. who have
for long time had the property of Secre-
tary Hay in this square in charge. The
agents have all along refused to accept the
figures of the Treasury Department, but
Secretary Hay seems to have stepped in
and acted in the matter himself, putting
ASIDE consideration of the loss that he may
sustain in doing so. 1t is admitted by
Treasury officials that the property of Sec
retary Hay was the most valuable in the
square and that at two and one-tenth the
assessed valuation he is receiving less for
his investment than any property holder in
the square.
1t is also announced that the owners CT
more than two-thirds of the space in the
square have now accepted the treasury
proposition have informed the treasury
that they will take 2 1-1O the assessed val
uation. Senator Stewart recently accepted
the treasury basis for acquiring the prop
erty after having protested violently
against its action. He and Secretary Hay
own and control about 10000 square feet
out of a total of 151, 900 square feet more
than half the total. The action of Secre-
tary Hay and Senator Stewart will be fol-
lowed, it is believed, by number of others,
SO that not much Of the property will re-
main to be secured by condemnation pro-
ceedings.
Secretary Shaw's Intention.
Secretary Shaw a few days ago stated
that If as much as two-thirds of the prop
erty was acquired at private sale by the
government the remainder would be pro-
ceeded against by condemnation.
An attorney for a small part of the prop
erty was at the Treasury Department today.
He stated that ne had one client, a wealthy
man, who would not accept the compro-
mise figures and would insist on receiving
the amount he desired, which was at the
rate of $50 foot for his holdings. The
attorney declared that the owner would
fight for his rights in the condemnation
proceedings and insist receiving what he
claimed to be the worth of his property.
The attorney pointed out that the law
does not permit the assessed valuation of
property to be- used as basis for
irving at it's true value, holding that this
valuation is fixed by officials and not by
owners themselves. The owner, therefore.
his property and has no voice in the
amount fixed for that purpose. He does,
however, have a decided voice in con-
demnation proceedings, in which the as
SeSSed valuation cannot be used as a basis
for reaching the proper valuation, it Is
claimed.
Facts to Be Submitted.
1t has been hoped at the treasury that all
Of the owners would agree to the proposed
arrangement and thereby save much time
in securing the square. The facts will be
submitted to Congress at it's next session,
and it is expected that Congress will then
make an appropriation for the erection of
the hall of records. institution that is
SO earnestly desired by all the departments.
Secretary Shaw, however, will proceed
promptly against whatever space is not
offered at the figures fixed upon by him
for a settlement, and it now looks as If
there will not be much property to operate
against in this way. Secretary Hays ac-
tion facilitates the whole matter and prom
ises the Speedy requirement of the property
by the United States.
The Offers to Sell,
Offers to sell to the government the land
in square 143, bounded by and F and
18th and 10th streets northwest. were SUBJ
mitted to the Secretary of the Treasury
early last spring. The aggregate price OF
the land embraced in the square according
to the offers that were made to sell was
$433. .4lO50. The appropriation for this pur-
pose by Congress is S4OO,OOO, the Secretary
of the Treasury being authorized to pay
not more than that amount. There are
fifteen or twenty owners of property in the
square.
Some Assessed Valuations.
The Treasury Department obtained from
the Office of the assessor of the District Of
Nnl, I;a<o
in question. This shows that 1t has been
assessed at s121. .S21 and the improvements
at $22.70O making the valuation of the
square for the purpose of taxation S144, sol.
The law requires the assessment of prop
erty for the purpose of taxation to be two
thirds of it's actual value.
Secretary Hay owns eight of the lots in
the square. These eight lots were offered
to the Secretary of the Treasury for $133,-
1850
The assessed value Of the lots is $32,jO6.
Mr.. Hays property represents the original
cost to him with interest and taxes since
the date of purchase.
There were offered for $40. 46S lots 1, and
20 w. q. MetZerott and Samuel Cross as
trustees were assessed $S, 15c on lot and
improvements. and S206 for a portion of LOT
= Francis Miller was assessed $6 S55 for
the remainder Of lot and improvements
Lot 10 stands in the name of the same trus
tees as lot and was assessed for $4.4U
The total assessed value of those three lots
is accordingly $40, ,497.
Another offer submitted was for $J6 AL
covering lot Il. valued at SO. $50: part OF lot
H. valued at 81. 4.231; part of lot 16. valued al
$12S. part of lot II, valued a $216, and part
of lot Is. valued at s40S. The first two
parcel stand assessed in the names of
Augustus V. III. and Julia l.. Ellis, and the
last three parcels in the name of Kate A
Waterbury.
All the of her bids submitted wera of cor,
paratively small sums, except that submit
ted by Senator Stewart, covering six par
cels for which he asked $4,000. These are
all assessed in the name of Annie f. r.
Stewart, ard the valuation put by the Dis
trict assessors upon the land and improve
ments is $19.497. One of these parcels is lot
15. with 4,7OS square feet valued at 81 297
with improvements valuea-at 81. 100 more
To Save the Drowning.