Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-10
THE PRICE EXCESSIVE
STATEMENT REGARDING LAND
PROPOSED FOR LANGDoN PARK.
Commissioner West Recommends That
All the Facts Be Laid
Before Congress.

In a supplemental recommendation maze
by Commissioner West on the report of the
Commissioners relative to the bill for the
establishing of public park at Langdon
it IS stated that the price asked for the
lana men toned in the bill is almost ten
times greater than the actual value of the
land
In the original draft of the report it is
stated that the site to be acquired for the
park contains 10000 square feet, and the
amount proposed by the bill to purchase the
land is 10000. This amount, the report
states, will come close to the selling value
of the land when sold as lots.
There can be no question of the value
cr establishing small parks in the various
suburbs surrounding Washington" the re-
port continues, "before the value of the
land becomes too great, and the Commits
sioners are in favor of the purchase of such
parks by the United States. They are,
however, of the opinion that it would be
better to authorize general fund for the
purchase of parks and then allow the
choice of such locations as may be accept
able. to be obtained at the most advan-
tageous price. In this way it is thought
that considerable economy can be secured.
" lille if appropriations are made for GER
tain definite pieces of land for parks such
good terms could not be obtained.
''Iu the case of TIE proposed park in
Lam siOn. while this piece of property is
very veil suited for park purposes and has
beautiful trees. there are other pieces in
the vicinity which are also suitable; for
instance. Fort Thayer. within four or five
bloc Is of the proposed park, and which has
been recommended by the Senate park com
mission
An Additional Claim.
"The citizens of Langdon have submitted
as an additional claim for consideration the
fact that the owner of a great part of this
subdivision in the year 1883 resubdivided
the tract so as to conform to the system
of street extensions projected at that
time, which entailed considerable ex-
pense on him without any CORE
spending benefits The Commissioners
at that time underworld to expend certain
funds for the Improvement of the streets in
this subdivision, hut found it impossible to
do 50 on account of certain legal difficult
ties. From the correspondence between the
Com suiSSionerS and the, owner of the prop
erty at that time it is evident that the Com
missoners considered the owner performed
"a public service in the Encouragement of
The subdivision.
When this report came TO the attention of
Commissioner West, who has supervision
over the assessors office, for his approval
he concluded to obtain some informa ton
from that office relative to the price of the
land shown on the tax books. After OBJ
placed the following recommendation on
the report:
MIR. Vests Motion.
Il move that there be incorporated in this
report the fact, as shown by the records of
ills Office, that in September, 1902, the
property now offered to the government for
sale was assessed at four cents per square
foot. The owner appealed from this assess
ment. requesting that the price be fixed at
one and one-half cents per square foot, and
stating that he had been offering lots at
three cents for the past two years At
later date he wrote to the Commissioners
that he was trying to sell lots at two cents
per square foot. The assessed value was
finally placed at two cents. / think Con-
gress should be advised Of the fact that the
price now asked for the land is ten times
greater than it's actual value. as shown by
the statements of the owner"
Since the tract contains 900 square
feet. the land for the park could be pur
chased, according to its assessed value, for
s., $50. SIT 500 less than the government
is asked to pay for it under the provisions
Of the bill Mr.. West, it is understood, is in
favor OF establishing parks about the city
as general proposition, but he is of the
opiniop that Congress should have all the
Information possible with regard to the
price to be paid for land, hence his supple
the subdivision.