Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-04

posftmert was requested by Mr.. Woods
and authorized by the commission of sena-
tors in charge of the purchase of the ste
and the construction of the building. Sem
ator CulIom is chairman.
Square GS6 lies between B and streets
and Delaware avenue and 1st street north
east. IL is the corresponding square on the
north SIDE of the Capitol grounds TO the
square on the south side where operations
are now in progress preliminary to the cree
ton of magnificent Office building for
members of the House of Representatives.
Mr.. Woods stated today that Mr. Bieber
will at Cnce enter upon the work of nego-
Eating with property owners in the square
looking to the purchase of their property.
Letters will be mailed tomorrow to out-of-
town owners. Mr.. Bieher will act in consul
tation with Mr. Woods and his arrange
ments will be approved by Mr.. Woods and
tie commission.
Large Expenditure Involved.
The purchase of the property in square
CSC involves the expenditure of approx
mately S750,OoO. The law by which the
new building was authorized and which
designated the site provides that the prop
erty shall be purchased at private sale if
satisfactory prices can be secured. In the
event of a failure to agree upon terms with
owners, the property will be condemned,
according to the terms of the law. Mr..
Bieber has been appointed with the view
of conSummating the purchase of the land
at private sale Together with Mr.. Woods
he will go over the property this afternoon
or tomorrow and fix working estimate
upon the value of the land. AS delay is
thing to be avoided. Mr.. Bieber will en-
deavor to come to terms with owners at the
first interview The appointment of a rep
resentat.Ve in this connection does away
with the probability of hearings before the
commission. The senators wished to be
spared the worry, and so ii was agreed that
a competent authority on Washington real
estate should be appointed TO conduct the
preliminary negotiations.
Mr.. Bieber has already supplied the
office and the commission with valuable
data said Mr.. Woods this morning. in
speaking of the appointment. He has also
been consulted from time to time in the
past, and his information has always been
found entirely trustworthy. He has the
entire confidence of the commission and
this office. and it is expected that the nego-
tiations for this site will be more satiSfac-
tory to all the parties interested. including
the United States government, than almost
any in the past. We could have had hear
ings with the property owners, but they
would probably have consumed great deal
Of time. So it was thought best to buy
the property outright If fair terms can be
secured. and thus the work Will be greatly
simplifed Condemnation proceedings
costly affairs, and we want TO avoid them If
possible. But unless the owners show IA
Willingness TO come down 10 d
basis in the first negotiations we will not
delay matters by bartering with them
A Competent Authority.
Mr. Bieber's appointment TO the import
ant position announced today, and the con-
fdence reposed in him by the senatorial
commission and superintendent of the Cap
itol, will be very gratifying to his friends.
Mr.. Bieber has been resident of the capt.
tai city for more than thirty years. He
has been prominently identified with bust
ness affairs and is regarded an expert
in real estate values. He has always been
interested in that section of the city sur
rounding the Capitol grounds, and is prob
ably well informed in real estate values
and history in that neighborhood as any
man in Washington.
Mr.. Beber was formerly director of
the Second National Bank and of the
Washington Safe Deposit Company. For a
great many years he was president of the
Concordia Club Mr. Beber was a mem
Der of the jury of condemnation for the
site now occupied by the post office and
Post Office Department building. His son,
Sidney Rieber is the fire marshal of the
District.