Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-06
'INCREAsEoF WIDTH
COMMISSIONERS, REPORT ON
BLADENssuRGRoAD BILL.
Recommend Amenansent, Authorizing
"a
Condemnation of land Not Dedi-
cated-Exelnption Opposed.

The Commissioners have forwarded TO
Congress their report son the bill for widen
ing the Bladensburg rdad to width OF
nil ETY. feet. in which they state that they
are much in favor of widening this rold
as it Is one of the principal highways lead
ing from the city to-the District line and
on into Maryland. and it will probably
always be an important highway. The
length of the road from H street north
ward to the District line is about two and
one-half miles. and 1t is now sixty-six
feet in width throughout this length.
1t is proposed in the bill to widen the
read in accordance with the street extern
sion plans, which would require all The
widening to come from the east side from
H street northward to a point about l,Vo0
feet above the Mount Olivet road. From
thence to the subdivision of Avalon. the
widening would be done equally on both
sides of the road, and from Avalon it would
be done on the east side to the north line
of the reform school,, from thence equally
on each side to the District line.
Amendment Suggested.
The preamble of the bill recites that in
asmuch as over 20 per cent of the ground
required for the widening has been dedi-
Gated the Commissioners are authorized
and directed to institute condemnation pro-
ceedings for the remainder. AS matter
of fact the Commissioners say. there Is no
such dedication on record. The DISTRICT
authorities suggest that the first section
of the bill be amended so as to provide
that within thirty days after the dedication
Of Is per cent of the land necessary TOT
the widening of the road the Commission
ers be authorized to institute proceedings
for the condemnation of the land necessary
to complete the Improvement.
In further commenting on the bill the
Commissioners state:
that the amount found to be due and
awarded as damages for the land con-
demned shall be assessed as dement's
against property benefited. but exempts
from such assessment the remaining por-
ton of any parcel of land from which
there has been a dedication for the WIDEN
ing of the road While it is believed to be
good policy to encourage the dedication OF
that property should be exempted from as
sessment in the manner indicated in this
section for the reason that while the value
of land dedicated should be taken into con-
sideration the benefit to the remaining
part of the parcel might be greater than
such value and the parcel should. therefore,
bear it's proportional part of assessment for
benefits. The Commissioners believe that
this matter of exemption should be left to
the jury which assessed the benefits, and
they believe that the section should be
amended accordingly
Cost of Improvement.
'The Commissiohersa. understand that
dedications are now BEING secured for the
widening of this road sThe estimated cost
of widening it. proSidadsino land was dedi-
Gated, is $4,000, but ifoT5 per cent of the
land was dedieateds%aa tie estimated cost
would be. about onsithtTd of this sum. A
large proportion Of the land necessary for
widening lies along Ora celand cemetery on
the east side Of the. road. Just north of H
street. It is undersigned that this land can
prohibited by the cefhstsry charter
With the executions noted the bill is in
fairly coed form. AS the House. committee
on the District Of Columbia has, however,
adopted a. form of street extension bill.
which is approved Ry tine, Comm issioners
pr ofn ths p 5s o6 The IS
should be borne ,4leshalf by the United
States and one half the District of Co
lumbia, instead Of Wholly by the, United
States. the CommfssIohers have used this
form IN the amended bill. which they in.
close and would recommend that If the bill
used" - F - .