Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-26
Express a Preference.

Express q Preference.
eThe Commissioners believe that it would
be preferable to extend and improve Massa-
chusetts avenue as far as Nebraska avenue
and to extent the avenue without improve
ment as far as the District line, leaving the
question of the future Improvement of this
portion to be taken up subsequently by
Congress.
1.-The estimated cost of the various prop
ositions is as follows: To extend and i'm
prove Massachusetts avenue to Nebraska
avenue, and to extend the avenue without
improvement to the District line. 100000;
to extend the avenue and improve 1T as
far as Nebraska avenue, $4,000; to eX-
tend and improve Massachusetts avenue
from Wisconsin avenue to the District
line. $132, 900; to extend and improve Mas
sachusetts avenue and Boundary avenue
as proposed in the bill, $165,00O.
"A provision Is contained in the bill
that where portion of any tract of land
has been dedicated for the extension of
street or avenue the remainder of the
tract shall not be assessed for benefits
arising from such extension and improve
ment. The Commissioners do not believe
this provision is altogether just. for the
reason that there are many holdings from
which only small portion will be taken
for the proposed avenues. and the amount
OF benefit derived from the extension
might be much greater than the value of
the land dedicated. In any case the reia-
tive amount given would be unequal in
view of the benefits received. 1t would
seem more equitable that the whole ques-
ton of benefits should be left to the jury,
which would undoubtedly take into con-
sideration the fact that dedications had
been made.
There have been one or two instances
where the Commissioners have recon-
mended street, extension bills providing
that where portion of a tract of land
has been dedicated for a street the re-
mainder of the tract should be exempt
from assessment for benefits, but in these
particular instances the circumstances of;
the case have justified such a recon-
mendation. and it Is believed that no such
circumstances exist in the present caseg
Part Of Avenue Not Macadamized.
The Commissioners would further invite
attention to the fact that Massachusetts
avenue is not macadamized between OBJ
servatory Circle and Tenleytown road
An estimate for this macadamizing is
$4,000, of which $4,000 have been re-
quested by the Commissioners in their
estimates to Congress. If it is desired by
Congress to improve the whole avenue,
as the part to the west of Tenleytowp
road would be of relatively little value
unless the part east is improved. an adj
ditional amount of $4,000 for this would
be necessary, either in the present bill
bill"
The bill itself is not believed by the
Commissioners to be in good form The
Commissioners believe that the preamble
should be struck out; that the question of
benefits should be left entirely to the
jury: that the bill should follow the ap-
proved form of street extension bills
passed at the last session of Congress- In
case any one method of extension and
improvement as suggested by the Com
mlSsionefs is adopted it would be neces-
sary to amend the bill to accord with
such suggestion.