Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-08
Reclamation of Anacostia Flats.
Mr.. Hepburn's Objection.


Representative Hepburn opened tie scrap
and he was evidently very much in earnest
He opposed using the United States for the
District of Columbia for extending the land
of this city.
He said that the practice had gone 10 the
extreme. Real estate .nen naturally want
ed their land penetrated by streets and
alleys and they nted the work done by
the city government. The process might
be fair he said, but IL never had been fair
as conducted In Washington. I'm his opin
ion, and the government WAS inyariasFy
outraged by these performances.
We are told" he raid. that the ctf-
Zens of the District are heavily taxed.
secured by the government as IA site for
the House of Representatives. Office build
ing three times its appraised Yaiue was
paid by the government.
Continuing. Mr. Hepburn said that this
was always true of values made by tire.
Washington real estate ring. In the .Rock'
Creek Park case he said he had read the
accounts of the condemnation proceedings
and had been absolutely astonished To
learn that some men in this city had
sworn that land was worth $4,000 an acre
when, as a matter OF fact. IT was miles
from the business center of the city aad
was worth nowhere near that am6islt :.
Condition of the Streets.
Mr.. Hepburn took occasion Ito pay his
respects to the condition of the streets in
Washington.
He called attention to East Capitol street.
which he said was practically impassab!e.
and had been so for some time He hadT'
noticed it on various occasions. and to him
II looked as II the fret slirfacing had been
done in scandalous fashion. There were
tracks from one end of the street TO the
other and two or three feet apart from
curb to curb. According 70 Mr.. sHelburn
street was also in frightfui condition,
and for two blocks re wagered that IT.
would not be possible 10 find a singls
square rod of good work It had been In
this condition for months. he said, and the
reason given by the authorities for NOT re- 4
pairing 1t and putting it in passable con-
dItion was that they had no money. Act,
said Mr. Hepburn, this did rot preyeaSra
constant reaching out after more streetsS
and highways. There should be q check on
the movement. he tloIgbt-ss. until such
streets and highways as already .haye :
are put In decent shape Mr.. Hep6urns
remarks We're enthusiastically appiaudtsd
by members on both sides of the chamSer.
Representative Grosyenor of Ohio fhen
turned his gatling gun. On the KaloramH
road extension bill He steered clear OF the
real estate ring and the streefs and High
ways proposition, but paid his respects To
the general procedure &uRder WHICH D.
praisenlefrts and condennatons- OF Hard for
street purposes were conducted, and then
Tennessee, in the person of John Wesley
Gaines, stepped into the front rank. MIR. y
Gaines was as usual very much Id earnest
He called the street extensions under the
scheme 1awless iupositSop1 on the United
States government. He quoted Speaker
the House. committee on appropriations, that
it was absolutely impossible to secufe fsin-
est condemnation' proceedings in Washing
ton. ~
Mr.. Gaines then reminded the House OF
M Hepburn's statemefh That the Govern-r
r.