Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-15
THE HEPBURN BILL
To Buy Property on South Side
of Pennsylvania Avenue.
CONSIDERED By SENATE
Senator Nelson Makes the Principal
Objections.
IDAHO SENATOR EXPLAINS
How He Arrived at His Estimate of
Cost-Mr. Gallinger Gives Some
Additional Information.

Cost-Mr. dallinger Gives Some
Additional Information.
Senator Hepburn of Idaho late This
afternoon moved to take up his bill for
| the purchase of the property lying be-
| tween the Mall and Pennsylvania avenue.
which II is proposed to use for the erec-
ton Of future public buildings. The mo-
| ton was adopted on a vote of 81 to 81,
| and the Senate proceeded at once to q con-
sideration of the measure.
Senator Nelson of Minnesota opposed
the adoption of the motion and demanded
| division whereupon Mr.. Hepburn asked
for the ayes and noes. with the result as
stated. When the bill had been read at
| the instance of Mr.. Nelson, Mr.. Hey
burn proceeded to explain its purpose in
detail. He called attention to the COM
mittee's report on the bill, which. he said,
states explicitly the fact with regard to
1t and gives diagram showing the
squares 1t is proposed to purchase. He
said the government already owned near
~ half Of the property.
The total area of the ground which 1t Is
proposed to purchase. he declared. ts
1852. 1874 square feet. not including any
land at present owned by the government
area. He said the government already
| owned. In blocks between 18th street and
9th street Al. 081 square feet, and that
the area Of the streets and parks within
those boundaries is 1.243, 1ss square feet.
Mr.. Nelson's Questions.
Mr.. Nelson wanted to know how 1t came
| that the bill provided for an appropria-
ton Of &1O,OsR GOO when the Commission.
ers report recently submitted said it
would cost more nearly 10000, 600. not in
Guiding the Center market. He also
wanted to know how much the Center
market would cost. Furthermore. Mr..
Nelson insisted that the government does
not own the streets. but that If the streets
should disappear: the owners of the prop
erty along the line of the streets could
rightfully claim to the middle of the
street. Besides. Mr.. Nelson suggested
that If the government took the streets.
the city might have claim against 1t
for their value.
To all OF these points Mr. Hepburn
made specific reply. calling particular at
tention to the peculiar relation Of the
government to the city Of Washington.
He denied that the government would
have to pay any money to the city for the
sGreets. and as to their belonging to pri-
vate owners he said that If the govern
ment purchased the property they would
thereby become the owners of the streets.
according to the argument of the senator
WHO are the owners? Can the senator
give their Names" asked Mr.. Nelson.
II can and will Il necessary replied
Mr. Hepburn.
The Idaho senator then went on to ex-
plain how he had estimated the probable
cost of the property at $4,000 Oo0. He
said he had based 1t on the figures given
by the property owners to the tax asses
sors. But that afterw'ard Senator Gall
finger. chairman Of the District committee.
had asked the Commisei -ers to make a
report on the matter and that they had
reported on the second OF this month that
the property would probably cost about
$1s. 3&S 200. Of this amount $11,823 600 be-
ing for the land and 81, 1900 for the i'm
prOvements. -.
Mr.. dallinger Gives Information.
At this point Senator GallinSer arose to
say that he was I'm favor of the bill. but
that he wanted the Senate to know just
what It was doing. He called attention
to the fact that several years ago Mr..
Hepburn estimated the cost of the prop
erty at $500 COO. and that he had said it
would cost twice that amount, and that
later when Mr.. Hepburn had estimated
the cost at $S.OOO.NO he had said it
would cost 32O.tDO.UU0. Mr.. Gailinger gave
it az his opinion that the cost Of the
property today would be about $2J.0OO.O0O
notwithstanding the lower estimate of
the Commissioners.
In the course of his remarks Mr. Cal
linger severely scored the local tax as
SCISSORS for being very tax
He said the government would have to
condemn all the land proposed to pur-
chase in the bill, and that Would be much
more expensive on this account. but that.
notwithstanding that he thought it would
cost 50cO,OOO. he favored the passage Of
the bill.
- -
the District committee for the additional
| information. but pointed out that there
vas not as much Of a discrepancy between
the figures as It might appear. He de-
ella red that since the Senate had begun to
discuss the matter a number of years
ago arket had been created for the
property. and he gave 1t as his belief that
if the ma tier was deferred for several
years more it might be found necessary
to pay double the amount that it would be
necessary to pay today.
Property is advancing in the District"
he declared. land everybody seems to
know it but the assessor When he comes
to make up his tax roll this year his at
tention may be called to this property. and
he may think 1T we'll to look into the
statements of the owners In regard to it,"
Mr.. Nelson Suggests an Option.
Mr.. Nelson suggested that the govern
ment obtain an option on the property.
ana MT heSDuFu SaIu tHdt 1T Ills OIL
could not pass carrying enough money
to buy the property outright he would
be glad to consider proposition for an
option.
In the course Of his remarks MIR. Hey
burn declared that the government al
ready owned the Center market prob
erty. He said he had investigated the
title. Mr.. Gallinger did not agree as to
this and declared that the government
would have to pay for it If it took it.
Senator Hepburn said he would not
bubble over this pom but that he firm
Nv believed that If the government paid
for the Center market property 1t would
be paying for something that 1t already
owned.
Continuing his discussion of the bill,
Mr.. Hepburn said:
we have more money in three banks
than would pay for this property. All
we have TO do is TO draw checks for the
amount"
Moved to Increase the Appropriation
After a further description of the prop
erty. Mr.. Hepburn moved to increase the
APPROPRIATION carried In the bill from $1O.-
OOO. 600 to &oO,O0OOOO to conform to the
oroaant vaiuat:on The ADOPTION of this