The Washington herald., 1908-05-03

All sales OF government land in the
District, authorized by any general or
special act, which have not yet been con-
summated must lie IN abeyance for some
months If Congress passes intact the
omnibus public-building bill. which viii
soon be reported to the House.
The subcommittee Of the House Com
mittee on Public Buildings and Grounds
yesterday reported to the full committee
its findings in the casa Of Sidney Bieber
and others, who are said TO have secured
title TO government land on shadowy
titles.
This report, IT is understood, will be
adopted by the full committee. and the
investigation asked in the report viii be
recommended to the House. This means.
therefore. that no lands will pass to Bic
Der nor to any ether person or. corpora
ton about which there is some doubt
The report Of the committee reads as
follows:
Your subcommittee appointed to make
an investigation on Senate file 60i7. re-
pealing section 13 Of the act approved
March ?. 1907. beg leave to make q partial
report
'The land In question is located along
the south side of the Anacostia River,
near the Pennsylvania avenue bridge. It
is mostly covered with water, and at high
tide is practically under water-some of
1t TO a depth Of seven or eight feet. For
all practical purposes the land is really
useless. The only way in which It could
be made CT any value would be to build
a wall along the front Of il and FL in
with earth.
This would neoessitate very large ex-
pense. and would be unWarranted as a
financial investment. There are no build
ings or Improvements IN the vicinity of
the land, and the authorization of its sale
was no doubt included ia the omnibus
public building bill, the act above referred
to, with the idea that the land was OF no
value and could not be used for any prac-
deal purpose,
THE War Department. to which the
special bill, providing for the first sale,
was referred returned 1t with the report
that there was no objection to the trans
action. Hence the second sale was au-
thorized IN the belief that the policy Of
the government was TO dispose Of the
lands in question The only way in
y Gl4CA liltEE tdfa0S &0utQ De OK any kaEAE
20 the government would be in the carry
ing out of a plan started several years
ago Of filing IN the marsh lands along
the river for parking purposes.
Under an act Of Congress passed sew
eral years ago this work has been pro-
crossing with considerable rapidity along
the Potomac River vest of the mouth
Of the Anacostia River. Your committee
ed looking to the parking and improve
ment Of the river front from Rock Crek
south TO the railroad bridge.
ION account Of the work being done by
all members Of your committee on the
omnibus public building BILL your sub
committee has not had time to fully in
vestigate the subject, but 1t feels that It
has made sufficient investigation TO
that there be placed IN the
present omnibus public building bill a
section providing for the appointment Of
a commission consisting of the Secretary
of War, the Attorney General, the presi-
dent Of the Board Of Commissioners Of
the District OF Columbia. the chairman
Of the Senate Committee on Public Build
ings and Grounds. and the chairman Of
the House Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds, whose duty it shall be TO
investigate the title to all the real estate
in the District Of Columbia, or parcels
or tracts of land owned by the United
States, and file a map Of the same, with
g view of ascertaining what, If any.
legislation. is necessary to protect the
OF the government in such
tracts.
I'VE further recommend that such sec /
ton provide that until the coming IN Of
such report and the action thereon by
Congress, all sales, authorized by any
general or special act, Of government /
property in the District OF Columbia, |
which have not been consumnated or
or in which contracts have |
not been entered into by legal authority |
OF the government. so as to bind the /
shall be held in abeyance
JOHN Z. ANDRUs, Chairman
C. W. NORRIS.
FRANK NJ. NYE
JOSEPH T JOHNSON
NJ ID =