The Washington herald., 1908-03-11


erty was held subject 20 nominal assess
ment, and repeatedly sold for taxes. until
ultimately all the alleged outstanding tax
titles were acquired BY Sidney Bieoer.
and that enterprising gentleman there
after set about TO remove the cloud from
his title. existing because OF the para
mount title Of the United States"
The square, the report says. was not IN
cluced tn any official map OF Washington.
consisting namely. Of deposits made b.
the river. the abutting property belonging
70 the government
Acquires Further Tracts.
As to later acquisitions in the same To-
caIity, the report declares that Mr.. Bieber
did not even consider it necessary 10
even have a fictitious tile" for section
= Of the public building biz, OF 1895, it
was provided that the Secretary OF War
should convey 10 Bieber absolute title
10 all OF certain land in Washington.
lying south Of squares 1i22, 1I4S, 1l49, con-
forming with the metes and bounds OF
square 113l, and that part Of square III.
situated between The north lines OF Water
and l streets, the east line Of Eighteenth
street and the west line OF Nineteenth
street, when said streets are extended.
upon the payment OF such a sum as the
Secretary Of War might deem proper,
under all the circumstances
This provision was complied with. Bic
Der paying for the property so acquired
s. S93
BY these two acts OF Congress" the
report continues" Mr. Bieber acquired
blocks Of land extending from the Con-
gres sional Cemetery 10. and including. d
~ q 81 ed -
Eastern shore OF the Anacostia River.
Under the last act there does not seem
to have been any pTetence Of adverse
title as against the United States. nor was
there any doubt about the United States
being the owner Of the property con
veyed."
Cannot Get IL Back.
The property secured by gieber under
these two acts. the report declares. can
not be resecured by the government. IN
less II can be done through proper Judi
eiaI proceedings.
Mr.. Bieber's name does not appear in
the section OF last years public building
bill which the Senate yesterday voted 10
repeal. but the report holds that the
languages OF the section obviously sought
10 beneht him. The section reads as fol-
lows:
That the Secretary q War be. sld he IS hereby
authorized and direcfed couTey 20 the purchaser
from the United States a suuzres Numbered Ifsi
and the south part Of square 1I23 and the EquzTgS
south Of squares n25 llts and If9 all
the interest o. the United States in the land lynz
south q the squares 50 purchased ana between then
and the ehsunel of the Anscostis Rive.
As before the Secretary Of War was
/ authorized 10 charge Bieber the consider
alton which. in his opinion. the circum-
/ stances should justify. and the surveyor
/ Of the District was authorized and direct
I ed 10 survey and plat tie property IN
/ question
Would Sell Water Front.
BY this extraordinary section" says
the report. the Secretary OF war is d.
rected 10 convey 10 Mr.. Sidney Bieber.
who wss the purchaser OF the land de-
sCribed in The section. all the interests
/ OF the United States in squares lying
south OF the squares which Mr.. Bieber
/ had acquired. in pursuance OF the TWO
proceeding enactments. Such convey
anoe." the report declares. would sub
stantially deprive the United states and
/ the city OF Washington or all the wster
fronts on the Anacosta River south OF the
north line OF the Congressional Cemetery
/ extended. and indeed it is not clear
! that the conveyance would not embrace
Ia considerable portion Of the ground
upon which the Government Hospital for
/ the Insane IS located.
/ Stating that the Secretary of War has
not yet executed the deed for the land
I mentioned in Section IS. the report de-
! clares that II is the imperative duty OF
/ Congress TO exercise its fUlI power 10
prevent the cOnsUmmation OF the fraud
ulent scheme underlying the subtle land
grabbing operation very clearly inclosed
by the successive acts herein recited." q"
May Take Further Action.
As 10 the land which has been convey
ed to Bieber. the committe believes that
] Congress is powerless, but the committee
/ is investigating. and expects 10 make
| recommendations for further action
/ The report recalls The Congressional
/ joint resolution Of April Il 1885. directing
/ The Secretary or War 10 prepare and
submit a project for the reclamation Of
/ the Anac0stia flats. and subsequent pro-
vision for the beginning OF this work.
which has been estimated 70 cost
I & N00 600