Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-22
Purchase of Pennsylvania
Avenue Realty Proposed.
HEPBURN REINTR0DUCES 1T
Measure Has Been Several Times
Passed by the Senate.
HOUSE SENTIMENT FOR IT
Appropriates $1O,OOO,OOO for Land
Between Capitol and 18th Street
Up to Mall.

Senator Hepburn of Idaho today reintro-
duced his bill for the appropriation of
S10,OOO,OO to purchase the property ly-
ing between Pennsylvania avenue and the
Mall and the Capitol grounds and 18th
street northwest, as sites for future pub
lie buildings
This measure has already passed the
Senate several times. 1t went through
during the past winter after careful con-
sideration.
Senator Hepburn, introducing it again
in the first session of the Sixty-first Con-
gress, has indicated that he does not in
tend to let the matter drop There is
little doubt but that 1t will be passed
again by the Senate.
Heretofore it has died in the House.
largely on account Of the fact that there
has not been sufficient time to consider
it, There appears to be an overwhelming
sentiment for the measure in the House.
A better chance for it's passage is ex-
pected from the hands of this Congress.
The bill as introduced today is as
passed by the Senate last winter. 1t was
referred, according to customs to the COM
mittee on public buildings and grounds.
which has reported 1t favorably and urg-
ed its passage a number of times.
The following is the text OF the bill:
AN ACT
| Authorizing the purchase of grounds fol-
the accommodation of public buildings
| for the use of the government of the
| United States in the District of Columbia
| and for other purposes
Be it enacted by the Senate and HOUSE
of Representatives of The United States
of America in Congress assembled. Ina
in order to make present and future pro
vision for the erection and maintenance
of public buildings for the accommodation
| of the government of the United State
| within the District of Columbia. the fol
lowing parcels of land shall be purchased
under the direction of the President OF
| the United States. or taken for pubic U.s.
by due process of law, namely:
| All of blocks numbered 22G. 221. 222s. -
80 2j6 o57 .IS 80 260. 2922, 29;,. ..I4. 2J5
349 so, $780, :ss1. :;s2, 461, 57! $40. reserva.
| ton A. reservation B. reservation {. reser
| walton l.. reservation T.. according to the
official plat of the city of Washington
not already owned in whole or in part
l.
America.
| Section 2. That any and all streets and
alleys intersecting the said land so 10 be
acquired as aforesaid may, at such time
as the President may deem necessary Oh
eXpedent, be by executive order vacated
and become and constitute a part of the
tract of land so provided to be acquired
as aforesaid and subject to sucn other
and further division and subdivision for
the purposes of buildings or use "a
oil x.HIC "a
may be or become necessary in cOnnec-
ton with the enjoyment of all of the said
lands hereinbefore mentioned for public
purposes.
Section :. That the sum of Slo,GuO.Tm
or SO much thereof as may be necessary,
to be used for the payment of said lands
or the acceptance or acquiring the title
there;o, is hereby appropriated out of any
money in the Treasury Of the United
States not otherwise appropriated
Section T. That the Secretary of the
Treasury. subject to the executive order
of the President. shall be authorized to
purchase or acquire said land or any part
thereof as soon as practicable. at such
price as may be fixed by agreement be-
tween the said Secretary and the respec-
tive owners of said lands and premises
not exceeding the actual cash value there
of. and the payments therefor shall be
made to respective owners OF such lands
upon the requiSition of the Secretary OF
the Treasury with the approval of the
President. upon a release and conveyance
of said lands To the United States by good
and sufficient deeds so conveying the same
after the title of the grantor of said lands
shall have been examined and approved
| i'm writing by the Attorney General of the
United States
Section ). That I'm the event of fail
ure to agree upon the price Of said land
or any part thereof between the owner OF
| said land and premises and the govern
ment of the Uni.ed States. the Attorney
General of the United States is hereby
| authorized and empowered to commence
| and prosecute proceedings for the con-
demnaton Of said lands and premises in
the Supreme Court of ihe District of Co.
lumbia at any general or special term
| thereof, and to prosecute such proceed
| ings in condemnation in the manner here
tofore provided in the statute. That upon
| the final determination of such proceed
| ings in condemnation the Secretary OF
| the Treasury is authorized and directed tc
make payment of the sum of money ad-
| Judged to he proper compensation on said
land and premises so condemned out OF
| the moneys hereinbefore provided TO be
appropriated for such purposes.
Section Il That in condemnation pro
ceedings SO instituted and prosecuted as
aforesaid, the value of the land and. the
value of the buildings or improvements
thereon shall be separately estimated