Evening star., 1909-03-07
PROMOTION FOR GAUSS
He Becomes Special Assistant
to Attorney General.
TO CLEAR DISTRICT TITLES
Assigned to Investigation of Real
Estate in Washington.
LAND GOVERNMENT OWNED
Sold for Raising Money for Public
Buildings-Records Are
Defective.
TO CLEAR DISTRICT TITLES
LAND GOVERNMENT OWNEI

The first move in the reorganization of
the Department of Justice, next to the
substitution by President Taft of George
w Wickersham for Charles J. Bona
parte as Attorney General, was the pro-
motion of Henry G. Gauss from private
secretary to the Attorney General to be
special assistant to the Attorney General
for the investigation of real estate titles
In the District of Columbia
The change took effect yesterday. Mr..
Gauss has already begun the discharge
of his new duties.
Secretary Of Commission.
The work placed in charge of Mr.. Gauss
is not new to him. He was secretary
of the commission appointed by the Presi-
dent. subsequent to special legislation by
Congress. to look into this question.
The commission was appointed a year
or more ago. as a result of the discussion
of the right to ownership on the part
Of Sidney Bieber, republican national
committeeman for the District. of certain
land in the eastern section of the city.
1t is composed of the Attorney General.
the Secretary of War. Senator Scott.
chairman of the Senate committee on
public buildings and grounds; Represen-
tative Bartholdt, chairman of the House
committee on public buildings and
grounds, and Commissioner Macfarland.
Mr.. Gauss was secretary of the COM
mission.
The object of the Investigations which
will be conducted under the direction of
Mr.. Gauss is to establish definitely the
title to approximately thousand lots of
land in the District concerning the title
TO which there is doubt.
Origin Of Clouded Titles.
when the owners of the land now COM
prised in the District decided away their
real property they put it In the hands
of trustees. Alternate lots OF land went
to the United States. the remainder rest
ing under the control of the trustees of
the original owners.
Later the government either sold or
otherwise gave up title to certain lots of
its land in order to raise money to erect
public buildings. Either in the course of
these transactions. or subsequently,, GER
tain lands passed from the possession of
the District into the possession Of private
persons without any record being left
of the manner In which the possession
passed.
Many lots in the District are occupied
or possessed by private citizens against
whose titles there Is cloud. In most
cases the private owners have been taxed
for the property. 1t is these titles that
Mr.. Gauss will try to clear up.
Mr.. Gauss Plans.
In carrying on this labor" said Mr..
4. Gauss yesterday. IT shall work through
one or more title examining companies.
Whether we will employ one company
to do all the work or divide it among
several companies IS a matter of detail
. that has not yet been worked out
he baf I mill Gr e.
clear up each doubtful square at a time.
Perhaps / will have to work I'm various
sections of the District at the same
time.
Such questions as this will be settled
later. But 1 will try to press the work
SO that report of the commission may
bf made to Congress at the session be-
ginning December next"