Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-09
EnIarging Capitol Grounds De-
ponds on Prices Asked.
Congressional Action Contingent on
Owners Demands,
WISHES OF HOUSE LEADERS
Willing to Appropriate for All Land
Between Capitol and Union
Station at Next Session.

If the owners Of the property between
the Senate Office building and the Union
station. which Congress has announced
its intention of buying, do not try to
gouge the government. but offer their
holdings at a fair and reasonable price,
all of the land in question will be &C.
quired by Uncle Sam In the next couple
Of years. instead Of in the next decade,
and the proposed public park. the finest
of its kind in the world, extending from
the great station to B street, will be
completed half a generation ahead of
time.
Although 1t is true that Congress, at the
session recently ended. provided for the
purchase of the 1.167 500 square feet of
property desired at a total cost of So
5OOOCO-the sum of $4,000 to be ap-
propriated each year-it is known to be
the plan of the leaders in both branches
of the national legislature to buy half
q million dollars worth Of the land this
year. and then, if the owners offer their
hoidlngs at a reasonable figure, to ap-
prOpriate the entire balance at the
next session Of Congress.
Former Methods Discarded.
The plan of buying the property by the
expenditure of half million a year is.
as was explained on the floor of the
House of Representatives when the sun
dry civil bill, which contains the neces-
sary authorization, was up for discussion,
In the nature of an experiment. Many
members of Congress-, including Repre-
sentative Tawney of Minnesota, chair
man of the House appropriations COM
mittee; Representative Walter Smith of
Iowa. stanch friend of the park GYM
mission plan of permanent Improvement
and great believer in the ideal OF a
''city beautiful here where the founders
of the republic selected the site of its
capital, and even Speaker Cannon. are
convinced that the two methods hereto
fore followed when the government was
be branded as unsuccessful. And hereto
fore these two methods have been the
only ones in use.
The government. through a commits
sion or other properly constituted body.
either bought outright in the open mar
ket what land it desired. or else the
usual process of condemnation was
called into action. In the belief of
the gOvernment-whethe following the
one scheme or the other-almost inva-
riably paid too much duty for the prop
erty 1t desired.
Why New Method Was Adopted.
BY having Congress announce it's in
tention Of buying the land between the
Senate office building and the Union
station, thus throwing a cloud over the
title of all individually held parcels
for the purchase or sale for commercial
purposes at least-it was hoped to
stimulate competition among owners
and induce them to offer their land to
the government at what might be con-
sidered a reasonable price.
The commission appointed by Congress
to attend to this important matter. which
consists of Vice President Sherman.
Speaker Cannon and Elliott Woods.
superintendent of the Capitol. has held
no formal meeting of late owing to the
absence from the city of the Vice Presi-
dent. But Mr.. Cannon has remained in
town throughout the whiting heat of the
last few days in order that he might
confer with Mr.. Woods and approve the
arrangements made by the latter and
preparations committee and secretary of
the land commission, for spending the
half million at the disposal of the body
during the current fiscal year
Hope Of Reasonable Offers.
The commission has published adver-
tisements calling for the owners Of the
land in question to submit proposals for
sale, which will be opened at o'clock
on inc dItcTuOOH VI August H. hc pOS>
sibility of saving years of taxes on the
Idle property and realizing Immediately
on the investment involved will, the
commission hopes. result In a number Of
reasonable offers being made. In the
event that it is found advantageous to
spend the half miNion at the disposal of
the commission during the current fiscal
year. with other reasonable proposals of
sale awaiting action. it is confidently ex-
pected that the entire amount involved
will be appropriated at once.
1t was not so much the condition OF
the federal treasury just now, but
rather the desire to obtain the big tract
at q reasonable figure, that induced
Chairman Tawney and those who be-
lieved with him to try the present ex-
pertinent. II it proves successful the
purchase will be greatly expedited and
the work of laying out the magnificent
avenue from the Union station to the
Peace monument and making the great
rk will he hpgnn at once