The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-16
CAPITAL MAY HAVE
 LAND SENSATION SissOn Resolution Has Start
 ed Much Talk SCANDAL IS PROMISED Indications Are That Congressmen Have Been Dabbling in Land
 Which Is to Be Sold to
 the Government
SCANDAL IS PROMISED
By SIDNEY EPsEY

Washington, July 15. = Especially - A scandal of grave proportions may result from the Sisson resolution demanding to know the real owners of the property between the United States capitol build ing and the Union station. plot of land that is to be acquired by the government for park purposes.
 It has been already ascertained that much of this property has been acquired in the name of some "trustee,' and that the real ownership is hidden behind this trusteeship. Representative Sisson and other members of the House scent plan to "unioad' these re4 estate holdings upon the governmentS. S.at high prices, and the report is that members of Con gress themselves and !. public officials have become property owners in the neghborhood in the exhectation of pro- fitting at the expense ,df the Federal treasury. ySa
 Two years ago Congress appropriated for the purchase of all the land in ques- tion, which covers several city blocks. Until the Union station was erected and 1t became known that eventually this here neglected portion of the city was to be converted into mammoth park, much of the land could be bounght for a song, comparatively speaking.
 The city of Washington had built to the northwest and away from the capi- tol. Property to the east of the capitol dome had become in consequence less valuable, although when the capitol building was erected it was expected that the city would grow eastward0and that it's finest residential section would lie in that direction. Hence the big ha,s1 net a,ad 6n1A nf Freedom, on the dome has her face turned away from that section of Wash ington that has grown the faster.
 About five years ago plan was matched to erect the Senate office building at a distance some two hundred yards to the northeast of the Senate wing of the capitol. The building was erected. A quarter of a mile to the north of the Union station, one of the fiRst in the country, was built. It was completed a little less than two years ago. In the meantime the idea originated that with these handsome buildings already erect ed and the Washington city postoffice in contemplation in the same vicinity the government ought to acquire the several surrounding squares, tear down the un- prepossessing buildings thereon, and con- vert the whole area into a great park, perhaps as memorial to Abraham Lin coin or some other, great American.
 Congress accordingly authorized the purchase of4the necessary land. It pro- vided that $500 600 per annum might be spent in condemnation proceedings or in outright purchase.
 A joint commission was named to nego- tiate the deals with the holders of the property. Under the original act it was provided that this commission should consist of the vice President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Cannon
 .tV,ta ,1anf ref ffol Ri,ilf ir1p and Grounds Elliott Woods.
 Then came along the democratic vic tory at the polls last November turning the Houee over to the control of the when the republicans were still in con trol of both branches of the national legislature, an amendent was obtained to the appropriation act. This amendment provided that the commission should consist of the vice president Joseph G.. Cannon" and the Superintendent of the Capitol Buildings and Grounds Woods.
 The name of Joseph G. Cannon (per- eonally was substituted for the words Speaker of the House." which MT Can non was destined to soon cease to be.
 The change may have been perfume tory proceedings. The democrats of the House are calling attention to it, now that an investigation of land titles is to be made. The Sisson resolution directs t'the commission shall make no pur- chases until it has been ascertained whether any public men are now inter ested in the property to be acquired by purchase or condemnation.
 It is reported that while the Legislative details were being carried out, there was | rapid fire interchange of ownership in property that eventually is to belong to the government
 The district records show that many lots are owned by various persons anu banking corporations, as trustees" until the House committee is empowered to subpoena these trustees, there Is no way to tell for whom they are holding. the property. There has been a persistent rumor in Washington for some months that members of the Senate and the House. bent upon speculation, took ad- vantage of the opportunity to buy in the land knowing from the way the Congress sional wind was blowing that before long the government could be forced to pay q big price for the land 1t desired.
 Representative Sisson now has in his possession list of these trustees. No member. of Congress Is mentioned by name, but the multiplicity of holders in