The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-08-31
NEW CONDEMNATION PLAN.
BH "EACESS" IDEA CITY GETS
LAND TO SELL.
Kingsway. In London. Greatest
Illustration OF The Methods Suc.
cess.
Baltimore Sun.

Back Of the $200O,O0O loan for a
new Light street bridge and "other
things" is plan that is new in Ameri-
ca-one that has not yet been tried
out in this country and that will be
in the nature of an experiment. 1t
Is known as the excess condemna-
ton plan, and it calls for the condem
nation OF land in the neighborhood
Of the approaches to the bridge so
that the city may control if for indus
trial development.
The local plan will be used to en-
courage manufacturing industries to
come to Baltimore and not for profit,
as has been the case elsewhere. The
city theory is that the location of
additional factories in the city will
make up for any profit that may BE-
! lost. The administration, it is be-
heVed, intends to sell this factory
site property at cost, as it did in the
| case Of the old Quarantine Hospital
property.
Only Four or Five States Have Such
| Laws.
! Though excess condemnation Is an
old story in Europe and has proved
its value, it is comparatively new in
America. Maryland was one of the
first States to pass, in 1905, legisla-
ton allowing excess condemnation.
Only four or five States now have
| such laws. In 1910 the voters of Mas
sachuestts passed a constitutional
amendment allowing the Legislature
to authorize municipalities to con-
denim land in excess of the amount
needed for public improvement
Philadelphia is now experimenting
| with the plan in connection with the
building Of the Parkway. City off,
cials have written for information,
but have not yet learned how much
progress has been made or the re-
suits.
Chief Aim is Control of Improve
ments Nearby.
Excess condemnation where it is
in vogue abroad and where it is be-
ing advocated in this country aims
chiefly to control the character Of
private improvements to be made as
result Of the public improvement
and to give to the city by the sale OF
the land condemned in excess Of the
improvement profit on the invest
ment. In other words, the city takes
over the land which is benefited mos,
by the public mprovement-be it a
municipal building, new street. q
boulevard, park or what it may
and sells it at its increased value
with such restrictions as may be nee.
essary to protect the beauty and use
fulness of the public Improvement.
Many advocates Of the plan claim
tnat by it's use the city can carry ou
vast Improvements at profit instead
of a loss owing to the increased valu,
Of the excess land or property it pur
chases. The plan does undoubtedl,
reduce the cost of improvement tC
the public at large, and results in
symmetrical development of the en-
tire section, but the claims do not al
ways pan out as expected. Opponent
Of the plan claim that heavy benefi
assessments that are really fair from
the viewpoint of the city and taxpaye
bring about the same result withou
2 the great investment necessary wher,
2 excess condemnation is adopted.
London Made ii Il Success.
, The greatest and most interestn.
r undertaking in recent years was th'
e construction of Kingsway, connectin.
f the Strand with Holborn, London,
distance of 4,2O0 feet The cost wa
t $30,0O0,00O. The sale of land acquired
t under the excess condemnation plal
brought back to the city $21,OOO,OOO
S leaving $9,OOO,O0O as the total cost O
, the Improvement, but even thi.
{ charge was covered by the business
t sense of the City Fathers.
/ When the new street was Gu
through it caused the demolishmen
Of slums housing $500 persons Th,
l homes Of 5000 other persons wer.
also destroyed. 1t was necessary I,
, provide homes for them, so the city
. built number of model tenements
The rents from them meet the inter
/ est charges on the 100000. gor,
deal OF the excess land has beer
} leased. If sold it will bring in nor,
money.
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