Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-09

y law was passed by Congress in 1905
authorizing the widening of Benning road
as soon as 80 per cent of the property
necessary for the widening is dedicated
to the District. The 30 per cent was not
dedicated, and it is now proposed, in the
Wetmore bill, that the work of widening
shall proceed at once regardless of
whether any of the necessary land is
dedicated or not. The cost of the land to
be condemned for the widening is to be
assessed against nearby property as ben
efits
George w. Williams, former receiver
OF the Washington, Baltimore and An
napol1S railroad. and now its counsel,
told the committee. as the first speaker,
that If the bill went through three of
Its five tracks at the terminal at 18th
and IL streets northeast would be re-
moved and it's station cut in two, with
out cent OF compensation. the provision
Of the bill which requires that the
damages must be assessed as DEMENT'S,
he maintained, would mean that the
company would be allowed a certain
amount in damages to it's property, and
would then be assessed the same amount
as benefits-the money would go into
one pocket and be taken out of the other.
Has Large Investment.
The company has $4,000 invested
in it's terminal at 18th and III streets
northeast, he said. and that led to the
question as to. what assurance he had
of permanence when the terminal was
established.
None" he replied, except our belief
in the justice of Congress"
Mr.. Williams pointed out to the COM
mittee that the general provisions of
the code for the district provided that
n of dom s<v, - In TO-
street improvements half of the cost
was to be paid by the District except
when the condemnation jury found the
benefits to nearby property were
greater.
1--WE do not want to stand in the way
Of public Improvement he continued,
but we can't see why a special rule
should be applied in This case-that all
the cost should be assessed against near
by property.
Engineer Commissioner Judson inter-
rupted to say that the bill was in ac-
cordance with general practice in street
extensions.
Maj. Judson added that the railway
which provided for the widening of Ben
ming road, at the time the terminal was
established and was thereby warned this
contingency might arise.
Room for Flower Beds.
why, the highway plan calls for five
streets running through our property
retorted Mr.. Williams. I'VE would have
left about enough property for five flower
beds. if that were carried out.
Don't you think you were rather hasty
in going there. knowing Of the highway
plan?" Senator Martin asked.
Engineer Commissioner Judson inter-
rupted again, to say that the railroad
company was also warned by the law
granting the franchise to the Columbia
Railway Company, which specified that
they should acquire strip thirty feet
wide along Benning road and that they
should dedicate this strip to the District
when the road was widened.
THAT affects the Columbia railwa11, not
u.s." replied Mr.. Williams.
when you constructed your buildings
there. was any protest made against it %
Senator Gallinger asked.
Not so far as I know" Mr.. Williams
answered.
Il imagine not" Maj. Judson said.
But I am sure they knew of these
laws regarding the highway plan and
the dedication Of the thirty-foot strip"
Criticism of Method.
DO you think that the simple matter
of a highway plan, which may be
changed by Congress at any time. made
any inhibition against building" Sem
ator Gallinger asked Maj. Judson.
Maj. Judson replied in the negative.
But he added that the bill does not
contemplate that the W.. B. and A.
should not be compensated for dam
ages. for it does not specify that the
damage found by the condemnation
jury shall be assessed upon the same
property owners as benefits, but upon
all owners of property in the vicinity
that are benefited.
There is much complaint against that
method of requiring all the cost of street
extensions, or widening, to be assessed
as benefits" remarked Senator Gallinger
1T is an arbitrary thing. Every one who
uses a new street is benefited. Why
shouldn't the District, then, stand some
of the expense?"
I'VE think" replied Maj. Judson. that
property in the vicinity of these street
improvements is benefited three times, or
more, as much as it is assessed"
Simply because a street Is widened, do
you think the property will sell for
more?" Senator Gallinger continued.
Yes, SIR" replied Maj. Judson.
Denies There Is Congestion.
c. p. King, president Of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company, be-
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