Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-21
FIRST STEPS TAKEN
NPARK EXTENSION
Surveyors Plotting Details of
Property to Be Condemned
by the Government.
ACTION ON ALL LAND
is PLANNED AT ONCE
Steps Today Are at Request of
Department Of Justice, Ex-
plains Mr.. Hazen.

4 PANAA0 ASA4s AAQLVAs
| The first physical step toward carrying
out the recently enacted park-connectins
law was taken today under the direction
of District Surveyor NJ. e. Hazen. He
| sent to the Woodley Park section of the
city the first party of surveyors to begin
work of plotting the details of property
| in that neighborhood which is to be con-
demned by the government for use in
forming the parkway between Rock
Creek Geological and Potomac parks.
| This does not mean. MIR. Hazen pointed
out in interview today, that the land
| in the Woodley Park section is to be
condemned ahead of land in other sec
tions. All the land to be taken is to be
condemned at the same time, in a general
condemna ton proceeding, according to the
recent decision of the commission of
cabinet officers which was ordered by
Congress to acquire the land. The sur
veyors merely began first in Woodley
Park section, and could have begun In
| any other just as we'll.
The surveying begun today Mr.
| Hazen said, lat the request of the De-
partment of Justice. whose officials will
have charge of the condemnation pro-
|
| the actual work done, in that 1t will
clear up. or be the means of clearing
up, all the uncertain titles to land
along Rock creek, where a number of
squatters have claimed ownership.
Plan for Condemnation.
The surveying lines for this i'm
provement will affect number of well
known parcels of ground" Mr. Hazen
on the original map which Congress
has declared shall be the basis of the
Improvement, we shall. for instance,
take half of square 2. at the northwest
west, which is owned by the Washing
ton Gas Light Company. and where
lime kilns are now located.
THE Chesapeake and Ohio canal
property will also be affected, because
the surveying lines go through some
of it.
THE improvement will take in the old
aqueducts Office, at the southeast corner
of 2Sth street and Pennsylvania avenue
northwest in square 1194 A question is
sure to come up about the title to this
property. The old aqueduct Office Is said
to be on the canal company's property
The government bought that land, and at
the time of purchase had an opinion from
the Attorney Generals Office that the title
to it was all right. although il is also
said that at the time the opinion was
rendered the canal company had already
had possession of the land for thirty
years.
"A number of sauatters all along the
canal and along Rock creek from l. street
TO- the mouth of the canal where it min
Ies with Rock creek and enters the Po-
tcmac river. will be thrown off the land
by the Improvements to be made
We also expect to take some of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company s
Georgetown property. which begins at
Goth and Is streets. 1t is not likely that
We will touch their building. but we shall
probably interfere with their trackage.
Benefits Riding and Hunt Club.
1.-The Riding and Hunt Club, at ood
and streets. will be greatly benefited
by the improvements. The line of i'm
prOverent goes within seventeen feet of
its property. This will throw the en-
frances to the riding clubs building right
onto the bride paths of the parkway
Improvement whereas the members of
crete streets to get to the parks
THE famous old Pacificus Ord tract
under the street bridge will be affected
by the Improvement, of course. This is
now being filled up as a dump. For that
reason We were anxious to get the con-
demnat tion proceedings started as soon as
POSSIBLE. G.. b. Hunt. District engineer
of highways. and l have had a number
of conferences in regard to this dumping
i'm connection with the park connecting
law. Tons and tons of ashes and dirt
are being put in there every day. which
will all have to be taken out with steam
shovels at an expense to the government,
of course. later on.
I'VE will also have to take in part OF
the land of the Metropolitan Street Rail
To o street We have recently con-
demned some Of this land for the q
Street bridge Improvement. although the
company appealed to the Supreme Court
on the ground that the verdict II
received I'm those proceedings was not a
just one.
To Preserve "Beginning Stone"
Under the Street bridge in this sec
ton of the proposed improvement is the
old Beginning Stone of the city of Wash
ington. called for in the original deed TO
the city. That will be preserved, OF
course
1--WE will have to take some of the low
land of Oak Hill cemetery. Representa-
tves of the company owning this ceme-
terry have recently called on me to ascer-
tain the details of what Is proposed to
be dotie. and they have filed "a protest
with Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo.
| chairman cf the parkway connection COM
| mission. They say il we take this land
We will take some OF the graves. and OBJ
I'VE will do away with the old Lyon $
| Mill, under the Improvement lines as now
| laid down. We take in that tract includ-
| ing the old mill building and the old mill
1 race.
| I'VE Will also take the Lydecker shaft
to the tunnel at Rock creek, just south
| of Massachusetts avenue. Then. north OF
| Massachusetts avenue, We take in some
Of the prettiest park land in the District
l'here are old, original trees there. hunl
dreds OF years old. These of course will
! be left standing. They are all part OF
what was originally Woodley Park. and
1t is in this section that l put the sur
veyors to work this morning
Apartment in the Park.
I'VE have had hundreds Of inquiries
about the Woodward apartment house
at Ashmeadt place and Connecticut ave.
lnue. We viii take land all around that
so that this apartment will actually stand
in the middle of a park.
| 'The famous old stone wall known a.
| 'Wa2gamans Folly along Watersid,
drive, north of Belmont, will also b,
i .r-taken. Waterside drive has already beer
4 dedicated. but has not been improved
The old wall. forty feet high in places
was strung along Waterside drive to i'm
prove that section, but most of il fel
fGoWn
Ne expect, also. TO take part of tn.
ColoiAed Union Benevolent Association
burying ground north of Calvert street
at the end of the Calvert street bridge
and will have to move some graves.
AT this cemetery We connect will
geological Park