Evening star., 1913-10-31
OWNERS Of PLAZA
REALTY COMPLAIN
Hardship Is Caused by Failure
of U. S. to Pay for Prop
erty, They Claim.

Washing gton attorneys and real estate
agents who have charge Of property be-.
tween the Capitol and Union station
which has been condemned but not
paid for by the government, are receiv-
Ing many complaints and tales of hard
ship and distress from the owners OF
such property because they are not able
to get their money.
The payment for the land is awaiting
the approval Of President Wilson, who
has been prevented from acting on the
papers in the cases by press OF more
important matters. such as the Mexican
difficulty, the tariff law. the currency.
bill, etc. His unfamiliarity with what
was done in previous years in regard to
the condemnation Of the property for the
proposed enlargement OF the Capitol
grounds caused him to ask for a special
report from the Attorney Generals Office.
and as the law requires him formally to
approve the awards of the jury Of con-
demnation he is informing himself on the
subject.
In the meanwhile. however. according
to statements made today by Joseph l..
Weller, George Francis Williams, William
G. Sullivan and other attorneys repre-
senting the owners IT the property, the
for want Of the money. as t ey now have
neither the money nor the use of the
property. and In many cases incomes
which we're the sole means Of support
Of owEers have ceased.
Il No Action Yet Taken.
Following a visit to the White House
September 81 by committee Of attorneys,
consisting Of Stanton c. Peelle. William
c. Sullivan and George Francis Williams.
representing the owners. when the Presi-
dent promised to take up the matter Of
approving the award as soon as possible.
it was hoped that he could do so at an
early date, but no action mas yet been
taken.
I'VE are awaiting the convenience Of
President Wilson," Mr.. Williams said to-
day, "and l have no doubt that he will
get around to the matter soon. We all
know how pressed he is for time, and
that a local matter like this with which
he is unfamiliar must take its turn In
the many demands that are being made
upon his attention. But with the excep-
ton of one case, III which distress has
been alleviated for the time being, II Is a
fact that the property owners are suffer-
ing for want Of their money"
Mr.. Williams told of one elderly man
who can no longer work. a property own
er In the plaza park district, who had a
very excellent income from property there
before the property was condemned, who
Is now without any means OF support. He
told o. another who would be what is
called "weIl orr If he could get his
money, but who Is practically penniless
until the awards are paid.
Owners Lose Incomes.
Many Of the owners OF property in the
condemned district" Mr.. Williams said,
were renters Of rooms, and when the
government took possession Of the land
and ordered the residents to move. Of
course the roomers moved to other Sec
tons Of the city, leaving the owners Of
the properties without income. In some
cases, owners have been kept without in
come from the property since the great
storm in the summer. Roofs blew off
and there were other expensive damages
to .be repaired, which In many cases were
not undertaken because 1t was well known
that the government was to take over the
properties. - 90
Joseph I. Weller called attention to the
fact that there are membranes in the
way Of deeds Of trust on the properties.
the interest on which Is going on all the
time, some of which are expiring and
cannot be renewed. the holders of which
are threatening to foreclOse. In some
cases, he said, owners have been awarded
by the jury of condemnation less than
they paid for the properties the govern
ment is taking over.