Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-21
MOVES TOEL|M|NATE
Capitol Park Item Attacked by
Representative Sisson.
OBJECTS TOADDING GROUND
Sundry Civil Appropriation Defend
ed by Representative Cannon.
HOUSE DEFEATS THE MOTION
Intellectual Efforts Made to Add
Amendments for Benefit of
Howard University.
HOUSE DEFEATS THE MOTION

During consideration of the sundry
civil bill in the House late yesterday aft
ernoon, Mr.. Sisson of Mississippi sought
to strike from the bill the appropriation
of $4,000 to continue the acquisition of
the ground between the Capito. and the
Union station.
His motion TO strike out was defeated
Mr.. Cannon. in opposing M. Sisson's
motion. said
Mr. Chairman, a law was enacted TAX
ing, in round numbers, twelve squares
between the Capitol grounds and the
Senate office building down to. 1 believe.
LIST street. and then across, with a view
of having roads or avenues angling across
TO the terminal. That is law 1t was
not in it's detail wise law. although it
has worked out to the place where We
now find ourselves commission was
appointed. consisting of the Vice Presi-
dent. the then Speaker of the House
and the superintendent of the Capitol,
with directions to purchase, if 1T could be
purchased at fair price. and if not to
condemn the property. Five hundred
thousand dollars year under this law
vas TO be appropriated. There have been
si,5OO.oOO appropriated in three years We
first condemned the two blocks between
tHt 'dPitol anu the piazza, Wner6 the OlQ
Baltimore and Ohio depot stood and be-
tween the Senate office building and the
western boundary of the plat described
n was supposed that 1t would cost about
N.cOOOOO to acquire this property 1t was
hoped that 1t might be acquired for less
money: that when the government had
declared by law that ii was going to take
II at cheap price. as they could not Sc i
II to anybody else. That was the theory.
We advertised when we got the first
TO-.
Condemnation Price Low.
1 am satisfied after full inquiry. after
the condemnation PROCEEDINGS after the
report OF the commissioners and of
everybody else, that II was condemned at
less price than property was ever be-
fore condemned at by the government.
That has been paid for substantially
There are $4,000 left not yet paid. I'M
expended.
Another half million dollars and then
another half million dollars were appro-
priated. making a million and a half alto
gether. We found that as We appro-
prlateo, appropr1Stlng part of 1t, the
price would spring with the future ap-
preparations. We took the advice of the
Attorney General after full investigation
and he said that il could all be con
demned without waiting for the appro.
priation. II has been appraised. AMI the
values have been found and ii is ready
now to be acquired by the government
whenever We make the appropriation
In good conscience. as ii has all beer
condemned il ought to be paid for. The
law provided for an appropriation OF
10000 yearly. and the committee, after
investigation. has recommended the ap
preparation for the 100000.
"All of this property, save alone Arthur
place-which my friend was very anxious
should not he condemned because it has
new, expensive hotel built on Twas
condemned for A.323.COO. in round mum
bers. We left Arthur place out. because
we found that from the Peace Monument
on the Avenue. by cutting off a little b..
of the present Capitol grounds, We coult