The Washington herald., 1914-06-04
THE OPEN FORUM.
Great Injustice Inflicted On the Plaza
Property Owners.

Properly OWners.
To the Editor:' ! was very much I'M
pressed by the force Of an editorial IN
Your paper on the injustice done the prop
condemning their property on account Of
the Union Station and enlargement Of
the Capitol grounds
There 10 a moral side to this .ques-
ton that goes far beyond a mere ex-
preston OF sympathy by the President
for the property owners. There has been
such fragrant injustice forced upon the
people by the exercise OF the sovereign
powers Of this government that IT IL
well calculated to make the people gem
orally doubt very seriously that they can
any longer expect simple Justice at the
hands of the government
In order that the case may be clearly
understood. I viii briefly state the action
taken by the government against the
property owners. Congress passed an
act to establish the Union Station in
the Capital of the United States and to
change the grade Of the property adjacent
thereto The bin provided for a COM
mission to ascertain the damages done
the property owners with a stipulation
that any benefits arising from the To-
cation Of the station be deducted from
the damage done the property.
The government then summoned its
witnesses who appeared before the gov-
ernment's own commission. and as an
example they testified that the ground
adjacent to Massachusetts avenue west
Of the Union Station had been so en-
HANGED by the location of the Union
Station that it was worth as high as
so foot-thus compromising the prop
erty owners for the total loss of the
improvements and rentals that they
would have received up to the present
time. Tenants were then ordered out of
the buildings by the government and
the improvements on the lands literally
destroyed.
The government then decided that Il
wanted these properties to enlarge the
Capitol grounds to the Union Station.
Evidently realizing the value its own
witnesses had put upon this property.
ii was unwilling to face their own test
mony as to its value
Congress then passed an unusual and
unjust act Of condemnation providing
that 10000 a year be appropriated TO
purchase this property. and il the prop
erty owners will not sell il at a price
satisfactory to the government a cloud
would remain on their property. which
would prevent them from selling il to
any other purchaser or borrow money on
1t.
The duly logical inference was that
these property owners, hard up for mon-
ey or threatened with foreclosure of their
mortgages, would sell out cheap to the
government. thus establishing a low
level of prices for the condemnation pro-
ceedings provided for in said act Of Con-
gress fer the remaining properties By
this process the benefit charged up
against the property by the prices fixed
by the government witnesses Ito pay for
he
be entirely wiped out
The property owners evidently realiz-
ing that this was a well-conceiyed
scheme to buy their. property for less
than IL was worth, made great sacrifices
in order to hold il. that it might be con-
demned under the due process of law.
These condemnation PROCEEDINGS were
eventually instituted. The government
then reversed itself and Immediately
presented all the evidence that il could
to contradict the testimony of its former
witnesses and sought to prove that the
property was more than a third less val
liable than the price at which they esti-
mated IL.
The condemnation jury finaII, made
their award and the Attorney GenefAi.
the United States, agreed 20
the same being confirmed by the court.
In this award as confirmed, property
lnaI lne government witnesses nrst teSti-
fed was worth $ and $40 a foot, was
when taken by the government,
at only IS and IS a foot. II will he seen
that these properties have been for nine
years useless to the owners. their titles
affected. most Of their improvements de-
stroyed- and the revenues cut of. while
the taxes were heavily increased and
yet the owners have not received one
dollar from the government
The fact that these property owners
as rule are residents of the District
having no vote or political influence. bur
aggravates the injustice.
II is evident to any fair-minded citizen
that such methods to acquire property
would not be tolerated in a corporation.
How then can government expecting
to gain the confidence and respect OF the
people, AFFORD TO indulge in such ques-
tionahle practices.
In nine years covering the period the
Interest and taxes upon these properties
as fixed by the government witnesses
would double the amount due the prop
erty owners upon the basis Of the last
awards.
Immediate reparation should be made
10 these individual property owners. Sim
pie justice demands that Congress should
pass an act at once to pay them the
amount OF their awards with interest and
he taxes on the property from the time
he awards were confirmed by the court
1t the request of the Attorney General.
representing the United States.
T. CUSHING DANIEL
lil5 street northwest