Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-22

PROVISION Tor Il hitting entrance 10
the National Capital which will prop
erly frame the Capitol Building for
the first view Of visitors. and relief
OF property owners from the inequita-
bic hardships of the Borland law
which assesses cost of street replace
ment against abutting property own
ers. are the outstanding features OF
a number of measures of particular
interest to District residents on which
the House acted yesterday.
ON record vote the bill providing
for completion Of acquisition by the
Government of land between the Capt
tol and Union Station, which has al
ready passed the Senate. was ap-
proved by a vote of 202 to e.. under
suspension of the rules. SO this meas
ure now goes To the President for his
signature Not only does II mean one
Of the largest land purchase in the
District OF Columbia by the Federal
Government in many years. hut 1t in
cludes removal Of the unsightly So
called Government Hotels erected dur
ing the war period to house war
workers, means the extension Of the
Capitol grounds in a formal park and
plaza development and the creation Of
a new avenue the same width as
Pennsylvania avenue, from Union Sta
ton to Peace Monument on Pennsyl-
vania avenue at the. foot of Capitol
Hill.
Proposed In 1919.
This enlargement of the Capitol
grounds and Identification Of the plaza
has neen unfinished work before Con
Cress for l6 years. An appropriation
act on June %. 1910. declared It to he
the purpose of Congress to ultimately
acquire all of II squares in this area
The Vice President of the United
States, the Speaker Of the House of
Representatives and the superintend-
ent of the Capitol Building and
grounds. now known as the architect
Of the Capitol, We're authorized tn ac-
quire the premises by purcha So. CON
domination or otherwise, and to eX-
pend for that purpose not more than
with the year 1911. No limit Of cost
was stated and 100000 was appro-
piriated for the first year.
In the Il squares originally intended
to be acquired there ia a total OF
| .325 .204 square feet, Of which the
Government has already acquired
6S9. 467 square feet. and the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company and the
Real Estate and Improvement Com
pany of Baltimore City, which is a
land holding company for the railroad.
own 635.737 square feet.
The architect of the Capitol has
submitted an estimate Of the value of
this property based on assessments
taken from the Districts books
amounting to $1,9l2.720. The railroad
company has submitted an offer to
sell based on a condemnation award
l3 years ago for $3,I2 ,597.64. There
is an unexpended balance in the
Treasury Of $l,79s,139.27.
Leased Since 1929.
At the time the United States en-
was used for building the Govern
ment Hotels. A portion Of the land.
owned by the railroad company, was
occupied by the United States under
contract providing that the occupancy
was to terminate and the buildings to
be removed at the expiration OF IL
months after the final ratification OF
treaties of peace. the railroad COM
pany to receive no consideration ex-
cept relief from taxation during the
period of Government occupancy.
The time under the contract expired
November Ia. 1922, and from that
date to December 3D. 1925, the prop
erty has been leased by the Govern
ment at approximately $4,000 annu-
ally.
Repairing Charge Removed.
The long-desired amendment to the
Borland law, which assesses one-half
against abutting property owners, was
acquiesced in by the House after the
proposed change had been attacked
by Representative La Guardia. Pro-
gressive-Socialist Of New York. and
Schafer, Republican. of Wisconsin.
The equities in the change were ex-
planned by Chairman Zihlman Of the
District committee and Representative
ITndersill, Republican, Of Massachu'
sets.
The committee report favored -ex-
empting property owners from re-
assessment after a. street had once
been laid and paid for, for a period
of 20 years. Mr.. Underhill fathered
an amendment which struck out this
20-year limit and exempted the prop
erty owners from reassessment Tor
all time to come.
The bill as passed reads THAT no
frontage Of abutting property. on
mich a legal assessment for paving
or repaving has been levied and paid
hereunder, shall be liable to any
further assessment hereunder on ac-
count Of the replacement OF SUCH
pavement"
Mr.. Schafer injected a censure re-
garding the practice Of selling space
in the streets adjacent to hotels to
taxicabs in especial view of the fact
that the people az whole, who are
not permitted to drive their cars In
this part Of the public streets. really
pay the ma tor part Of the cost.
pan.oeanfa tiua I11dron RanNh.