Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-03-16
LAzAPURCHASE
|SEXPECTED SOON
Extension of Capitol Grounds
Appears Likely After House
Group Hearing.

Prospect that the Government will
soon be authorized by Congress to
complete purchase of the land between
the Capitol and Union Station for de
velopment as a park extension of the
Capitol grounds seemed bright at the
hearing today before the House com
mittee on public buildings and
grounds. This measure has already
passed the Senate.
Representatives OF the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad, before the com
mittee this morning, offered to sell tc
the Government the land, part OF
which is now occupied by Government
Hotels. for the amount of condemna
ton award in 1912. plus s per cent
fat interest and taxes, with a refund
to the Government of all rental paid
by the Government or received by the
railroads from any other tenants on
the property. Figures showing what
this will amount to are to be furnished
to the committee by c. Fl. Moran, real
estate agent. John J. Cornwell, gen.
eral counsel for the E & o., also con.
Cured in this agreement.
JohnsepTestifies.
Representative Ben Johnson Demo.
crat, of Kentucky, who has taken an
active part in the legislative contro-
was also witness before the commit
tee today.
The amount of condemnation award
on the railroad-ow property in 1912
was s1.731,937. With interest and
taxes to date, this would amount to
between 100000 and s4.000,0 900 as
the price which the railroad is willing
to accept.
The spokesman for the railroad
made it plain that they are not ask
ing the Government 10 buy, but ask
ing Congress if it does not intend to
buy to take it's hands off the property
so that they can use it. They point
cd out that there is a cloud on the
title now because of the Government 8
ayowed intention to take the land
eventually.
Denies RumOrs.
Mr.. Cornwell denied as unjust any
intimation of conniving to put perma-
in order to force the Government to
act. Mr.. Moran said that the railroad
had a bona fide opportunity to sell
part Of the property for business, but
that zoning regulations prevented. al
though adjacent property was used
for business.
1t was also emphasized that while
part of the property had for many
years been used by the railroad for
surface tracks, much of it ac-
uuired under the act of 1901 was inn
proved property and occupied, but the
residences had to be torn down after
they were way below the grade of the
streets.
1t was stated by Mr.. Cornwell and
by Representatives Cox, Democrat, of
Georgia; Woodrum, Democrat, Of Vir-
ginia; Oliver, Democrat, of New York,
and Wolverton, Republican, of West
Virginia, that the Government had, by
instituting condemnation proceedings,
renounced it's claims under any orig
inal agreement to sell parts of this
property to the Government at orig.
inal cost plus interest, and that later
the Attorney General had ruled that
the Government had in good faith
abandoned it's intention to secure the
property, and SO condemnation pro-
ceedings were dismissed.
Held Land Was Acquired.
This was at time when the at
torney for the company held that the
Government had actually acquired
the property and it only remained to
make formal appropriation and take
it over.
Representative Johnson said that
the entire matter had been $50 skill
fully manipulated' that the Govern
ment must of necessity acquire the
property, and the question is only on
what basis He quoted at length from
a letter written by Edmund j. Brady
of the firm Of Hamilton & Hamilton,
local attorneys for the B. & o. Rail-
road, to show that George E. Hamil-
ton had entered into an agreement
with Engineer Commissioner Biddle for
sale of part of this property at original
cost plus interest.
Questions by members of the COM
mittee showed that they believed that
the Congress-, through its agents, in
instituting condemnation proceedings,
and 'by the action of the Attorney
General, had showed it did not intend
to avail itself of that offer, and was
now in the position of making the best
terms it could for the property if 1t
desires to purchase.
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