Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-26
COURTHOUSE LAND
EFFORT RENEWED
Montgomery Commissioners
to See Rockville Owners
Again Before Acting.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.
STAFF Correspondent OF The Star.

ROCKVILLE, Md, June 26.-With a
determination TO acquire the square west
of the present courthouse here as an
addition to the site for a new and mod
ern building, the county commissioners
at their meeting here yesterday decided
to make another effort to acquire the
land by private sale, prior to ordering
fits condemnation.
They took this step, following a study
of the opinoni of the firm of CisSel &
Woodward, counsel to the county COM
miSsioners. which informed them that
they might acquire the land by condem-
nation under the provisions of the orig
inal courthouse act passed by the Leg
tslature in 1927.
Commissioner Lacy Shaw of the
Northern Suburban District and vice
president of the board, together with
Berry Z. Clark, clerk to the board, were
directed TO call personally on the own
ers of the property in the square which
is sought, and ascertain from them the
very lowest price which they will take
at private sale for their holdings.
Some time ago the board passed a reso-
luton directing that letters be written
to the owners. asking for the same in
formation. All but four of them re-
sponded, and of those who did Ak a
price, it was said to be very high. The
four who failed to respond, 1t was fur
ther said, held the most valuable
parcels,
To Visit Owners.
Commissioner Shaw said that he and
Mr.. Clark would visit the owners next
Friday night and seek the bottom prices
at which the owners would dispose of
their property for the public improve
ment. They will make it clear that If
a. vacfl
crbitant then condemnation win be re-
sorted to, In accordance with the opin-
ion Of the counsel. The information to
be collected by the county officials will
be tabulated and formally laid before
the board at its meeting next Tuesday,
when it is confidently predicted the
board will take steps to acquire by con-
domination those parcels which are being
held for what might be considered too
high price.
DR.. Benjamin c. Perry Of the west
ern metropolitan district and president
of the board, said that in view of the
opinion of the counsel to the board 1t
was agreed that the commissioners
should act promptly one way or the
other in the courthouse matter He
pointed out that the project had been
pending for such long time that a de-
cision in the matter should not be
further delayed.
While there is a hope that the matter
can be handled by acquisition of the
property at a private sale, it is quite
certain now that the board will not al
low few holdings to stand in the way
of obtaining the entire square, so that
the work may proceed promptly. BY
those In close touch with the inside de-
tails of the matter, it was said that it is
almost certain that the board will direct
he tn &IHEz f<xv~
necessary condemnation proceedings in
the event that any one attempts to
thwart the proposal to proceed with the
improvement, by liking an exorbitant
price for their property.
Came Like Bolt.
It was said that the opinion Of coun-
sci that the square west of the present
courthouse could be acquired by con-
original act of 1927, came like q bolt
out of clear sky to opponents of the
plan, but so far as could be learned
no steps have been taken to test this
matter out. There was a belief that
the legislation of the last session of the
Maryland Legislature had successfully
stopped the proponents from taking this
square until after the next election.
When bills we're introduced providing
additional funds for a modern court
house, designed to take in the additional
square for site, they were designedly
amended in, the Senate as to permit
the use of the money provided only for
the acquisition of certain parts of the
square. But it is apparent from read
ing of the opinion submitted to the
board that the opponents overlooked
the provisions in the original court
shouse act of 1927.
The commissioners are awaiting with
much interest the results of the con-
ferences to be held with the owners by
MeSsrs Shaw and Clark. Mr.. Shaw said
that he set Friday night as the time
when he and Mr.. Clark viii visit the
owners of the property. He believed that
he could see all of them that night, so
that they would have several days In
which to prepare their report for the
full board, which will include, of course,
a report on the assessed value of the
property as shown by the records In The
courthouse.