Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-25
DISTRICT OFFICIALS
DEFEND PRICE PAID
FOR Center SITES
Cite Cost of Land for New
House Office Building in
Answering Criticism.
DECLARE CITY HAS JARED
BETTER THAN COMMISSION
Negotiations for Arboretum, b.
tanic Garden and New Library
Property Are Scored.

The District government has been
more fortunate in its negotiations Tor
r,roperty in the municipal center than
the House ONCE Building Commission
in acquiring the site for the new House
once Building, IL was pointed out at
the District Building today in response
IN the criticism of Representative Gar
~ Ui. If Texas that the Federal Gov
eminent is legally robbed when IL a1
orires land in the District.
Mr. Garner directed his attack on the
condemnation juries when speaker
Nicholas Longworth OF the Rouse, cIia .li
man of the House once Building COM
mission. asked the House to approprlate
additional funds for the new houSs
once Building site since the AWARDS %
the condemnation jur1es Tor tne pIoPetthe S
conn 1lo0 appropriated. Speaker Long
wnrth explained the $780, 900 originally
was based on the theory that the IAN
value of the land would be about % PEI
F, cent more than the assessed value, pu.
the condemnation juries had awaroeo
127 per cent more than the assessed
value. He also revealed tnat the Go ,l.
mission had been successful IN ACQUIRING
only two pieces of the property oy prl-
vate negotiations.
81 Per Cent Of Site Bought.
Tn view of the dificulties of the
rzo,,ea commission. District ofnclalS
,,o;nt with some pride to the activities
Of the special committee createo Dy tlIe
commissioners to acquire the IouL-
square site for the municipal cenVII'
Atkins Assistant Engineer Commas
s;o,,er. William w. Bride, corporation
.o,,nsel and William p Richards. tax
assessor. already has purchased 3l PEI
cent of the site and in no instance paI9
more than $50 per cent OF the assessor
value for the property, =. the
THE lowest price paid on any OF inc
nroperty was 112 per cent OF tne as
sessed value. The average price "ae
1913 per cent. ,,,~.S all
~ the property thus far in private ne
eotiations with owners or agents, Wnete
he House commission was successtul IN
,,,Irchasinq only two properties py prI-
1P,e+e vaccinations. The largest OF these
Was the Congress Hail Hotel properly,
bought at a price OF SI35,Ooi, Wh .S.a
was 1925 per cent higher IMAM Vic
assessed value. The other was kIio .N,n
as the Diggs property, 1or WHICH os en-,
commission PAID $3.50, VI % PC
Nearly $s,OOO.OOO Spent.
Tho municipal center committee, in
v,,,rchaSinU 81 per cent OF the site, spent
annroximately S2,900,0OO OF the $3'UOU,,
600 appropriated. The DlstrlctS ., aSoi
appropriation bill carries an aooltloh -
SIS 600 600 to complete the purchase "
r,,Jttee homes to acquire al OF the area
hv direct negotiations with the owners
and thus avoid condemnation proceeu-
ings. - -, tho House
once Building site, criticism also Was
made of the prices the Federal Gov
eminent was required TO pay LOT lSlu
for the new aboretum, for the new 6o-
tanic Garden and for the new Library
T,IiIdinp. Representative Luce OF MAS
sachusetts called the attention OF tle
HOUSE to the fact that precisely me
same state of affairs exists In regard
to the attempt to acquire land Ior
these buildings.
Garner Argues for New Method
"T have no question that statement
is correct" replied Speaker LongWorth.
ST think it is absolutely safe to say ina!
uTheneyer the Government OF the united
states wants to acquire land IN tne
District Of Columbia for governments
rilrDOSeS ana Is IOTceO W INSTITUTE SNLa
denanation proceedings, it win have 70
nav not less than twice the value OF
the land: that is to say, its assessed
value for taxation purposes"
In view of these conditions, Mr.: Car
ner suggested that the House judiciary
committee give consideration to new
method of condemnation proceedings
for the District. He said he did not
know how far the committee could go
under the Constitution in lodging the
power TO condemn property for public
purposes in the District Supreme Court,
''but some other method surely ought
to be arranged rather than to continue
the method we now have, because In
some instances I thing it is ABSOLUTELY
legal robbery of the Government when
we take into consideration the amount
the juries permit in these condemna-
ton proceedings"
The Senate To-Day passed without de-
bate the bill increasing the appropria-
ton for the site of the new building.
The measure passed the House yester-
day and therefore is ready to go to the
President.