Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-31
$4,000 AWARDED
PORTLAND FOR PARK
Montgomery Jury Increases
Price for Sligo Valley
Property.
BY HOWARD M. BAGGETT.
star Correspondent Of The Star.


ROCKVILLE, Md. July Slater
e!most IL hours elaboration the petit
Jury brought in awards totaling $4,000
to the owners Of three tracts Of land
condemned on the request Of the Mary
land National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission in connection with
the Sligo Valley parkway project. A
total Of $21 900 had been offered by
the commission for the 121a acres of
land and buildings involved, while the
owners asked that valuation of $685.
900 be placed on their property.
On the basis Of the land involved the
12h acres brought o price OF &3,333
an acre, including buildings, to the
owners. The Park and Planning Com
Missions offer was figured at approxi-
mately $1,000 per acre. with the re-
naming $500 for buildings, while the
jury Is believed to have put the land In
at about $4,000 per acre, with the re-
naming $4,000 for the buildings.
Much Interest I'm Cases.
The suits are the first brought by
the Park and Planning Commission
under the authority granted it by
the last session of the Maryland Leg
islature to condemn land needed for
the development of the Montgomery
County parkway system: Much inter
because Of the effect Of the case on
the future acquisition of land for the
parkway project
The cases, which were tried jointly
under agreement reached by both sides,
opened Monday and lasted until yester-
day, when the jury was given instruc-
lions by Judge Robert B. Peter.
The awards in the three cases were
as follows: Property of Mr.. and Mrs.
~
seven outbuildings and 5.185 acres Of
land, $l9,500: property Of L. 8. Bag
gett, home, several outbuildings and
1852 acres of land, $12, 500; property Of
Frank M. Heath, home, two outbuild-
ings and 1893 acres, 5000. The Park
and Planning Commission had offered
$4,000 for the Rowland property, SO, 500
for the Baggett property and $4,000 for
the Heath property.
Owners COntented on Land.
Attorney John S. White Of Hyattsville,
Nd, represented all three property own
ers in the proceedings, and contended
that the owners of the property were
content with them, had made them their
home and did not desire to move.
j. Bond Smith, general counsel to the
Park and Planning Commission, with
Attorney Lucius @. c. Lamar, specially
dppO4uOcu 1OE ItlCSS CtSeSp represented
the commission.
witnesses who appeared for the COM
mission included Col. Thomas Hampton,
Secretary-treaSurer of the commission;
Roland w. Rogers. landscape architect
for the commission; Oliver r. Hatch,
surveyor for the commission; N. r.
Robinson of Indian Spring Park r. D.
Lille of Takoma Park, James H. Cis-
sci, owner Of the subdivision where the
property is located; Harvey A. Morrison,
Takoma Park. and Harold Haynes of
North Woodside. Each Of the property
owners took the stand.
Jury Sees Parcels.
When the proceedings opened the
members of the jury were taken on a
tour Of the three parcels Of property in
the custody of Sheriff Richard H.
Landslide.
The jury which tried the cases was
the same which met in March, having
been reconvened by Judge Peter for the
purpose Of the hearings. Members of
the jury we're: Charles E. West, Rock
vile; John A. Jones, DickerSon; Gideon
L. BuSsard, Gaithersburg; French
Hobbs, Colesville; Frederick W. Kruhm,
Spencerville; Joshua T. Austin, Be-
thesda; Thomas Hickman, Poolesville;
Walter r. Baker, GAINESVILLE; Lawrence
Thompson, Colesville; Lester Watkins,
LeWisdale; william W. Embray, Po-
tomac, and Wilson F. Humphrey, Rock
vile.