Evening star., 1944-09-15
Pentagon Land Cost,
Justify Investigation,
EngeI Tells House
/ Owners vostIy overpoid,
Congressman Charges
In Speech on Floor
By DON q. WARREN,

by DON 8. WARREN.
Writing another chapter In, his
serial attack on alleged waste" and
"oufja board" methods In the con.
struction Of the mammoth Pentagon
War Building, Representative Engel,
Republican, Of Michigan yesterday
called for formal congressional In
vestigation Of land purchases for It's
400-acre site.
Taking the House floor to recite
some details he had gathered COM
corning acquisition Of the Pentagon
site. Mr.. Engel obtained permission
to insert In the Congressional Rec
ord data to show that In some cases
property owners were paid from 10
to rs times the amount Of the as
sessed value.
Wants Investigation.
He said it should be noted that In
Virginia the assessed value Is re-
garded as being only 80 to 40 per
cent Of the actual or mas ket value,
but he could not understand that
this would justify prices running
from 10 to 26 times assessed value
ut is my opinion and recon-
mendation," he told the House, that
some congressional committee make
q thorough investigation into the
purchase Of these lands.
IT am satisfied that the taxpayers
obtained value received for the vast
majority Of the. smaller tracts.
believe. however, that we are en-
titled to have the reasons why some
owners received rs high as as times
the assessed valuation"
Got 10 Times Value.
Summing up his survey Of land
costs, he said he found eight owners
were paid more than 10 times as
sessed value; nine owners from
seven to 10 times the assessments;
nine more from six to seven times;
10 owners from five to six times the
assessments; 20 owners we're paid
between four and i've times, and the
remainder up to four times the as
sessments.
He submitted data on ll8 of the
tracts on which comparative data
were available, this showing the as
sessments totaled $33s,135 whereas
the total award price was 81 500 ST.
or five and one-third times the as
sessed value. In addition he offered
another table for 10 tracts for which
he said he was unable to find the
assessed values but for which the
awards totaled $1,3470l3. The
awards for the two groups of tracts
he said. aggregated $3.l49,890.
Cites Details.
Giving some details Of his findings
he told the House the data he was
inserting In the Record included the
following: ~
Tract No. So was owned by Nary
J.. Norris. Assessed valuation VA
$740. Final award was $3.50 ol
2.640 per cent Of the assessed valu.
alton OK more than 26 times TIN
assessed valuation.
- Tract No. 81 was owred by Luthe,
Edwards. Assessed va1ae was $40
Final award was Sc, $50 pr 1858 be,
cent Of assessment, or nearly Il
times assessed valuation.
Tract No. SO was owned by r. E
Cline. Assessed value ! was $3.50
Final award was $9,354 Or 2,435 PEI
cent Of assessment. The Govern
ment paid 24Ea times assessed value
Tract No. 133 was owned by Pear
Mitchell Willis. Assessed value wa.
$50. Final award was 81, ITO or l,85(
per cent. or 18 times assessed value
IL Times Value.
Tract No. Isl was owned by Loui,
A. johnson (also assessed as Jack.
SOM. Assessed value was $3.50. Fina
award vas $500 or 1,125 per cent
or more than II times assessed value
Tract Nos. 81 and 95 were owned
by Max lyman. Assessed value wa.
$3.50. Final award was $35 900 O,
more than 10 times the assessed
value.
Tract Nos. 30 and 30-A were owned
by the West Bros. Brick Co. AS.
sessed value not available but the
appraised value was given as 3542,.
$40. Final award was 81, 100 900 o.
twice the appraised value.