Evening star., 1945-01-02
ST. Paul 'sChurch
To Get S152,5OO
For Property
!. Agreement Is Reached
. With Government
On Hospital Site

Agreement was reached today be-
tween counsel for the Government
and st. Pauls Church whereby the
church will receive s152,500 for its
property at GIT Twenty-third street
INV. The land is being taken over
to make way for construction of a
new hospital to be operated by
George Washington University.
Meanwhile, condemnation jury
was being impaneled in District
Court to consider the controversy
over prices to be paid for about 10
other parcels OF land in the square
forming the hospital site at Wash
|ington Circle.
In addition to the agreement on
price for the church property, agree
ments have been reached on about
80 other property holdings, includ-
ing buildings
Increase Over Appraisal.
The $l52 500 to be received by ST.
Pauls is an increase of $34,500 over
the so-called spot" appraisal of
$l18 900 which had been deposited
in the court pending final agree
ment.
The larger amount was described
by Robert R. Macleod, Justice De-
partment counsel in the case, as "a
very fair settlement in line with the
final appraisal by Government wit
nesses. on which it was based"
The agreement was signed by Mr..
Macleod for the Government and by
Roger J. Whiteford, counsel for the
church.
The agreement provides that the
church will remove many sacred
relics, including the altars, me-
mortal tablets, organ, baptismal
font. many memorial windows, the
oil burner heating plant, electric
lighting fixtures and such of the
marble in the floor, steps and side
walls as it may find desirable and
practicable to remove"
Judge Adkins Presides.
Justice Jesse c. Adkins, who re-
Gently ruled the Government had
the right of eminent domain to take
the entire square for the new hos
pital, because it was being acquired
for public purpose, was presiding
in the condemnation proceedings
today. The jury, when impaneled,
will view the property still in con-
troversy end finally fix a price
which is to be paid the owners.
Under order of the court the Gov
iernment takes possession of all prop
Ierty in the square today
Meantime, only one more rite re-
manned to be observed at st. Paul's,
following the final public service
yesterday morning. The building is
to be "deconsecrated" in private
ceremonies. probably today or to-
tomorrow. by the Right Rev. Angus
Dun, Bishop of Washington.
Sacred Relics Removed.
Sacred relics of the edifice we're
removed frcm the altar and else
where at the concluding ceremony
Yesterday, known as stripping" the
church.
At the conclusion OF the service
there was much discussion between
the Rev. Arlington A. McCallum,
rector, and other officials of the
church over plans for the new
church home to be erected on the
south side of X street, between
Twenty-fourt and Twenty fifth
streets NV, only about two blocks
from the old edifice, now abandoned.
Philip Hubert Frohman, distin-
guished Washington architect, who
has been engaged to design the new
church. attended the final service.
He explained that a definite design
has not yet been developed. But,
he said it will follow the style of
/ the early 14th century English
Gothic. Asked if it would resemble
the old church, he said it would
be somewhat different, but would
probably be more like the original
in England which had inspired the
architecture of the old church here.
Agents to Take Over Property.
Home owners and store proprietors
in the entire block bounded by Penn
sylvania avenue, Twenty-second,
Twenty third and I streets NV,
were expected to turn over their
keys today to Government agents.
These agents from the Public Build
ings Administration planned to take
charge of properties which have
not already been abandoned, empty
water lines which might freeze and
take other steps to prevent damage
from freezing.
There were still some home own
ers living in their homes up to last
night, as well as tenants in the big
apartment house known as The
Plaza on Washington Circle.