Chapter 50.
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CHAP. 50.— An act authorizing the construction of a building for the accommodation of the Congressional Library.April 15, 1886. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Congressional Library. Fire-proof building. Site. Plan. That a fire-proof building, for the accommodation of the Library of Congress, shall be erected east of the Capitol, and either between B street north and East Capitol street and First street east and Second street east, or between B street south and East Capitol street and First street east and Second street east, arid as the commission hereinafter provided shall determine; and the construction of said building, substantially according to the plan submitted to the Joint Select Committee on Additional Accommodations for the Library of Congress, by John L.
Smithmeyer, in the Italian renaissance style of architecture, with such modifications as may be found necessary or advantageous, without materially increasing the cost of Commission to take charge of.the building, shall be in charge of a commission composed of the Secretary of the Interior, the Architect of the Capitol Extension and 13 the Librarian of Congress, who shall be authorized and directed to make contracts for the construction thereof, after proper advertisements and the reception of bids; and the sum of five hundred thousand dollars isAppropriation. hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to commence the construction of said building; and the moneys appropriated for said building shall be disbursed by the Secretary of the Interior.
Sec. 2. That in order to procure a suitable site for a building for thePurchase of site. Library of Congress so much of the land situated cast of the Capitol grounds above described shall be purchased by said commission, or taken for public use as hereinafter provided, and not less than the whole of that portion bounded on the north by B street north, on the cast by Second street east, on the south by East Capitol street, and on the west by First street east; or if that portion should not be so purchased or taken for public use. then the whole of that portion bounded on the north by East Capitol street, on the east by Second street east, on the south by B street-south, and on the west by First street east; and a sum of money sufficient to pay for said land, in the mode hereinafter provided, is hereby appropriated therefor out of any moneys in theAppropriation.
Treasury not otherwise appropriated. Sec. 3. That said commission shall be authorized to purchase saidPurchase to be made as soon as practicable. land, or any part thereof, as soon as practicable, at such prices as may be fixed by agreement between said commission and the respective owners: *Provided, however*, That said commission shall not pay in the*Provisos*. aggregate for the site aforesaid, including the whole of said land asLimitations as to price. described lying north of East Capitol street, or the whole as described lying south of East Capitol street, more than five hundred and fifty thousand dollars; and if they are not able to purchase the whole of either portion of said land, they may purchase any parcels thereof, for sums not exceeding, in their best judgment, that proportion of five hundred and fifty thousand dollars which the. value of the parcel or parcels purchased bears to the value of the whole land; and the payment therefor shall be made to the respective owners, on the requisitions of the Secretary of the Interior, upon the release and conveyance of said land to the United States by good and sufficient deeds executed in due form of law: *And* provided *further*, That no money hereby appropriatedTitle. shall be expended for the purchase of said laud, or any part thereof, or for the erection thereon of said library building, until the written opinion of the Attorney-General shall be had in favor of the validity of the title to said land.
Sec. 4. That if said commission shall be unable to purchase theCondemnation. whole of said land lying north of East Capitol street, or the whole of said land lying south of East Capitol street, by agreement with the respective owners, within thirty days after the passage of this act, within the limitations prescribed by this act, they shall, at the expiration of such period of thirty days, make application to the supreme court of the District of Columbia, at a general or special term, by petition containing a particular description of the property required, with the name of the owner or owners thereof, and his, her, or their residence, as far as the same can be ascertained, which court is hereby authorized and required, upon such application, without delay, to ascertain and assess the damages occasioned by the taking of said land to each owner thereof, or to any person having a legal claim to said damages, in the manner provided with reference to the taking of land for highways in theR.
S. D. C.. pp. 29, 30. District of Columbia. Sec. 5. That the fee simple of all premises so appropriated for publicFee simple to be vested in the United States. use of which an appraisement shall have been made under the order and direction of said court shall, upon payment to the owner or owners, respectively, or to such person as shall be authorized to receive the same for any such owners, of the appraised value, or in case the said owner or owners refuse or neglect for fifteen days after the appraisement of the cash value of said lands and improvements by said court 14 to demand the same from the Secretary of the Interior, upon depositing the said appraised value in said court to the credit of such owner or owners, respectively, be vested in the United States; and said commission is hereby authorized and required to pay to the several owner or owners, respectively, or to such persons authorized as aforesaid, the appraised value of the several premises as specified in the appraisement of said court, or pay into court, by deposit, as hereinbefore provided, the said appraised values.
Sec. 6. Court may direct time and manner of taking possession. That said court may direct the time and manner in which possession of the property condemned shall be taken or delivered, and may, if necessary, enforce any order or issue any process for giving possession. The cost occasioned by the inquiry and assessment shall Costs.be paid by the United States; and as to other costs which may arise they shall be charged or taxed as the court may direct. Sec. 7. Doubts as to ownership not to occasion delay.
That no delay in making an assessment of compensation, or in taking possession, shall be occasioned by any doubt which may arise as to the ownership of the property, or any part thereof, or as to the interests of the respective owners. In such cases the court shall require a deposit of the money allowed as compensation for the whole property or the part in dispute. In all cases as soon as the United States shall have paid the compensation assessed, or secured its payment by a deposit of money under, the order of the court, possession of the property may be taken.
Sec. 8. Annual report. That the Secretary of the Interior shall annually report to Congress at the commencement of each session, a detailed statement of all the proceedings under the provisions of this act. Approved, April 15, 1886.