Show 41 I CONDEMNATION 1 SUIT DECIDED Jury Awards Damages to Own Owners Owners Owners ers of Ground Needed for Postoffice Extension TOTAL AMOUNT IS MINOR BUILDING CO DISAPPOINTED DISAPPOINTED DISAPPOINTED POINTED IN OUTCOME After ACter deliberating for two and one half hours bours the Jury in the condemnation tion U ti n suit brought by the government against the Minor Building company compan if t i H Walker and the Swenson estate returned a verdict of as a fair for tor the property pro pert sought by b the tile government This is over OOOO less than the price pric asked for the property owned own by b the Minor Building company and the Swenson estate M H Walk Valk Walker er et ec did not set a price on the piece of ground round which he lle owned The amount of oC the verdict is divided as a follows Minor Building company for tor real es estate estate estate tate damages to improvements on abutting property M 1 H Walker 2000 for tor real estate Swen s 8 n estate for property damages Total I The amounts asked for tor the property owned by the Minor lInor Building company are Lot 40 feet teet by b 12 feet damageable damages to adjoining sixty feet of ground damages u Improve Improvements ments on ground erecting of building on the tile adjoining site hc Swenson estate 1200 for foi to ground und damages to property prop rt ad adjoin adjoining adjoinIng Join Joining ing 2500 Total The Trie closing arguments to the jury ere e made Immediately after aCter court re resumed at nt the afternoon session The firSt argument to the Jury was made by Benner X Smith in the Interest of tho the Minor Building company compan He was followed d by b United States District At y H E Booth for tor the govern goern min nt Culbert Olson and Frank Franl B BStephens Stephens closed the arguments In be behalf behalf half halt ot o the Uie defense In Th I his LI charge to the Jury Judge Mar Marshall Marshall shall stated that they the must not take tako Into Info consideration what the price of the tIle property might be in the future but what the market value of the property was when the suit was filed filedS Sett S IS 1905 It n is on the value of the thc property at that time said Judge Marshall and md no other time on which the Jury jUl jUlI I can en render a verdict I will not at attempt att attempt tempt t to say what would be a fair fall es estimate estimate for the property sought That ThatIs Is for you Y lU gentlemen to decide 4 Attorney H E Booth in closing his argument arg ment said that the government I was U not Dot seeking to secure possession of the property at nt a lower price than it was Wa worth nor did the government want watt to pay a price a great deal high higher er f than th n its Us real value alue He told the jury juror jui that the property owners were I 1 setting tUng s their prices on what the ground might be worth in future years ears which was as exorbitant I Government Experts Testify When the case opened Monday Monda morning the government placed three of ot othe the local real estate dealers on the tand lo to give gie expert testimony as to what waga waa w a fair estimate of the price of lAnd in the vicinity of or the federal building b E B 13 Wicks George M 31 1 Can Cannon Cannon non 11 n and Frank E McGurrin were put on the stand and the estimates given I by the e witnesses for tor the defense were given a severe shaking down The Witnesses for tor the government all tes testified tint that SOO a front foot was as ample price for the ground sought by the government gove Geore M f Cannon testified testifIed fied lied that he was of or the opinion that to SOO a front foot toot was Wa a good price for tor the Minor Building com corn property and that 2000 was a fair fc r price for tor the Walker property For Far the small piece of land owned by bythe bythe the Swenson estate he thought 60 cents a 8 I square foot was a fair and Just price notwithstanding the tho fact tact that 1200 had been asked for tor the strip of land The testimony of the governments witness placed a valuation on the land landof landof pf of less tees than of what was asked by b the defendants In the case of or the Swenson property 1 they the were awarded a verdict of ot for tor their land landAS na fig against the price of ot 1200 asked The other property was cut In proportion proportion tion Uon with the exception of oC the Walker strip which was Will placed at 2000 the tile amount deemed d emed a f fIr fair lr price by George GeorgeM Georget M t Cannon one of or the governments witnesses The land over oer which theo tion suit was brought west of f and adjoining the federal building with a frontage of or 40 o feet teet on Market street treet and 16 feet teet deep divided be between between tween teen three parties The amounts owned by b the various arlous parties are Mi Minor MInor I nor Building company com pan 4 I feet on Mar Market Market Market ket street by b 12 feet deep M f H Walker r 38 feet by b 48 feet Swenson estate 5 feet by b 48 18 feet The prop property property property erty owned by b the Swenson Interests has a frontage on Fourth South street The Walker Talker property has no street frontage The question now arises as to whether er or c or ot the government will take the property at this price or bring a new ne neI I suit The amount set aside for the purchase of a site for or the proposed ad addition addition addition to the federal building was 40 10 O 00 or a little over less than the amount named by the Jury as a fair price for the ground An appropriation tion of was made by congress for the purpose of building an extension to the local federal building It is now for tor the secretary of the treasury to de do decide deride doride ride cide what action shall be taken Whether or not he will direct that the property be purchased at this price Is ls I not known own It Is understood that the new proposed ed addition to the federal building can be placed on a space of I feet teet wide and nd It may ma be probable that this amount of ground will be purchased at the rate for the price fixed for tor the entire forty feet teet I 1 am unable un ble at this time to say what action if It any an will be taken toward making an appeal said J T W Houston speaking for the Minor company We Weare Weare Weare are always In favor of ot helping the Im Improvements In the city to go ahead with an speed To make an appeal would probably tie up the property for tor two or three years ears and I cannot say sa what will be the next move W V P S Hawk Hawl of the Minor lInor Building company said Mid he and his associates were considerably disappointed Il hI the amount awarded In the condemnation proceedings He thought the amount awarded as damages for tor Injury by b sew sev severance se erance elance of the property pro pert was particular particularly ly Inadequate saying saIng that the strip will be materially lessened in value alue by b breason reason of being segregated from the adjoining 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