The Evening critic., 1882-03-22
District Estimates and Expenditures

10 ne EdttOT QJ Ihe EcehtHy tTtftc:
In recent conversation with Major Twin
Ing comparison was Incidentally suggested
between street northeast, from First to
Third streets, and New Hampshire avenue
northwest, from NJ TO Q streets, both OF which
have old wood pavements, but only the latter
of which is scheduled by the Commissioners
for Improvement as requiring immediate at
tention,' or, as lie seems to concede, to be
improved out of the forthcoming approprla-
tion for the next fiscal year. 1 mentioned
that said @ street was much the greater thor
oughfare, much more compactly settled, and
Its present condition much more difficult and
dangerous for travel than said New Hamp-
shire avenue, proposing TO show from the
assessment records that the valuation of tho
building improvements on said q street In the
length Of n single square was much greater
than that for the same improvements fronting
ON New Hampshire avenue for the whole dis
tance from Nj to Q. He said that made no diff
ference, but New Hampshire avenue was en-
Titled to greater attention, because IL was a
gleat avenue. then instanced the neglected
condition OF Maryland avenue, from tho Capt.
tol eastward, and ho replied that they could do
nothing for that avenue for the want Of an
appropriation.
Iconcede that the value OF the buildings on
street should not always exert n controlling
influence In Its favor as against other counter
Vailing considerations, and presume IL is true
mat there Is no appropriation now available for
the Improvement OF said part OF Maryland ave-
nue.. Butwhose fault is 1t? Why is there no
available appropriation for Maryland avenue?
What has made the distinction in that respect
between said Maryland avenue and New
Hampshire avenue? Major Twining is the
very man who has caused this difference ana
who is now striving 10 perpetuate 1t. He has
never even asked for an appropriation for the
purpose, and that is the only reason that said
Maryland avenue does not now stand ON pre-
eisely the same footing In that respect as New
Hampshire avenue. But Commissioner Twin
Ing seems TO forget that he and his colleagues
have actually spent large sums OF the public
money Tor the pavement OF streets conditioned
IN that respect precisely like Maryland avenue,
without any applicable appropriation and
without any authority OF law; notably, again
instance street northwest, from Twentieth
street 10 Rock Creek and West street, from
Rock Creek westward.
And now desire to add what Major Twining
could not spare time to hear ON the subject at
our said interview. If New Hampshire avenue
Is great avenue, Maryland avenue is
greater one. Tho former Is only Just three
fOurths as wide as the latter, and I'm their
lengths the difference Is still greater; and the
travel ON Maryland avenue is at least nifty
times greater than that on New Hampshire
avenue, and probably one hundred times. As
n thoroughfafe between the city aud the sur
rounding country, and for other than merely
public and local travel, Maryland avenue has
no equal In this city. Both ends OF the avenue
are important inlets and outlets-one into vir-
ginia, over Long Bridge, the other Into Mary
land, on the line Of the old Baltimore turn
pike via Bladensburg and over Benning's
| Bridge, and TO Mount Oliyot, Glenwood and
Graceland cemeteries, &c. or so great impor-
lance was Maryland avenue regarded, that be-
4 fore Major Twining came into the Board OF
Commissioners the pavement OF said avenue
| from First to Fifteenth streets northeast was
so positively determined upon that IL was des-
| ignated on the map Issued by the District au-
thorities Of that period as paved, or as In pro-
cess OF pavement. But Il was never actually
commenced, and since the elevation OF Major
| Twining TO the Iriumyirate, no siimate what
| ever has been made for It's Improvement
| Within the last week funeral procession
| half a mile long passed over this naturally
| beautiful avenue, leading out diagonally and
| IN plain view from the front OF our Nations
| Capitol. splashing through the mud as in the
| anto-bellum period in our District annals.
| still these Commissioners, during the whole
| period of their service, have never asked for a
| single penny nor estimated a penny for ths
| improvement Of this grand and spacious
| avenue. For the improvement Of other streets
| they have already estimated three and a half
| millions and for New Hampshire avenue alone
| eeyenty-six thousand dollars, but nothing for
| this Respectfully, s. q. CLARKE.
| March ~, 1882.