Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-07
EAST wAsHINGTON's NEEDS.
The Citizens Association Discusses Many
Topics OF Interest.

The Citizens Association Discusses Many
Topics of Interest.
BrIL-rHE STREET ESTIMATES cRITIcIsED-rHR
QUESTION OF STREET RAILRoADs-THE W. AND
q. AND IT'S PROPOSED EXTENSIONS.
The East Washington Citizens Association
spent a busy evening Monday in discussing
number Of matters of public interest. The As
sociation met at 326 Pennsylvania avenue south
east, with President Dawson in the chair. Be
fore adjournment the gathering had given
attention to the new assessment law. the street
schedule and the street railway situation. The
new assessment law was discussed in a report
on the proposed act by NJ. /. Weller. The report
attacked especially the section which provided
that the assessors mentioned in the bill drawn
mp by the Commissioners should make their
assessments from an actual view of the property.
Mr.. Weller was Of the opinion that it would be
q physical impossibiity for the assessors, how
ever possessed they might be with the attributes
of Hercules, to get around and personally look
at every piece of property and attend to any
thing else.
THE BILL CRUDE AFFAIR.
The bill itself, said Mr.. Weller was a cru de
affair and should not be passed in its pr esent
form The Commissioners had reported the
bill fsvorably, said Mr.. Weller, but the Fast
Washington Association. well as other bodies
of citizens. had asked for a hearing before the
House District committee on the bill At this
hearing it was thought the imperfections Of the
measure could be so pointed out that radical
amendments would be obtained.
NEW BILL DISCUSSED.
discussion followed on the advisability Of
the associations drawing up and submitting
new bill on the question of assessments. Mr..
Weller was Of opinion that as the bill submitted
by the Commissioners was satisfactory in q
number Of par ticulars the association could OBJ
tam sufficient amendments by appearing before
the House committee. new bill would COM
pEcate the matter and cause delay and time was
of the greatest importance at present, as it was
absolutely necessary that in very short time
q new assessment law should be made or pro-
visions made for an assessment under the old
Law.
An AMENDED BILL FAVORED.
Mr.. Babson held that the association should
draw up an amended bill containing the good
points of the new bill and such additions and
changes as the association favored. Such a
bill. he said, would contain the views of the
association in a nutshell and would save time
In saving explanations.
Finally further time was granted the COM
mittee on the matter.
STREET IMPROVEMENTS DISCUSSED.
The committee on street improvements
through Mr.. Weller rendered report in which
attention was called to the cutting down Of the
estimates for the eastern section from 900 900
70 sol 900 in the present appropriation bill.
The section. he said. had always been neg
lected and this bill was no exception.
THE QUESTION OF RAILWAYS.
The discussion of streets brought up the
question of street railways, and Mr.. Lehman
for the railroad committee rendered report
He had appeared in the interest of the asso-
ciation at a hearing given by the Commission
ers On the proposed East and West Washington
Traction Company. Both Mr.. Weller and him
self had urged upon the Commissioners the
advisability of the passage of this bill. Other
people at the hearing had spoken against the
bill 1t was impossible to say what would be
done.
TIE PROPOSED EXTENSION OF THE WASHINGTON
AND GEORGETOWN RAILROAD.
Mr.. Weller at this point said he was one of
the committee appointed to induce the Wash
ington and Georgetown road to extend their
tracks out Pennsylvania avenue to the new
bridge. The committee had urged this action
on the road and a bill had been introduced
providing for such an extension. The Com
missioners had reported adversely on the ex-
tension bill, on the ground that as
the Washington and Georgetown road
already had big slice of the earth the new
granted this territory. This report threw
somewhat of a damper on the movement, said
Mr. Weller but since then the incOrporators of
the proposed new road have expressed their
entire concurrence in the extension of the
Washington and Georgetown line out Pennsyl-
vanla avenue Three years ago, Mr.. Weller
said, Mr.. Hurt had written him a letter in
which he agreed to extend the line out Penn
sylvania avenue Lately, when Mr.. Hurts
attention had been called to this promise. he
explained that the letter had reference to horse
railway and not to cable. short time ago
he had again urged the extension on Mr. Hurt
and Mr.. Hurt had replied that there was moth
ing the company would love to do more but
at present they were afraid to ask anything
from Congress for fear that the plant would be
saddied with injurious conditions.
Mr. Weller continued that he had accepted
this explanation. but was greatly surprised a
Few days later TO see the road urging on Con-
gress bill which granted them radical advan-
tages- He appeared before the Commissioners
tages be granted the Washington and George
town road without proportionate favors to the
city. Since 1854 no extension had been made
IN East Washington and today 30 900 people
east Of sth street were totally unsupplied with
street car facilities.
TO OPPOSE AM OTHER EXTENSION.
On motion Of Mr.. Babson q resolution was
adopted by which the citizens committee was
instructed to oppose any bill granting extern
sion to the Washington and Georgetown road
unless it also provided for an extension out
Pennsylvania avenue east. The association
then adjourned