Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-16

The Ea.rt 90 Extend North Capitol street
what . Director SAYS.

The Ea.rt .. Extend North Capitol street
What . Director SAYS.
seldom has the .bivouae OF the dead in
VOWED the living in 80 many troubles and vexa-
tion- a. ha- been the case with what has for
some wears past been known in this city as
"the little German cemetery" or the burial
ground Of the organization chartered under the
somewhai pompous title. "German Evangelical
Society Of Prospect Hill Cemetery"
some thirty wears ago. when Congress granted
this organization n charter forever setting apart
for the last resting place" Of its dead about
seventeen acres Of land the great national capt.
TAI - the future had not vet left its cradle. as
a. we're and ''the oldest inhsbitsnt' waves
warm VITA hi- subject when he relates TO the
rising generation % today how he In those DAYS
used 10 .ee peaceful cattle roam over a vast
territory or watch the festive goat regale him
SELF With toothsome tan cans and other choice
though commonly uncon-idered tribes Of
advancing civilization where now ever 40
many stately mansions rise or the hum and
drum % busy life l. heard
There's the rub. The readers % The STAR
are stiIl familiar with the difficulties which
arose when Engineer Commissioner Ludlow
attempted 10 cut through Prospect Hill Gene
tsrv nearly six wears ago in order to extend
North Capitol street. Work was then suspended
b. order. ~ - stated. OF President Cleveland
The present District Commissioners. too,
are having peck % trouble from tn. same
cau-e-. North Capitol street must be opened,
bat the little German cemetery" must not be
disturbed. II is the old story Of you shall
and Won shan't"
The Commissioner. were 20 hear arguments
for and against the bill for the extension Of the
street a. now pending before both houses Of
Congress on Saturday last, but we're called
av.v % the Capitol before doing so. The
friends and opponents % the measure were out
A. full force and some with their war paint on.
This particularly true % the representatives
Of Prospect Hill cemetery.
Tho-s present who favored the measure were
Mr. A. - Warrington. representing the Dob
bins property. j. A. Bates for the Moore prop
srty; ~ q Croft and Joseph Paul. Those who
oppOs- the extension were Mr.. Henry Wise
G.rnett attorney for the Barbour estate. and
the following members % the board Of directors
~ ProTpect Hill Cemetery Association: Mr..
Charles Schneider. president; ]. A. Griesbauer,
William L. Fltcrich and George Wagner. The
repre-sn -atives % the cemetery association
left with the Commissioners . copy Of their
protest submitted TO Congress and which has
already been published IN IHE STAR.
WAT Nh. WAGNER SAYS
In Conversation with STAR reporter Mr..
Geo. Wagner one Of the board of directors of
Prospect Hill cemetery, said;
I'VE have not been treated fairly in this mat
ter from the start. but cannot lay the blame
for IL entirely upon the shoulders % the Com
mi-siOners nor those who have advocated. IN
either house Of Congress, the passage of the
measures so unjust TO us. About seven years
ago board Of -eif-constituted authority
organized itself. presumed To- represent the
original chartered cemetery society. ard not
very long after gave the District Commissioners
20 under stand that no objection would be made
O. the opening Of the street bv the cemetery
people IL was on the strength of this quasi
asaea hail 1nFrnfz-
sioner Ludlow had proceeded To rip the Gene
terry open. II IL only very recently that the
courts OF the District have drawn every ves-
tige Of authority from under this self-consti-
tuted board. completely wiping it out OF
existence.
I'VE did not appear before the Commits
rioners now to gets hearing We want no !
more hearings. and need none. We simply came
20 place on file with them the protest already |
In the hands OF the District committees Of both |
houses % Congress, and Of many prominent
members besides some Of whom have pledged |
themselves 20 oppose the pa sage Of any bill /
winch will not protect Us in our vested rights. |
A prominent senator u nv authority for the !
statement that one Of the outside advocates of
the bill now pending in the Senate had deliber- /
stsly misinformed him as to the position OF the |
cemetery people. OF he would have opposed the I
bin from the start.
"A wear ago We were almost caught mapping I
By the Commissioners. who proposed to give a
W M tHh-t tllt-th W tut !
opening OF 'any streets. the published notice !
read. and upon appearing before them we
found the syndcates fsvoring the opening Of
North Capitol street in attendance IN full force
through a number Of able representatives. We
stated our objections at the time and THE STAR
published our statement. When we found. last
summer. that the bills had been sprung upon
Us in Congress in spite OF circumstances
We employed competent counsel and proceeded
TO bury both. the bills and their advocates. so
deep that they would be past resurrection. l
think We have succeeded in that quite to our
sati-faC ton and II l. for this that said
awhile ago that we needed no more hearings
before the Commissioners. The mat
ter has gone beyond their jurisdic- |
tion. II the city must interfere with
the charter rights OF the cemetery let
Us have jury which will respect our vested
righ's "a much a. the rights Of others. Rely
Ing upon a solemn grant OF privileges given
forever We have for a generation expended
our labor and money upon this cemetery. The
opening Of n street NAV enhance the value of
property Of the living. il cannot possibly i'm
prove The prospects Of the dead whom we have
buried there. OF NAV hereafter give last
resting place The SPECTATORS owning prop
ertv far beyond the cemetery ask big prices for
their holdings now. and with the street carried
through will be in position 10 ask much
more. WHY should we be robbed merely to
enrich them al the more! just try and have
them assessed for considerable share OF the
benefits Of the Improvement and YOU will
hear no more Of that Improvement for some
years 10 come