Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-07
AN L STREET PROTEST
Many Property Owners 0bje OF to Railroa
Tracks There
They Say the Street is Too Narrow
and That No Public Need for
the Line Exists.

A protest from owners of property along
L street against the running of the Belt
line tracks along that street has been filed
with the House District committee and
with Senator Aldrich, chairman Of the Sc
lect committee on corporations IN the Dis
trict Of Columbia Among the signers of
the protest are Henry A. Willard, D. Laugh
ran. W. 1. Sibley, F. j. Lewis. James NJ
Green. Chas. Worthington, B. w. Frazier,
o. L. Pitney, w. ]. Morris, Raleigh Sher-
man. P. E. Dye. r. X. Helphsnstine, Mrs.
and Miss Lehman. Mrs. n. H. Cartier, c.
II. Hendley, z. C. Dufieid. W. H. Trescot,
Fred Scoutta, Isabella Higgins, Thos. M.
Gale. Edward J. Stellwagen, Mrs. Carey
Gwynne, Miss NJ. E. Patterson, FRANK N.
Carver, Mrs. H. 3. Coolidge Helen E
Coolidge, Patrick Diggins W. Crossfisld,
r. ]. Corcoran, l.. ]. Grieb, A. Erull, c.
Albert White, Walter c. Johnson. II. B.
son, F. V. Marshall. Franci. Miller, ]. p.
Morgan, A. G. Herrick, NJ. F. Morris. L. d.
Adm, George E. Emmons. r. r. Shippen,
J. L. Hodge, L. L. Hodge. l.. C. Graham,
Mrs. II. N. Wadsworth, Mrs. NJ L. Norton,
A. N. Adams. H Clay Stewart and w. +.
Downey.
No Necessity for the Line.
The petition says that the owners OF
property on l. street and vicinity north
west this city, whose signatures appear.
most respectfully protest against the grant
ing Of a street railroad franchise on L stree,
to the Belt Line Railway Company. or to
any other railway company, existing Oh
proposed. The petitioners say that they dc
not ask that their interests or comfort be
considered at the expense of the public
rights and necessities, but make this pro-
test specifically upon the ground that now
there IS no public exigency which re-
quires that their interests should be sac
rlfCed. TheY assert that the nf
the demand is only on the part Of the cor
porations which are seeking to pre-empt
territory in the northwest, and incidentally
to abandon Improbable territory and
ITO give up narrow street such as L
street, the petition says ito a single or
double track amounts practically to de-
stroying the street for residential purposes
and thereby greatly depreciating the value
Of property
The Street Too Narrow.
"The street is so narrow that there would
not be room to back up a wagon to the
curb without it's having to move every
time a car passed. Then the next step
would be, as now proposed on G street, to
take the parking away and widen the road
way. That Is to say: First. give the road
the rom 1t wants; then proceed to make
room for the general public-if that be pos
sfble. There is large distributing water
main on l. street. 1t would be directly I'M
der one of the tracks. In case of a break
(as Is not infrequeED repairs would be
most costly. Should not that fact be con-
sidered? II any cross-town line Is needed
we assert, with poSitiveness, that 1t is not
needed SO far south as l. street. The Belt
line already occupies . and streets for
more than half mile east from IL tn street
Why should not any extension that is to
be granted be allowed westwardly on p
street from 11th? That would be about the
center of the territory now occupied. An
extension OF the Belt line west from 1lth
street on p street would afford much-need-
ed transportation for the residents Of a
large part of the northwest section to and
from the market houses situated at 7th
and and on street between 14th and
18th streets.
These are considerations of great i'm
portance' when taking into account the
public benefit 1t Is a case of the greatest
good to the greatest number, and the propo-
sition should be viewed upon that basis"
1t Is further suggested that the proper
source Tor such an application to come
from Is the people for whose benefit and
convenience Ii is alleged to be asked.
This Is followed by an earnest protest,
signed by those whose names are given
above and by others, against the tracks
being put on L street
As evidenced by their protest, the prop
erty owners on l. street are much stirred
up over the proposal to permit the occu-
pancy OF the street by the Belt line, es-
pecially so as the Belt line is in the hands
OF the men generally regarded as striving
to introduce the trolley system. One of
the signers of the petition said to Star
reporter: 1T Is stated that the House Dis
bill favorably. No hearing was granted the
property owners, though one was promised.
1t Is feared that the bill will be railroaded
through the House"