Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-02
CO l. U M BIA FIGHTS
The Citizens Association Talks About
Grade of Thirteenth Street
Lively Discussion Which Brought Out
Differing Views-Mrs. Logan's In
terests I'm the Street.

1
| last evening" in st. Stephens Parish Hall,
a lively discussion took place respecting
| the 18th street hill, from Boundary to
| Clifton streets. No motion was made in
| the matter, however, and an adjournment
| Of the association cut short what, at one
| time threatened to develop into a heated
| argument.
The president of the association, Mr. M
| A. Ballinger. resident and owner of land
| on Clifton near 18th street, called the at
| tent!on OF the association to the efforts
made by it to have 18th street asphalted,
and the hill between Boundary and Clifton
streets paved with blocks, stating that the
secretary. Mr.. George Simmons, was cir
culating petition. which had been signed
| by Senator Sherman and other property
owners in Columbia Heights, requesting
| the Commissioners Of the District to grade
the street. That being done, explained
President Ballinger, the property owners
would agree to lay the curbing and pave
| the cutters themselves. He recommended
| that all property owners in Columbia
Heights SO agree, stating that in SO doing
| penses which would have to be met later
on.
Cutting Down Thirteenth Street.
Just then Mr.. c. M. Campbell remarked
| that before anything else was done he
| begged to suggest that 1t would be well
for the association to first have the hill
| on 18th street between Boundary and
| Clifton cut down, that the very steep
grade 1t presents might be corrected. In
| his opinion, he said, and In the opinion of
| not a few well informed real estate deal
| ers. the steep grade of the mill retarded
| the growth and development of Columbia
| Heights. The failure to correct the grade
years year ago. asserted Mr.. Campbell, had
| Logan, who resided then, as she does now,
at 18th and Clifton streets. Years ago.
| said Mr.. Campbell, Congress appropriated
| sum for the proper grading of the hill,
| but, through the influence of Mrs. Logan,
and because of her opposition. the work
was never done, and the money appro-
| priated was turned back into the United
States treasury. Senator Sherman, he had
been told. desired the hill cut down, but
did not wish to oppose Mrs. Loganis
mans agent. Mr.. Paul, had remarked,
said Mr.. Campbell, that he was surprised
| that the Columbia Heights Citizens Asso-
citation had not long ago demanded the
explained also that he had been Informed
| that the District Commissioners proposed
to climb the hill by an S-shaped road. to
| build which land would have to be ac-
| quired at a cost of 100000. While he per-
| sonally held Mrs. Logan in high esteem,
| Mr.. Campbell remarked that he did not be-
! lieve in permitting her personal wishes to
stand in the way of a great and badly
reeded public improvement.
Antnsonf.ing Citizens.
| President Ballinger stated that not only
| had the association requested that the hill
| be paved and 18th street asphalted, but go
| had Senator Sherman and Mr.. Paul or
| course, If the association now wished 10 do
| as Mr. Campbell suggested it could, but he
| wished to say that in SO doing it would an
| tagonize eXtens|ve property owners on 18th
| and Clifton streets. He frankly confessed
that among them he would be included, but
| he thought it unwise to disturb the grade of
| those streets, especially the District
| Commissioners proposed to correct the
| grade of the hill by raising 18th street from
! Nevertheless, Mr.. Campbell insisted that
| the hill practically impa ssable, AMI
that the plan mentioned by Mr.. Bailinger
| would prove too expensive and would not
be feasible. The cutting down of the hill
| would greatly enhance the value of Co
| lumbia Heights property, he thought and,
| besides, Commissioner Powell agreed with
| him that the hill should be cut down.
| For and Against.
| Capt. Patrick O'Ferrall agreed with Mr..
Campbell that the grade should be cor
rected. and he said it was true that Mrs
! Logan's opposition and influence had pre-
| vented 1t years ago, and had turned the
| money appropriated for cutting the hill
down back into the treasury. At that time
| only Mrs. Logan opposed it, but now she
| would be joined by others having great in
| f1uence, and the advocacy by the associa-
| ton of the cutting down of the hill would
| cause it to lose the support i'll other direc-
| tons of such influence.
| Mr.. Campbell characterized Capt. O'F'er-
| rails ideas as narrow ard illogical remark
| ing that If such ideas had prevailed during
| the time Gov. Shepherd was engaged in the
| work of improving Washington, the city
would never have been what 1t is today.
| Mr.. Campbell repeated the statement that
| Commissioner Powell is in favor of cutting
18th street hill down, but admitted, when
| questioned by President Ballinger, that the
| Commissioner had placed himself on record
| as favoring the S-shaped ascent of the hill
| Capt. O'Ferrall again stated that he be-
| lieved the cutting down of the hill would be
| beneficial to Columbia Heights, but such a
| thing could not be accomplished, because
| now there was no Aleck Shepherd and a
| President like Grant to back him up.
President Ballinger remarked that the
movement to cat down the hill would re-
| suit in securing an united opposition to it
| on the part of the property owners in the
| neighborhood, whose property would De
greatly damaged by such radical aliera-
| ton of grade. He regretted that the dis
| cusson had arisen. believing it to be
| wise, and he asserted that If 1t should be
continued it would hopelessly split the as
| ISOLATION. Years ago, he admitted, the
| work of cuttirg down the hill could have
been done. but not having then been re-
| moved. 1t was now too late to remove the
| HILL He denied that the present grade wss
| clared that very many drivers preferred 1t
! to 18th street. He had counted as many as
| 800 carriages using 18th street hill in a
| single day, and their occupants, as the
| brow of the hill was reached would stop
| their teams to enjoy the grand view. 1t
| would therefore. be just neither to prop
| erty owners nor to the public to make such
| a view impossible by removing the hill.
Mr.. Campbell replied that, with ali due
! respect to him, Mr.. Ballinger's position
was founded personal and selfish mo-
tives. AS he had before remarked. similar
| objections had been advanced against the
plans of Gov Shepherd. but the arguments
| did not prevail, and now all the people of
| the District congratulated themselves that
| they did not, and that they were given
| such a man.
| Mr.. Jefreys thought the matter should
| be dropped. the agitation of 1t would.
| in his opinion. seriously injure the best in
| terests of the association and of the Sec
| ton 1t represented.
| Other QuestiOns.
The matter was then dropped and the
| association adjourned. But previous to the
| discussion on the cutting down of the hill,
| Mr.. John r. Gisburne, from the committee
on the establishment of street railway
| mail service, reported that he had gathered
| in recent conference with Postmaster
| hat he