Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-03
First Section of the Commissioners
Plan Approved.
THE HIGHWAY COMMISSIONS ACTION
Some Few Exceptions to the Rec
concentrations Made.
TO BE PLACED ON FILE

The first section of the street extension
plan was finally approved by the highway
commission today. Within the next two
weeks It will be placed on file with the
District assessor. No changes can now be
made in the map. The action of the high
way commission makes it final. and the
only recourse affected property owners
have is either by the courts or through
special legislation of Congress
Yesterday afternoon Secretary Lamont
gave notice of meeting to finally consider
the first section. The meeting was called
for 1880 am. today. and promptly at that
hour Secretaries Lamont and Smith, who.
with Gen. Craighill, form tine highway
commission, met in Secretary Lamont's
private office. Capt. G. ]. Fiebeger, the
secretary of the Commission, was also pres
ent.
Ever since the completion of the public
hearings, the individual members of the
commission have been carefully studying
the situation. When the meeting was call
ed to order this morning the commission
was ready to take final action.
One by one the amendments offered by
the Commissioners to their original plans
were taken up and discussed. The wis
dom of the changes were commented upon
and all of them unanimously adopted and
Incorporated into the plans.
Briefly speaking. the plans of the first
section as proposed and recommended by
the Commissioners of the District Of CO.
lLmbia have been approved, with the fol-
~owing exceptions:
Changes Made.
Crescent and Prospect streets, Meridian
Hill. will retain their present lines, except
that they will be widened. The advantage
to be derived frcm Strengthening these
streets did not seem to warrant the expense
involved.
1t will be recalled in this connection,
there was considerable opposition to the
plans of the Commissioners on the part of
the property owners
The width of Spring street boulevard was
changed. That Is, 1t was narrowed fcrty
feet, and will be 16O feet wide on the new
plans instead Of 200 feet wide, as proposed
and recommended by the Commissioners.
The highway commission, in commenting
upon this change through Capt Fiebeger
said 1t did not feel warranted. under the
highway act, to Improve any avenues of
greater widths than 100 feet. The commits
sion. however favors action by Congress
increasing this width to that proposed by
the Commissioners.
Case of Connecticut Avenue.
Perhaps the most important recomm ,ntla-
ton of the commission was that relating to
Connecticut avenue. Capt. Fiebeger, speak
ing for the highway commission, said in
this connection:
1.-The highway commission is in favor of
the straight extension Of Connecticut ave-
nue.. but decided that under the law it was
rot warranted in changing the Connecticut
Heights subdivisions. which had already
obtained the sanction of the District Com
miss oners. and were made under the act
of lSSI-1SSS.'
These were all the changes made by the
highway commission, except those made in
o,>1a v1yifh hn q oY11nn 6Ynan fo M q
Commissioners of the District, which have
been published from time to time in The
Star. These amendments, as already
stated, were accepted by the highway COM
mission. AS soon as these changes can be
incorporated in the maps submitted by the
District Commissioners the maps will be
returned to the latter, and then be filed
with the surveyor of the District. The
apply 10 the courts for condemnation pro-
ceedings in such cases as they deem neces-
sary.
The Law as to the Map.
The law touching the filing of the map
reads:
THAT within thirty days after any such
nap shall have been recorded as aforesaid
which shall alter any highway or highways
in any then existing subdivision in the area
included in such map. or which shall dis
pense with any highway or highways, or
any part tnereo1, IN any sucn supdlViSioii'
the Commissioners of the District of Co
lun,bia shall make application to the Su-
preme Court of the District of Columbia,
holding a special term as a district court
of the United States by written petition,
praying the condemnation of a permanent
right of way for the public over all the land
lying within the limits of such subdivision
not already owned by the United States or
the District of Columbia dedicated to
public use as highway which shall be in
clI1ded within the highways or reservations
laid out by the Commissioners and indi-
Gated on such map. Upon the filing of such
petition the said court in special term shall
proceed to condemn a permanent right OF
way for the public over said land In the
manner hereinafter provided" r-.-