Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-15
Northeast Citizens Association Re-
sumes Its Monthly Meetings.
CRITICISING GRADE CROSSING ORDERS
Discrimination Charged in Appro-
priations for Streets.
o T H E r B U S N E S s

large as 1t probably would have been had
debate on the financial question between
Mckinley and Bryan been announced, so
the presiding officer suggested, several mat
tiers Of Importance were acted upon.
In calling the association to order. Presi-
dent Evan H. Tucker spoke at some length
on the matter of surface railroads within
the District. Several serious accidents, he
said have occurred on the railroads during
the past few weeks. Two men met their
death while walking along the tracks of
the Pennsylvania railroad, and although the
railroad company was not to blame, eX-
planned President Tucker, the fatal acct
dents tended to uphold the contention of the
association that all steam railroad tracks
within the District be elevated. A little
girl continued President Tucker, was badly
injured, and her mother also seriously hurt,
August 15, at the Sd street crossing of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, because suffi-
cent precautions for safety were not in
evidence. The president went on to say
that since the decision OF the court in the
case of Engineer Isaiah Stevens, in May
last, absolutely no law has been in effect
here to compel the railroad companies to
aintain safety gates OR flagmen at grade
crossings
After the reading and approval of the
minutes of the last meeting, the reports of
committees were in order.
Criticised the Order.
Mr.. w. j. Frizzell of the committee on
steam railways stated that in reply to the
request of the association, that a regula-
ton be adopted requiring the railroad COM
panies to station f1agmen at all crossings
at all times. the Commissioners had form
promulgated them as an official order,
which die not make specific mention of
hagmen or watchmen. Mr.. Frizzeu then
read the order, as follows:
any steam railroad tracks with streets,
avenues or roads shall be made safe by the
company owning or operating such roads
by gates and electric bells or other means
and appliances approved by the Commits
sioners of the District of Columbia. Be
tween sunset and sunrise of each day a
headlight or other equivalent rejecting lam
tern, or hand lantern in the hands of an
attendant, to give due warning to persons
near or crossing steam railroad tracks of
the approach of trains, locomotives or
cars, shall be displayed upon the advanc-
Ing end of every train of steam railroad
cars. and of single steam railroad cars and
locomotives not in trains when moving in
the District Of Columbia. 1t shall be I'M
lawful for any pe:son to set in motion, run
or operate any train of railroad cars, sin
gle railroad car or locomotive without the
said display of such lights or lanterns over
any crossing or intersection named herein,
unless the same is guarded by safety gates
as provided
The association, by vote, directed the
committee on steam railways to visit the
Commissioners and urge that the tenor of
the original request of the association on
the subject be complied with.
Charge Discrimination.
Mr.. Fl. H. Martin Of the committee on
streets, avenues and alleys submitted the
following report:
I'm submitting this report we desire to re-
assertsand. If possible, to emphasize and
strengthen the statement which has been
submitted to you in several former reports
to the effect that we believe that in the ap-
portionment of the annual appropriations
for street improvements in the District of
Columbia, that the northeast section has
not received in the past its just dues.
I'VE desire to invite your attention to the
following facts, based upon the appropria-
ton for the current fiscal year: For the
northwest, which. owing to the partially
to 1t In the PAST. is nearly all improved, only
about twelve per cent Of its streets yet re-
naming unpaved. most of which being
streets which have been graded and regu-
lated and are good gravel roads, $45, 600 was
appropriated. For Georgetown. which Is a
likewise, is nearly all improved, $13, 600; and
for the suburbs contiguous to said section
$4,000, making total of $4,000 appro-
prtated for street Improvements in one sec
ton of the District, while the amount for
all other portions of the District is but s05,-
$50; thus, over one and a half times as
much is appropriated for one section as for
all the other sections added together.
But this is not all. There is an appro-
priation Of 100000 for renewals. resurfacing
and repairs to concrete Davements. of
which, judging from previous years, ninety
per cent. or $135,OOO. will be expended in the
northwest, and these renewals and resur-
faced streets are equivalent to new pave
mentS.
Further, there Is an appropriation Of
$4,000 for assessment and permit work,
and from this item the greater portion is
always expended in the northwest and the
suburbs thereof.
Now, comparing this with the northeast
section, which has been so unjustly dis
eliminated against in the past. which Is
evident In view of the fact that about sixty
five per cent of it's streets remain unpaved,
most of which being in state of nature,
never having even been graded, and, though
built up almost solidly on both sides Of the
streets for blocks, the residents do not en-
joy as much as the convenience of a graded
road, with cutters and cross-walks.
We find that Notwithstanding the above,
and the rapid growth of the northeast, as
shown by the last police census, which dis
closes the fact that the largest percentage
of increase in the population of the city
since 1899 was in Northeast Washington,
and from the reports of the assessor, which
show a large increase of the assessed val
uation Of real estate in this section, the
amount appropriated for street improve
ments is but $4,000, and for the large and
thriving suburbs adjacent to this section
not one dollar. So the total amount for the
entire northeast section Is So, 500; less than
one-fourth as much as for the northwest
'Gentlemen. we do not bring these facts
before you for the purpose Of complaining
or undertaking the Importance of any por-
ton of this beautiful city, or because we
object to seeing any portion improved, for
We look upon our city with pride, and
would rejoice in seeing it all improved; but
while 1t is being improved, all we ask is
proper distribution of improvements and
justice to all.
Your committee agrees with the honor
able Commissioners in their established
rule of having a fixed schedule of the
streets to be improved and to be added to
from year to year, rigidly following the list
in their order of improvements, subject to
the amount appropriated by Congress
The committee has the honor to recon-
mend the addition to the schedule of the
following streets for improvement, in the
order named:
10th street. from I to Florida avenue.
grade and macadamiZe; 9Th street. from II
to X street, grade and macadamize: L
street, from 9th to Florida avenue grade
and macadamize; X street, from It'll to 18th
street, grade and maca6amize; CalIan
street. from 9th to 7th street, grade and
macadamize; Sth street, from K street to
Florida avenue, grade and macadamize;
9th street, from K street to Florida avenue
grade and macadamize; 18th street, from
Massachusetts avenue to Maryland ave-
nue., grade and macadamiZe; Delaware ave-
nue., from H street to K street. grade and
macadamized; Sd street. from H to L street