Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-06-21
PROPERTY OWNERS HEARD
Citizens of Suburban Subdivisions Discuss
Street Extension Plans.
A Delegation Calls Upon the Commits
slOnefs Today-An Address by Gen.
Henderson as Spokesman.

A large number OF interested property
owners Of Meridian Hill and the adjoining
subdivisions had hearing before the Com
missioners this morning, with a view Of
having the first section Of the street ex-
tension plans amended.
General Henderson. representing the sew
eral committees Of the several subdivisions
involved. including Meridian Hill and
Lanier Heights was the principal speaker.
He said the citizens interested had formed
some organization for the purpose of max
ing themselves heard before the Commits
sioners of the District and expressed the
hope that 1t was agreeable to them TO
have the matter so presented.
The highway act. passed in 1898, was
very important one, and very revolutionary
in its character. Under this act proceed
ings in some sections haG begun, ana prop
erty holders were complaining of them. He
referred to the various SUBDIVISIONS MADE
before the act OF 1888. and called atten-
ton to the fact that they were laid down
without regard to the city streets. Inc
people of the city, he was afraid, had be-
come too ambitious regarding the appear
ance of the city, and desired TOO much
conformity to the plan to come within the
power and capacity of the people to pay
for them.
The Subdivisions.
Brief reference was made to the pro-
visions of the highway act, regarding the
preparation of the different sections and
their subsequent filing. He said under sec
lions @. 8 and of the act the former board
CT Commissioners laid out forty-seyen sep
arate divisions of the District, within which
condemnation proceedings should take
place. Upon examining the map II "ould
be seen that it was not only Ihe streets
running in north and south direction
which are affected, but there are material
changes in the east and west streets. They
are not only widened in many respects, but
some Of them are changed, picked up and
carried away and abandoned in places.
For instance, he referred to Binney
street, which. according to the map, was
taken up and carried north about the
length Of lot. and entirely removed and
Cancelled as a street, and street is to be
opened on the north side of the lot. This,
in his judgment, was very good. provided
there was money enough to carry II out
He called attention to the fact that in the
Denison and Leighton subdivision $2sil,oUo
of damages had been assessed. How We're
these damages to be paid? Property was
high there, perhaps unnecessarily high, be-
cause Of the spectators. The Commits
sioners could not expect jury of cen
domination to go below what is regarded as
the cash value Of the property.
DfmcuIt of Execution.
1t was General Henderson's judgment the
enough to carry out a plan or scheme as
impracticable and difficult to put into exc
cution as this. If the damages in the sub
division referred to amounted TO so6l .Ooo
what would be the dam ages assessed in
the Meridian Hill, Lanier Heights and
other neighboring subdivisions? He had
made no estimate. but believed it would
cost anywhere from So,0o0,oO0 to S10,00.-
OO0 How are they to be paid? 1t had been
argued by some of the properly owners
that if the assessments were levied in the
shape of benefits uDin the entire city, TAX
ing one subdivision to start with, why the
other subdivisions should have 10 pay their
share of the other assessments.
The question he thought of the greatest
Importance to the people was whether it is
within the range of probabilities for the
people to bear the cost of this immense
work. There was a way out of the diff
Guilty, he thought. 1t was to extend the
principal north and south streets and let
the east and west streets take care of
themselves.
The Necessary Highways.
In conclusion he said If the Commission
ers thought the decision of the Supreme
Court in its construction of the act enabled
them to file new maps, then it would be
wise. he thought, to open up all the great
highways that may be found to be neces-
sary. If the Rock Creek Park was to be
enjoyed, 1t was necessary to open some
highway leading to it, especially 10th
street. He did not blame the Commission
ers for adopting the plans already record
ed They were driven to it by the demand
of the citizens of the old city. They would
only be assessed one-half of the cost while
the owners in the new city would not only
have to stand one-half of that sum, but the
entire othe: half. 1t might be we'll he
thought, to open the entire city to share
of the benefits derived and make them paw
also.