Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-06
Report of Commissioners on Metro
politan Bill.
PROPOSED LOOP at MOUNT PLEASANT
Difficulties on Thirteenth Street
May Be Solved.
FULL TEXT OF THE REPORT

lines or the Metropolitan railroad through
the northern suburbs. from the terminals
of the road at 9th street and Florida ave-
nue. and at 18th street extended and Co
lumbia road. A synopsis of the report was
given in The Star yesterday. From the
report as published today in full it will be
seen that the Commissioners refrain from
recommending either the Sherman avenue
or the 18th street route to Mt. Pleasant to
the exclusion of any other. They recon-
rnended, however, that both the Metropol-
itan and the Capital Traction companies
shall use the loop in Mt. Pleasant and they
suggest that 1t would be better to wait
until one or the other road is ready to ex-
tend its line out 18th or 18th street. the
commissioners considering the latter pre-
ferable.
The Commissioners do not agree with the
Metropolitan company that the engineering
difficulties on Sherman avenue are insur-
mountable.
The report is al follows:
Inc Commissioners have the honor to
make the following report on Senate bill
1866. TO extend the lines of the Metropol-
itan Railroad Company" 1857 ITO author
lze and require the extension of the lines
of the Metropolitan Railroad Company of
the District of Columbia" and BIB, TO
authorize the extension of the Metropol-
itan railroad which is similar in all re-
spects to H. r. bill 1893, having the same
title.
The object of these bills is to extend the
lines of the Metropolitan road to Columbia
Heights and Holmead on the east side of
11tk street. and to Mt. Pleasant, Lanier
Heights and Inglesidc on the west side of
18th street.
Proposed Routes.
The proposed routes may be divided into
three sectors:
(a) From 18th street and Columbia road
northerly to Howard avenue.
(b) From the present northern terminal
of the 9th street line to Lydecker avenue.
tc) The portion crossing 14th street and
connecting the two extensions named
above.
(a) The extension from 18th street and
Columbia road northward will pass through
section but thinly settled at present and
over streets which are not yet opened.
This territory. in course of time, will af
ford an exceedingly valuable route to some
company, and will be of great utility tC the
people of the District at large. not only for
the purpose of accommodating the resi-
dents in these suburbs, but by affordins an
easy and direct means of access to the
Geological and Rock Creek parks. AS the
streets are not yet opened. neither the
Metropolitan nor the Capital Traction Com
pany, each Of which is mentioned ill va
rious bills for this extension, desires to
make the extension within any definite pc
rod of time, owing to the engineering diff
cultieS in passing over unSraded streets
and to the great expense which would be
involved although it is believed that the
right Of way over the unopened streets
could be obtained today without difficulty.
The Commissioners deem it inexpedient to
recommend any franchises so indefinite in
time limit of construction, but think that
the interests of the citizens would be bet
ter served by waiting until one of the COM
panies is ready to proceed at once to ex-
tend its lire along through nth or 1Stn
street, preferably the latter.
Requires Careful Considerations.
(b) This extension of the 9th street line
demands careful consideration as to the
route to be followed. Taking the existing
streets between It'll and 14th Streets be-
cause of the grades, Sherman avenue offers
the only practicable route as far as Irving
street. 1t then becomes question whether
the route should proceed out Sherman ave-
rue or westerly through Irving and Roam
oke streets, 18th street, and then out 18th
street. Sherman avenue as 1t exists at
pre- sent Is a narrow, unpaved street, and
receives a large amount of surface water,
carrying with it detritus, from the inter-
secting streets, which flows down the ave-
nue. Until it Is discharged at Florida ave-
nue.. This fact will make the operation OF
a road along the street difficult and some
what expensive, until Sherman avenue and
the adjoining streets are paved. But the
portion of the street where these conditions
ard Irving street-will have to be used by
either route. 1t is believed that to the
Forth of Irving street, by such simple en-
cir ecring devices as a high crown to the
roadway and sufficiently deep cutters, it
will be entirely practicable to prevent any
very serious inconvenience to the operation
of an underground electric system on Sher-
man avenue.
Sherman Avenue to He Widened.
1t is proposed to widen Sherman avenue
under the highway extension act to a
width of 100 feet, which will afford ample
room for street railway purposes, and in
| the meantime, beyond Irving street, the
presence of tracks on the narrow roadway
would not seriously inconvenience travel
as the street is but little used. Irving and
Roanoke streets are but thirty feet wide
between curbs, while 18th street is
but forty feet. and it is not ex-
pected that these streets Will be
| widened under the highway extension act
| along the proposed route. 18th street Is
also partially built up and now forms a
| handsome residential street. with good
| macadam roadway. With rapid transit
| lines on 14th street and Sherman ave-
nue. it would always be a favorite road for
driving in this portion Of the city.
The Commissioners desire to repeat their
recommendation on former bills, that street
railways should not be put on streets
which have not sufficient width to allow
vchicular traffic we'll as railway lines
! For a double track road fifty feet should be
| the minimum width from curb to curb
| Should it be deemed best to authorize the
| extension of the Metropolitan system
| through Irving, Roanoke and 18th streets
| with a double track, provision should be
| made for giving the increased width OF
| roadway recommended, without expense te
| the District. The same provision should
! be made for Sherman avenue between Flor
| ida avenue and Irving street. AS the rail
| way construction proposed is permanent
| in its nature, 1t should be placed wher
| built in the position best for all future time
| Attention Is invited to the proposed ex-
| tension of Sherman avenue south of Grant
| avenue, and to the great advantage which
| would result from the construction of the
| railway through this extension rather than
| around the sharp angle formed by the in
! tersection Of Florida and Grant avenues
| Owing to the slight amount of travel on
| Sherman avenue beyond Irving street
| (where the top of the hill Is reached) 1t Is
| lot believed to be necessary to widen Sher-
| man avenue at present between Irving
street and Lydecker avenue-should that
| route be decided upon.
Land Must BE Donated.
| The remainder Of the route through Ly-
decker avenue and the Mattingly tract to
| 18th street extended is recommended for
| approval, provided that the necessary land
is donated for street purposes, where the