Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-31
A Reply to Mr.. Ballinger.
E Editor Of The Evening Star:

:
The dictum Of Mr.. M. A. Ballinger Of
1908 Clifton street, published in Saturdays
Star. in which he voices so authoritatively
the views of the citizens of Columbia
Heights. Mount Pleasant Meridian Hill
and Lanier Heights, makes uncommonly
applicable the casual reply Of Job to the
we'rdy wisdom Of one of his comforters-
No doubt but ye are the people, and wis.,
dom shall die with YOU"
:, should be sorry to believe that Mr.. Bal
nnSer represents any one save himself In
sions he has so prolifcally favored a suf-
Ier1ng people with of late, for, drained Of
Its verbal dilution. the residuum is so es-
sentially selfish that I should with reluc-
sympathizers.
Mr.. Ballinger resides within one SQUARE
OF the llth street car line. He is reason
ABLY well provided with rapid transit IA
gress will grant franchise to the Metro
rolitan railroad to run through Mount
Pleasant, and, incidentally, within a few
steps OF his residence. he opposes and
Will oppose the granting of any transit IA
cfities whatever to the unfortunate deni-
zens of Mount Pleasant and its vicinity
1t may be well to briefly state the actual
conditions confronting those of US who re-
side In these particular suburbs. At pres
ent we are totally without railroad facil-
tiles west Of 14th street and north and east
Of 18th street and Columbia road.
The Capital Traction Company is anxious,
not, take 1t fer granted, for the benefit of
the dear public, to build Immediately an
extension to its 14th street line to 18th
street and Howard avenue. affortling us a
very considerable relief This territory is
now directly tributary to the Capital Trac-
ton Company. The Metropolitan company
comes In with a proposition to extend its
Urn street line. running over 18th street for
a major part Of the way, a route opposed
he
residing on that street, to Lydecker ave-
hue. From that point 1t asks the right to
run either over the loop asked for by the
Capital Traction Company or over a double
track on Howard avenue to Piney Branch
road, not at this time, but at some indefln-
lite future date, when a street shall be
opened and graded through the Mattingly
tract, which lies between 18th and 14th
streets.
Now Mr.. Ballnger asserts that he has
the written permission for a right of way
through this tract for the tracks of the
Metropolitan railroad, but notwithstanding
this fact the Metropolitan company does
not propose in its bill to avail itself of this
right until this street is opened and graded.
Inasmuch as the Commissioners have no
authority for, and as far as am advised,
no intention of asking Congress for, its
opening, this simply means request for
dormant franchise.
The only excuse for injecting the Metro
politan system into Mt. Pleasant would be
to provide a cross-town road between the
existing northern termini Of the 9th street
and the F street lines, and Congress should
either require the Metropolitan company to
build such a road Immediately or refuse It
any extension beyond 18th and Lydecker
avenue. No dormant privileges should be
granted whatever.
If Congress is not willing to compel this
then 1t is to be hoped that 1t will not be
tempted to drop the matter altogether by
reason Of the pickering of rival railroad in
terests, but will allow the road that will
build at once 10 go ahead. Speaking for
myself alone / pray that this may be done
and done quickly lest Mr.. Ballinger dis
cover that 1t be to his interest for Mt
Pleasant to wait until the Anacostia rail.
road is granted a franchise to run past
18th and Clifton streets.
January 81, $685. FRANK B. MOVES.