Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-29
ANNUAL REPORTS
Board of Trade Committees on Mat
tiers of Nom INT.
STREETS, AVENUES and BRIDGES
Comment Upon Repeal of Parts
of Highway Act.
THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL

The committees on streets and avenues
end on bridges of the Washington board of
trade. in their respective annual reports to
the president Of that organiza ton, common;
interestingly upon matters of moment in
the District. The committee on BRIGGS re-
ports in particular that 1t has secured the
enthusiastic Endorsement of the Grand
Army Of the Republic of the proposed ma
tional memorial bridge which 1t Is hoped
Will some day span the Potomac between
this city and Arlington.
The chairman of the committee on streets
and avenues is Mr.. Myron NJ. Parker, and
the report is as follows:
Probably the most important after of
legislation passed during the present year
affecting the interests of the people OF he
District of Columbia was the repeal by
Congress of that portion of the highway
act relating to suburban subdivisions of
property existing and established PRIOR to
the passage of that act (Aarch =, 1883.
Al the last annual meeting OF ms BOARD
the committee on streets and avenues
recommended that the highway act should
receive such remedial legislation as would
enable it to be speedily carried out. 1t
was very desirable that the changes con-
templated in the courses and width of the
streets and avenues, shown by the maps
OF the sections prepared by the Commits
siOners of the District, should be made
provided this could be speedily done; but it
became evident that the delay that had al
ready occurred in executing this act had
worked great hardshIps to the owners of
real estate affected by these proposed
changes i'm existing subdivisions. and that
unless remedial legislation could be speed
lily had, it would he more desirable that the
act should lie repealed than that the hard
ships ccCasiOued should be longer con-
tiuued.
Every effort was made by this board to
have Congress so amend or repeal the OBJ
JectiOnable features of the act. so that its
main features could be carried out as orig
tpally contemplated. With this end in view
d bill was prepared with great care by
special committee Of this board consisting
OF X Ross Perry, A 5. Worthington, Vim.
I. Mattingly. Joseph Paul, James B.
Winner. A. T. Britton and Chaplin Brown
which bill after receiving the approval of
this board and OF the honorable Commits
stoners of the District of Columbia. was in
PRODUCED into both houses of Congress. In
Its place, however. was finally passed the
act of June ~, 1888 This act as passed re-
peals those sections of the original high
way act which provided for the extension
and the widening of the streets and ave-
nues in the existing and established sub
Urban subdivisions in section l. etc.
An Injustfce Cited.
The report. continuing declares:
While il is TO be regretted that the orig
iuai highway act could not have been car
lied cut in all its beneficial features, as
contemplated. yet it is universally admit
ted. and this board has uniformly con-
tended. that unless the general govern
ment should bear one-half Of the expenses
Of the execution of this act. including the
pavement Of UEe-halC Of the land taken for
streets and the Improvement Of the same
u would be unjust to the people of the Dis
Trict to place the burden ot this great ex-
pense upon them alone
During the past year Congress has pro-
Vided for the opening and extension of two
important highways, namely, Cathedral
avenue al the southwestern corner of the
geological Park, and Connecticut avenue
extended northwardly to Rock creek. The
land necessary for the extension of Con-
IectiCut avenue vas acquired partly through
condemnation proceedings and the balance
by negotiations and private purchase. APP
preparations for all land so taken has been
made by Congress"
Report on Bridges.
The report of the committee on bridges
is submitted by Chairman p Ross Perry,
and is one of the most interesting made TO
the board Of trade. 1t is as follows
The committee on bridges has to report
that 1t has not been able during the past
year TO secure any appropriation from Con-
gress for the purpose of erecting a memoir
iaI bridge. This bridge has been repeated
ly recommended by different Secretaries Of
War and is it is believed, universally ia
yored- The only objection to the building
OF IL has been the decreased revenue of the
government for the past few years. As,
however. this reason no longer exists, il is
hoped that during the coming session of
Congress an appropriation will be made
which Will constitute first step in the ac-
complishment of this most desirable public
Improvement.
1t is proper to say that through the eff
forts of Mr.. Frank Hume of this commit
tee. an enthusiastic Endorsement of this ma
tlonal memorial bridge has been made by
the Grand Army of the Republic.
Engineer Commisrioner's Statement.
with respect to other work upon bridges
the committee has to report that through
its chairman it addressed a letter to the
Engineer Commissioner and received the
following detailed communication from
him.
The appropriation of sJOGOO made by
Congress for the Massachusetts avenue
bridge and Connecticut avenue bridge
across Rock creek is for the preparation