Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-07
Columbia Heights Citizens Ask for
Their Establishment.
The COST And METHOD OF PAYMENT
Loop on ourteenth Street Line of
Capital Traction Road.
PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE

l
lumbia Heights Citizens Association was
held last evening, and after transacting
much business an adjournment was taken
| until the first Tuesday in October. The
| question OF establishing public parks in the
| section was discussed at great length. with
| the result that the executive committees
| was Instructed to prepare a bill to be sub
| mtted TO Congress covering the matter.
| The proposed loop Of the Capital Trac-
| ton Company at the Mount Pleasant ter
| minus of the 18th street line was also dis
| cussed, a resolution beng finally adopted
| requesting the District Commissioners 10
| defer action in the matter until Congress
| shall meet.
The attention Of the Commissioners was
| invited To the fact that on the occasion Of
| a recent fire i'm the business section of the
| city every fire engine in tho territory
| bounded by LIST street west and Rock creek,
| street and Brlghtwuod was ordered to
! transfer. leaving The territory without an
! engine company. In view of the large
! number of hospitals. orphan asylums, pub
! lie schools, large Hats and apartment
| houses located within the territory de-
| scriped the Commissioners were requested
| by the ASSOCIATION to issue such orders
| VIII prevent repetition Of The occurrence.
Public Parks.
Mr.. &. =. Bundy, from the committee on
buildings and parks. reported that the COM
mittee had decided TO recommend the es-
| tablishment OF three public parks in the
| section, one at the northwest corner of 18th
! street and Columbia road, one on 18th
| street between Harvard street and Kcne-
| saw avenue, and the third at the intersec-
| ton Of LyGecker and Whitney avenues and
| 1lth street The committee, said MIR.
| Bundy, estimated the cost Of the first men,
toned park at Sl5S,9SS, the land being
valued at 81 per foot; the second at $SI.997,
| the value Of the land being placed at -
| cents a foot, and the third at $ii,5,n, the
value of this land being fixed at 10 cents a
! foot The total cost of the three parks he
! estimated at $50, 49,.
| Mr. Bundy said il seemed to him that in
view of the action of Congress in the ex-
! tension of streets, the District, or the dis
| trict and the people specially benefited,
| must pay for these parks, if they are to
| be established. If Congress should decide
| to set apart the land mentioned for public
| parks. and should decide TO reqsre the
| District to pay one-half the cost thereof,
| $loo,242, and the people interested directly
the other half a special tax of one-eighth
| of one per cent on the property In the sec
| ton, including Meridian Hill and Holmead
| Manor would mean a return of about SlU,-
600 a year which would require fifteen
years TO meet the expense Such a special
tax, he stated, would mean to a man pay
| ing taxes on 5000 year 1923 additional
| to be paid.
Inc COIHulillte report ana the remarks
| of Mr.. Bundy gave rise 10 long discus
| sion, during which it was contended that
| the United States should either bear the
| whole expense for these proposed parks or
| divide the cost thereof equally with the
| District But while this view seemed to
| be an unanimous one, the fear was ex-
| pressed that Congress will take this view
| of the matter, and the subject was finally
referred to the committed with instruc-
| tions TO prepare a bill to be submitted TO
Congress at the coming session, covering
the subject and obtaining the best solution
| possible OF the question of costs. The prop
osition to establish an additional park at
the end of Lamar street Holmead Manor
was referred to the committee, with power
to act in the matter.
Oppose Railway Loop.
After the resolution relative to the fire
engines had been adopted, Mr.. NJ. F.
O'Donoghue submitted a resolution relat-
ing to the loop proposed to be constructed
by the Capital Traction Company, setting
forth in strong language the opposition of
the association to its construction. and re-
guessing the District Commissioners to
defer action in the matter until the meet
ing of Congress.
Mr.. c. NJ. Campbell expressed the opinion
that the resolution was too long, and merely
a rehash of the many points urged against
the loop by the people Of the section and
the association. He said the loop is inde-
fenSible for many reasons, but particularly
for the reason that there is no public de-
mand for the passenger station which the
company proposes 10 erect in the square
bounded by 18th and l4th street and KEN
yon street and Whitney avenue. Ii built,
he said, no one would patronize it, and the
public necessity, which the law specifically
requires, does not exist. The station, he
saio, would set back from nth street about
300 feet, and he claimed that it would fur
nISh merely an excuse for allowing tho
company to completely block three i'm
portant streets and cut across four side
walks with double tracks. Mr.. Campbell
offered a substitute for MIR. ODonoghues
resolution one setting forth the statements
made by the former, and declaring that the
state of facts shown furnishes the Commits
sioners full authority TO reject the proposed
loop, and calling upon them to do so, or, at
least, defer action on the company's appli-
cation until Congress meets, with view TO
opening l4th street TO Spring road, thereby
avoiding any necessity for the loop.
DR.. Il. r Gibbs explaining that he is OPP
posed to the loop said the fact that the
Commissioners object TO the parking of cars
on 14th street gives the company the chance
to make the point that there is a public ne
cessity for the proposed loop. He called at
tenton, did other members, TO the fact
that the attorney for the District has ad-
vised the Commissioners that they are
thorized by law TO grant the application of
the company. provided public necessity and
convenience demand its construction, but
Mr. Leo Simmons, president of the associa-
ton, declared that that opinion is regarded
by the members of the District bar big
joke.
The substitute offered by Mr.. Campbell
was finally adopted. the secretary being di-
rected to So advise the Commissioners.
Length of school Term.
Mr.. O'Donoghue, chairman of the commit
tee On education, announced that he will
endeavor to secure an appropriation for
two public schools in the section, one to
be known as the northern high school, OF,
at least, secure the money for the purchase
of sites for the schools. Mr.. B. P. Davis and
Mr. L. NJ. Saunders supported Mr.. ODono-
ghue in the matter, and upon the motion OF
the former a resolution asking Congress to
provide at least the site in the section for
the high school, the same to cost not less
than $500 600, was adopted.
Calling attention to the extreme heat ex-
listing here this season of the year. Mr..
Campbell moved that the board of public
school trustees be requested TO hereafter
close the schools for the year the LIST Of
June The motion was unanimously adopt
ed.
After the election of Messrs. Thos. c. J.
lo:le 4r ND Z Nav mar her oP