Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-23
PUBLIC INTERESTS IN VIEW
Brightwood Avenue Citizens Association
Discusses the Local Needs.
Contention Over Street Extension
Widening of BrightwOod Avenue
Under Consideration.

In pursuance of the adjournment last
week a special meeting was held last even
ing by the Brghtwood Avenue Citizens
Association for the purpose of receiving re-
ports of committee chairmen, settlement Of
the question of street extension in that
vicinity and the computation of estimates
of appropriations to be requested of Con-
gre SIS for the coming year. The latter, hav-
ing to be included in the Commissioners
report. were required to be in the Commits
sioners' hands by the list proximo.
President Louis P. Shoemaker was in the
chair, and in the absence of the regular
secretary Mr.. Reeves T. Strickland acted
in that position. The attendance was an
exceedingly large one, numbering about
$50 members. and the proceedings were de-
cidedly interesting. as we'll as al times ex-
citing. After the reports of committee
chairmen had been submitted the question
of street extension was taken UP. DR.. G.
G. Stone started the discussion by present
ing resolution asking that the former ac-
ton of the association recommending 14th
street as the proper street to be extended
be reconsdered. He argued that after two
counts at the last meeting those favoring
18th street over 18th had carried their
point by such a small majority that the
large attendance now present desired to
reopen the question. This precipitated at
once a warm debate. and frequent resort
to parliamentary tactics on the part of
those in favor of 14th street
Forcible speeches were made by Messrs.
c. c. Lancaster Wilton J. Lambert and N.
E. Robinson in favor of 14th street and of
abiding by the former action of the asso-
citation. Upon submission of the question
to the president the latter said as he was
anxious in all these matters to do what
the majority of the association wanted he
desired not to be too technical in his par
liamentary rulings.
Solution Proposed.
motion was then made to lay Dr.
Stones resolution on the table. This was,
however, defeated, and Mr. Lambert moved
that a suggestion made by the president,
to the effect that the whole matter be re-
ferred to a special committee to be COM
posed of three members from those favor
ing 18th and those favcring 14th which
committee should report at a subsequent
meeting, be adopted Mr.. Blair Lee spoke
at length In favor of this solution of the
difficulty and upon vote it was adopted by
the association.
Mr.. Blair Lee then presented a resolution
declaring 1t to be the sense of the associa-
ton and citizens Of that vicinity that
Brightwood avenue be established at a
width of ninety feet and at once properly
macadamiZeG from Florida avenue to the
District line. He spoke at length in sup
port of his resolution, severely criticising
the present condition of the avenue, and
asserting that the Commissioners had the
right under the general plan of the city
made by Gen. Washington to at once
widen the avenue to ninety feet, unless
stopped by a plea of the statute Of limita-
lions, which he did not think any citizen
would interpose. Mr.. Lambert then out
lined to the association what the Commits
sioners proposed to do. The avenue, he
said, would be wdened to sixty feet at
once and macadamiZed to the District line,
with an ultimate view of taking in the
ninety feet. He said he thought the Com
missioners, ana Capt. Beach in particular,
realized the foil gravity of the situation,
and desired to do all in their power with
the means at their command to alleviate
the conditions. He was however, in favor
of having the avenue wide as possible,
and therefore seconded the resolution.
After several speeches in favor of the
resolution 1t was unanimously passed, and
the meeting was thereupon adjourned.