The times., 1899-05-27
THE CAPITAL TRACTION LOOP.
The Columbia Heights Citizens Score
Point.


The citizens of Columbia Heights have
scored a point in their fight before the
District Commissioners to prevent the
construction of a loop by the Capital Trac-
tion Company at Whitney Avenue and
Fourteenth Street.
1t will be recalled that the Commission
ers directed the railway company some
weeks ago to abolish its system of park
ing cars at the terminus of the Four
| teenth Street line. The railway officials
then filed an application to build a loop
on the east side of the terminal The con-
tcmplated loop was to pass along Kenyon
Street distance of several hundred feet
then turn to the northward and pass
| through thirtyfoot tract of land to
Whitney Avenue, one block distant, and
continue along the latter avenue to the
starting point in Fourteenth Street. 1t
was also the intention of the railway COM
pany to build passenger shed over the
connecting link running between Kenyon
Street and Whitney Avenue, and stop all
cars there before sending them downtown
again. In this manner it was expected to
obviate the parking of cars and to re-
lieve congested traffic conditions in Four
teenth Street.
When the residents of Kenyon Street
were informed, through the columns of
the daily press, that a loop was contem-
plated and that tracks would probably be
laid III their street, numerous protests
were sent to the Commissioners Promi-
nent residents of Mount Pleasant visited
the District Building and filed verbal pro-
tests with the Engineer Commissioner.
A hearing was then held, and twenty or
thirty representative citizens appeared,
some of them representing other residents
by proxy. They opposed the granting of
permit for the construction of the loop.
! II was maintained that tracks in Kenyon
| Street would cause the value of property
/ to depreciate that the lives of pedestrians
would be endangered, and that traffic con-
ditions in Fourteenth Street would not be
relieved TO any appreciable extent. A ma
| jority of the citizens inclined to the be-
! lief that the present passenger station and
car-shed at the head of Fourteenth Street,
which is on the west side of that thorough
! fare could be remodeled SO that a loop
may be built through it, and many ex-
/ pressed themselves in favor of such an
improvement.
| The Commissioners took the matter
| under adyisement, and, after almost a
weeks consideration decided to confer with
| the railway officials. in view of the strong
opposition of property owners. before
granting permit. In a letter addressed to
| G. T. Dunlop, President OF the railway,
| DR.. Tindall, Secretary to the Board of
J District Commissioners. expressed their
position in the controversy as follows:
! In reply to your letter of April IS. requesting
| permission TO construct a single track in Ken
| yon Street, from Fourteenth Street to property
owned by the company through said property TO
| Whitney Avenue, and thence along Whitney
Avenue to Fourteenth Street, the Commissioners
desire to enquire if some better and more salts
factory means of avoiding the parking of cars in
Fourteenth Street cannot be devised by your
| company.
As you doubtless aware the proposed plan
meets with the objection of the citizens generally
| in that section of the city, and the Commits
sioners are of the opinion that which would
be more conducive 10 the general interests of the
public than the proposed by YOU could be
devised, and therefore they make the above en-
quiry.