The times., 1899-06-29
LOOP WILL NOT Be BUILT
A Decision Against the Capital
Traction Company.
The District Commissioners Deter
mine That No Railway Tracks May
BE Lnid on Kenyon Street and
whitney Avenue Mount Pleasant
and Columbia Heights Citizens Win

The application filed by the Capital
Traction Company some months ago for
permission TO construct a loop at the
northern terminus of the Fourteenth
Street line will be denied by the District
Commissioners. This decision was reached
yesterday, and with the advice and con-
sent of his associates Captain Beach, the
District Engineer Commissioner, will pre-
pare a letter informing the officials of
the railroad company that permit for the
proposed terminal change cannot be grant
ed.
Two reasons will be given for this ac-
tion. First, it viii be maintained that
the exigency which existed some months
ago. requiring some arrangement where
by the head of Fourteenth Street would
not be blocked by cars, does not exist Low,
because the cars are run on a better
schedule. In the second place, it will be
maintained in the letter of the Commits
sioners that Congress has already shown
a disposition to legislate in regard to the
terminals of the Capital Traction Com
pany, and that for this reason the Com
missioners do not wish to forestall what
gard or embarrass that body in any action
il may desire TO take. which would cer-
tainIy be the case If the Commissioners
should authorize the construction of the
loop.
The decision of the Commissioners de-
termines a question which has been agi-
tating the residents and property owners
of Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights
for many months, causing them to address
fod 20 fQr11F fGCl lDTls
against the proposition. The people of these
sections were almost, If not quite, unani-
mously opposed TO the scheme from the
very beginning, and it is due largely to
the vigorous stand taken by them that
the Commissioners have considered the
matter so thoroughly and reached the con-
clusion they have in the matter.
The question of the loop grew out of the
agitation against the parking of street cars
at the head of Fourteenth Street There
is much travel in the vicinity and it was
maintained that the large number of cars
which usually stood in the street congest-
ed traffic When il seemed that the Com
missioners were about TO urge the rail-
way company to better its traffic facili-
ties at the northern terminus of the line,
that company prepared the well known
loop proposition. This contemplated the
installation of a loop which would carry
the Fourteenth Street cars from that
street into Kenyon Street. 10 a thirty
foot tract On the north side OF the street
and several hundred feet east of Four
teenth Street Then it would continue
through a proposed shed which was to be
erected on this tract. TO Whitney Avenue,
one block north, thence westward on Whit
ney Avenue TO the corner of Fourteenth
Street, where it would connect with the
main line II was maintained that under
the law the railway company could erect
a passenger shed on the thirty-foot tract
of land mentioned, on the ground that
such shed was necessitated by the business
of the road. II was also maintained that,
with the shed once erected. there was no
reason why it could not be connected with
the Fourteenth Street tracks in such
manner as 10 permit the formation of
loop.
The property-owners denied the right OF
the railway company either to erect the
passenger station or to build the loop. and
argued that the laying of tracks would not
only deface Kenyon Street, but also affect
the value of their property. A public hear
ing was held at the District Building about
a month ago and the proposition of the
railroad company was vigorously opposed.
Since the hearing the matter has been un-
der advisement. resulting in the action
agreed upon Yesterday