Evening star., 1900-10-15
MUNfCFPAt NEEDS
A. Petition PresYteac toethes Com
/. i lnissioTUs'
1iPRoVEHEnh 5tsIRlBLE'
Public Work Has N8St Kept Pace
With Private EBbterpfise.
SPECIFIC CATIONS GIVEN
SPECIFIC A AF1S16Gs IS GIVEN

Citizens Association It's president, Mr..
Louis P., Shoemaker Was empowered and
directed to present to the District Comm1s-
sIoners the needs OF thy municipality in
certain lines. Mr.. Shoemaker associated
with him certain citizens. and today pre-
sented at hearing granted by the Com
nissioners, for that purpose petition set
ting forth those needs, The petition was
signed by Mr.. Shoemaker b. II. Warner
Albert F. Fox. Myron M. Parker,,Thos. E.
Waggaman, S. W. Woodward, Edw. }.
Stellwagen, John Cafhmack, E.. B.. Town
send Wilton j. Lambert. w. S. Knox, Chas.
c. Glover and others. After asserting that.
though the signers are largely interested in
real estate, they are not interested by per-
sonal motives, but a desire to ADVANCE the
general welfare and the Improvement of the
national capital, the petition says:
Subdivision Streets UnimprOved.
I'VE observe after, subdivisions of land
have been made and the owners have do
mated large portions of their holdings for
streets and avenues upon scale commen-
surate with our city. not demanded else
where the, width and direction of which
have been dictated by Congress-. that no
adequate appropriation of public funds can
be secured to improve them. They are lett
in neglected and dangerous condition. even
after private improvements have been made
and evidence furnished of willingness to
| construct houses for immediate occupation.
and. in addition to this. gas mains, water
mains, fOotwayS and other public improve
mentS cannot be secured.
Contrast Meridian Hill and Lanier
Heights, where these public improvements
! have not been provided-lncated just north
of the city, through which 18th street ex-
tendS-with Washington Heights imme-
d1ateiy on the west. and Columbia Heights.
Immediately on the east, and even Mount
Pleasant, more remote from the city OBJ
serve Petworth. Brightwood Park and other
SUBDIVISIONS, where undoubtedly many pr-
Vate improvements would be made IL these
public necessities could be secured. as evil
denced by the houses already constructed
without them and for which the people are
suffering. p, .-s 80 -
Rock Creek Park.
Observe the fact that Rock Creek Park,
which cost more than 81, 600 600 ten years
ago, half of which the taxpayers of the
District were required to pay, notwith-
standing that the act of Congress declared
1t to be pleasure ground for the benefit
OF the people of the United States and the
title to the land was taken In the name OF
the United States. yet it remains unim-
proved and to great 'eytent inaccessible
10 the people as a pleasure resort while
pleasure grounds and places of recrea ion
are being established beyond the District
thereby requiring oaEv People to assume ex-.
pense and risk on crowded cars to maze
improvements in thesstate of Maryland and
thereby augment Maryland revenues we
refer to Chevy Chase lake, Cabin John
Bridge: Glen E.cho-,s WildHosd and other
much-frequented resorts We feel that. as
Congress has declared this park to- be for
the pleasure OF the people. now after ten
years of waiting anf epportunity, shouId no
afforded them to enjoy it.
we beileve the several large substantial
stone buildings within the park cou.d. with
snent s,a eapsfass, pe ADAPTED tp the uses Of the
I to pfDTfde niasiei ard affier pffjt,errt rae,,
lated entertainments for, visitors. ana f7,Ss=
ther. that suitable Means of ingress and
eeress could be established with moderate
expense.
1--WE remember that very small aInpro-
priatfOn was made1for' few driveways and
that the money has been very iudiciouslv
expended by Captain Beach and his asso-
GATES While this is slight advantage to
the wealthy and for those who can afford
conveyances, 1t has not and viii not AFFORD
the desired advantages for the benefit of
the public generally.
BrightwOod Avenue.
we realize the fact that in all the years
since establishment of the United States
government here i'm 1890 there has not been
provided single public highway except
Brightwood avenue, leading from Florida
avenue to the District line, over which the
development Of the city can go from North
Park on the west. where 18th street ought
to be located for the necessities of the
travelling public and in order as well to
make Rock Creek Park somewhat accessi-
ble This great avenue Of travel. with a
double-track electric car line upon it. Is
now insufficiently lighted Travel upon it is
concentrated TO the point of danger For
want or adequate appropriation of money
1t has been for almost three years allowed
to remain in neglected condition. and
only portion of it is at this time ayaila-
Die for trayeLa.We ask that the work of
repairing be finished; that it be lighted
with electricity, and that payements for
pedestrians be provided. The Piney Branch
or lith street road hasHbeen Virtually aban-
doned On the street extension plan.
We urge that as we have now, after
several years of effort on the part OF our
citizens committees. assisted by the Com
mdssioners. secured appropriation to
condemn and also the donation of a great
extent of land necessary for the extension
OF 10Th street, that ar appropriation should
be made at the coming session of Congress
to grade and regulate this important high
way, s<-s. 49, .---S
I'VE observe that rows of brick houses.
large apartment houses and private i'm
provements of an important character have
been constructed along the line of 18th and
14th streets as far the, work of the mil
mcipality has been carried. showing con-
clusively the public necessity which exists
for opening, grading and regulating both
18th and 14th streets By sufficient appro-
pr1atlon at the next session OF Congress
not only to allow Washington city to go
on in its proper development and improve
ment.. and without which public action of
Congress private Improvements cannot be
made. but to relieve Brightwood avenue
and enable the immense number of We
hicles from Maryland and the northern part
of the District to reach the city in safety.
The Easteen Aranch.
I'VE are reminded of 1heIdeplorable con-
dtion in which the Eastern branch has been
allowed to remai in fdSr' 50 many years. The
health officers repag3s SHOW conclusiveiy
that its malarial Influences are spreading
over the entire city and particularly az
fecting the eastern seeti6n, endangering the
health Of the faxpayars the officials nf the
government. the members OF Congress and
the President II thy. United States. We
would ask an appropriation of a sufficient
amount from CoIgIass to dredge this
stream and reclaim the many acres Of flats
or low land adjacent thereto.
I'VE would again direct your, attention to
Meridian Hill Subdivisions between 18th and
18th streets and south of Columbia road,
because of it's great fInnprfance to the gen
eTai public. to the city ann the District at
large We believe that tyrfts long-neglect-
ed conditien tfe people are being required
tx,in