The suburban citizen., 1900-11-03

| NHllVu oldlPs. we would ask an aD-
preparation of a sufficient amount
from Congress to dredge this stream
and reclaim the many acres of fats
or lowland adjacent thereto.
we would again direct your alton
tion to Meridian Hill subdivisions be-
| tween Fifteenth and Eighteenth
streets and south of Columbia road
because of It's great importance to the
general public, to the city and the
district at large We believe that by
| its long-neglected condition the peo-
pie are being required to pay taxes
without receiving any adequate return,
and that it is fast becoming a public
nuisance. Street improvements light.
water and sewerage are all needed
and yet it is on the very edge of the
ola city. The record shows tha. thirty
years ago the original owners donated
a large portion OF their holdings for
what was then considered sufficient
| street facilities and the map was regu-
larly and legally recorded in the sur
veyor's office of the District of Colum-
bia.
RELIEF FOR MERIDIAN NIL OWNERS.
The record also shows that twenty
years ago this established system of
streets was authoritatively changed by
the Commissioners of the District OF
| Columbia, and that a map was placed
on record by them radically affecting
the location of streets, abandoning old
! streets and thereby disturbing a large
area of private property Congress
subsequently by reason of the high
way act again changed the location of
streets and again affected private
property. but the money has never
| been appropriated to carry into effect
any one of these plans; consequently
! public Improvements have not been
established there, and private i'm
proyements of a suitable character
| could not be constructed. Thus it will
be observed that the land owners of
this subdivision have virtually had
their holdings confiscated, while they
have regularly been required to pay
| taxes upon property which could not
be adequately improved by them and
was neglected by the authorities. 1t is
certainly time that some relief should
be afforded these people viii this
Congress act in their behalf or shall
they be required to suffer after thirty
years of oppression? And shall Meri-
dian Hill continue to be a menace to
the district generally and particularly
to those beautiful sections north.
south, east and west of it?
ANY observer of Washington City
will be convinced from the private
improvements which haye been made
in all directions even without ade-
quate public improvements to encour-
age and Justify them that almost un-
limited capital is available to make
the city what it ought to be. We re-
spectfully direct your attention to the
true situation, Notwithstanding the
money which has been expended by
individuals in the vicinity of Bright
wood Tenleytown and beyond East
Washington all with reference to the
city proper that the government has
not as yet during a period Of thirty
years established in any direction a
single avenue of travel over or upon
which the development of the city
can go from the boundary of the old
city to the boundary Of the district
coNNBcrIcUr AVENUE ExTENDED
"The California syndicate purchased
the land extending from the city to
Chevy Chase and in the vicinity of
Tenleytown, donated the land for
Connecticut avenue and to a great ex-
tent graded and regulated it. The
district government has not kept it in
proper repair or properly lighted nor
has that section been adequately pro-
vided with sewerage facilities so that
people can build houses, reside there
and observe sanitary regulations
"The Rock Greek stream has never
been properly bridged by the govern
ment, and but for private enterprise
and the expenditure of the private
funds Of the California syndicate no
adequate means would exist for reach
ing the northwest section over Rock
Creek
"In view of our past experience we
cannot hope that all these necessary
Improvements in behalf Of the tax
payers of the district will be secured
Our burden, however, is becoming
greater that is, the payment of taxes
year after year without adequate pub
lie improvements which would make
private improvements possible and
profitable, The patience Of the land
owners is being exhausted, and those
who are not compelled to abandon
their holdings are disposed almost to
do so, to be relieved Of responsbili-
ties and liabilities.
What is real estate worth if it can
not be improved and made available
and productive Of income? How can
it possibly be made so if the public
functions of the government are not
exercised and the necessary public i'm
proYements established so that private
Improvements can follow. After years
of suffering will Congress afford some
relief?
Can the want of money be any ex-
cuse for not granting these improve
ments, or, at least, some Of them
when it is well-known fact that
funds can be obtained at or per
cent interest, and that the private inn
provements which would follow these
public improvements would so aug
ment the district revenues as would
enable not only the payment of inter-
est, but the repayment Of the prin-
cipal in a reasonable length Of time,
besides adorning the capital city?
The petition was signed by Mr..