The Washington times., 1901-11-27
IMPROVEMENT OF
WILLOW TREE ALLEY.
CITIZENS WANT 1T MADE A STREET
A Crooked, Unpaycd ThorOuGhfnrc,
and Muddy in Had Weather.
TenIeytovyn Car Service
Reopcning IA Police Case.

Residents of Willow Tree Alley are
tired of the designation of the thorough
fare on which they live. and have renewed
their request to the District Commission
ers to have the name changed. They have
sent in petition. numerously signed, ask
ing that the alley be declared a half
street and that it be improved as such.
Willow Tree Alley runs from B Street.
between New Jersey Avenue and First
Street. with width of thirty-fve feet
about two-thirds of the way through the
block, and continues as a twelve-foot
alley to c Street A turn is made of
thirty-fve feet. and then another turn
brings the alley out into C Street. 4
twenty foot alley runs from this princi-
pal alley to Street.
The Main Alley Unpnved.
1t appears from reports submitted to the
Commissioners that the main alley is
unpaved for two-thirds of its width on
the B Street side, while the other one
third is paved with asphalt block. The
buildings which close in the alley on the
C Street side are a stable and several
houses facing on c Street.
Colonel Biddle. the Engineer Commits
sioner, in passing upon the petition,
states that he visited the alley during
bad weather and he thinks that the thor
oughfare would be much improved by
being paved. He says, however, that the
case does not appear to come under the
act of Congress authorizing the Commits
sioners to declare alleys minor streets,
for the reason that ii is only thirty-five
feet wide, and the minimum width of
minor street is forty feet.
Colonel Biddle also calls attention to
the fact that the alley does not run
through the block along straight lines. He
suggests that the alley might be paved
under the assessment system at cost
for vitrified brick of $4,000 and for gran
ite block pc eyement of $500. He says
that the cost of sidewalks and granite
block pavement would be about the same.
Car Service to TenIeytown.
Citizens residing along the line of the
Georgetown and Tenleytown Street Rail-
way continue to express dissatisfaction
witt the service given by the operating
company. During the busy hours in the
morning the cars are run on a fifteen
minute schedule, and again a little while
in the evening. The rest OF the day
haIf-hour schdule is maintained. The
people think they are entitled to nIteen-
minute schedule the day through.
The patrons of this line complain Of the
long waits in inclement weather. and
their wees seem to fall on deaf ears, so
far as the officers of the road are con-
cerned.
The matter was brought to the atten-
tion of the Commissioners a few days ago
by letter from Louis L. Hooper. He
asked for information as to the schedule
the company is supposed TO maintain.
A. L. Thomas, an inspector Of the En-
gineer Department, made an investiga-
tion and reported the results. He states
that the company is carefully watching
this line, with view to giving it the best
service consistent with economical opera
tion. He expresses the opinion that the
company is doing as well as it can under
the circumstances. He recommends that
the complainant be informed in accord
ance with these facts.
Such reports have been made before,
and yet they do not satisfy the people
along the Tenleytown Road who have oc-
casion to come to the city and are de-
layed in their passage between their homes
and Georgetown.