Evening star., 1902-01-14
OPPOSE RAILWAY BILL
Northeast Washington Citizens OBJ
ject to Closing b Street,
RESOLUTIONS CONDEMNING MEASURE
Discussion of Alleged Discrimina-
ton in District Improvements.
OTHER MATTERS DEBATED

President Evan H. Tucker, after calling
to order the meeting of the Northeast
Washington Citizens Association last
night, at Northeast Temple, said he had
reports to make concerning the meetings
of representatives of the different citizens
organizations the past week. Last Thurs
day. he stated. there was a meeting of the
presidents of the citizens associations held
IN Georgetown, and Friday night he at
tended the meeting of the central organiza-
tion. This organization, he said was really
the one of last year, the call for the meet
ing of last week having been made by the
Brookland association.
President Tucker said that the represen-
tatives of the several associations dis
cussed a bill intended to provide for diff
erent improvements, as published in The
Star at the time the meeting was held. The
proposed bill. which relates to the extension
of streets, the filtration plant, disposal of
sewage. reclamation of the Anacostia flats
and the construction of bridges across the
Potomac river, Rock creek and the Eastern
branch, was read, and President Tucker
said he objected to the street extension
provision. He explained that the bill does
not provide for the running expenses of the
District but it is for extraordinary items,
and provides an expenditure of nearly
$40 000. 600. He said there would be no
the northeast section in fifty years. North
east Washington. he stated, has not OBJ
tanned inside the city limits what 1t should
have had, although it had to be given
something At this time, he stated, 90 per
cent of the streets of the northeast section
are unimproved while only per cent of
the thOroughfares in the northwest section
are unimproved. Under the provisions of
the proposed law he said. the dividing line
would be about 18th street northwest, and
he thought all the streets east of 18th street
west and west of North Capitol street
would receive attention before any money
would be expended east of North Capitol
street.
The association voted to approve the bill.
. with an amendment changing the line of
division of the city for st7et extension pur-
poses to North and South Capitol streets
Central Body.
A communication received from
President Lancaster of the Northwest Su-
burban Citizens Association inviting the
association to send two delegates to rep
resent the organization in a central body.
Objection was made to the proposition.
President Tucker said that the sending of
representatives to such a body with full
power to. act would defeat the objects of
the Northeast Washington Citizens Asso-
citation and would render the organization
useless. He said he explained his position
to Mr.. Lancaster at the meeting last week,
when he informed him of previous at
tempts TO organize central body.
An invitation received from the
lexington and North Capitol Citizens AS
sociation asking that the chairman of the
committee on steel railways meet similar
members of other associations Thursday.
President Tucker said the chairman of the
committee named should be sent to the
meeting He said the city is in need of ad-
ditional street car lines, especially cross
town line, and referred to a proposition
made by President Dunlop of the Capitol
Traction COTODanV
line, he said, is the best-managed line in
the city, and perhaps in the country. This
road, he said, treats its employees well.
Such company, he said, should be en-
couraged in the matter of building new
lines.
The invitation was accepted. and Mr. w
]. Frizzell and Mr.. w. G. Lang were ap-
pointed to attend the meeting.
President Tucker, chairman of the
committee on proposed legislation, spoke
of several matters before Congress, and
said the prospects are bright for having the
Congressional Library opened Sundays as
we'll as at night.
Proposed Union Depot.
Mr.. W. ]. Frizzell, chairman of the COM
mittee steam railroads, referred to re-
cent publications concerning the proposed
union depot, and submitted report of the
committee, which reads:
The members of the committee are
again called upon to report upon a ques-
tion that We had hoped was settled by the
law of February u, 1901. This law we re-
gard as satisfactory and acceptable as
any measure that can be devised. Unfor-
tunately, however the question has again
been opened by a combination of the Penn
sylvania and Baltimore and Ohio railroad
companies, and a proposition is presented
that is more hideous and monstrous than
any of it's predecessors. The bill intro
duced in the Senate the Sth instant
changes the whole aspect of affairs, and
while providing for a magnificent depot
building, fronting 500 feet on Massachu-
setts avenue, and extending about 300 feet
on either side of Delaware avenue. at
cost OF S2OOOOOO, it provides for an ele-
walton of grades in front thereof so as to
permit a tunnel under LIST street east that
would emerge on or about the present
grade. In othed words, change of about
thirty feet.
This change of grades as far as we can
understand, would extend from I'd
street east westward beyond North Capitol
street, so as to make an easy grade on
North Capitol street southwark from G
street The project also includes the for
nation OF a circle or ellipse in front of the
proposed station that would cover an area
OF eight or ten acres, thereby forming
plaza sufficient to accommodate the CEN
tralizatton of all the street cars and other
vehicles necessary for the use, comfort
and convenience of the travelling public
While the consummation of this project
would be of monumental and magnificent
character, Ii would necessarily be expen-
siye, particularly far as it involves
the laying out of the circle or plaza at the
intersection of Massachusetts and Della
ware avenues and laying out and opening
streets leading thereto and the changing
of existing grades of streets and avenues
as shown on the plan fled in the office of
the Engineer Commissioner. We deem it
worthy Of emphasized remark that no pro-
vision is made in the bill as to who shall
pay all this cost, and we deem it a fair
assumption that the railroad companies
Will claim that such area being entirely
outside of their Jurisdiction the government
should not only pay for all the contem-
plated work, but should keep 1t In repair
for all time.
The Closing of HI Street.
What We regard as the most alarming
spart of the bill is the provision for yacat-
ing and closing H street northeast for a
distance of 800 feet on either side of Del
aware avenue. H street being the principal
thoroughfare for our people, and the one
on which all the business houses of our Sec
ton are located, with perhaps a frontage
of million dollars worth of business
property, in which thousands of dollars
worth of the trade OF our merchants is in
vOived, besides the street car line which