Evening star., 1902-03-05
East Washington Citizens
Want Better Building.
MATTER DISCUSSED
PROTEST AGAINST CONTRACT SYS.
TEN OF ASH COLLECTION.
Association Declines to Adopt Resolus
tions Against Personal Tax
Cross-Town Railway.

Several matters OF interest to the people
OF Capitd Hill were discussed last night at
the meeting OF the East Washington Cit!-
zens Association. The meeting was held
at the residence of Mr.. Thomas w. Smith.
president OF the association For many
years the meetings OF this association have
been held in Baum's Hall. Because of
alterations In the building a new meeting
place will have to be found. Members OF
the association were anxious to get place
! Of meeting on East Capitol street. but as
there is no room available on that street
quarters will have to be found elsewhere.
1t is more than probable that the hall ever
the National Capital Bank will be the
future meeting place of the association.
AT last nights meeting Mr. NJ. l. Weller
started move in the direction of securing
for the people of East Washington mere
suitable post office building The present
quarters he said. are wholly inadequate to
meet the demands Of the people. whose
wants were set forth in resolution recit-
ing that the rapid and continual increase OF
population in this section. now numbering
over GO,0U souls, tributary to the East
Washington post office, known station
b, located at the corner of 4th and East
Capitol streets, employing over fifty car
riers. clerks, collectors, etc, justly en-.
titles us to more modern and enlarged
patrons Of the office. 1t frequently occurs
during busy mailing hours that persons de-
| string to transact business at this station
| have been compelled to remain outside of
| the building, exposed to inclcmsnt weather,
owing to the limited public accomGiodat tiOnS.
| 1t was resolved by the ASSOCIATE On that the re-
ceipts of this office would amply Justify the
| purchase of the necessary land and the
| erection of suitable building of generous
| dimensions by the United States. that
would be credit to the Post Office De-
| partment and afford the necessary mailing
| facilities to the citizens ot East Washing
| ton.
Endorsed by Others.
| Members Of the association indorsed Mr..
WelIer's resolution as a move in the right
direction. 1t was stated that the govern
| ment had not been in the habit of buying
| land and erecting branch post offices. Mr..
| Weller thought this case would be a coed
| ono in which to begin such a practice, and
| said the expense incurred would prove Il
profitable investment. He advocated the
purchase of the present site OF the branch
| post office and the erection Of building
thereon.
Questions relating to the collection and
disposal of ashes were involved in a reso-
| luton offered by the executive. This reso-
| luton merely recited that there Is some
thing radically wrong in the present system
o. collecting ashes. and called upon the
Commissioners for a statement Of the
cause. and also asked that a remedy be
suggested.
| Mr Girouard characterized the present
system a humbug and said the cOndi-
| tiOns today are worse than they were be-
| fore the present system was inaugurated.
| He advocated a return to the old method
| for the removal of ashes. unless the present
| system is greatly improved. The plan OF
giving out the contract as is now done, he
argued. is an erroneous one.
| Mr.. Weller agreed that the system Is
| faulty one and advocated change. The
contractor should be paid so much for what
| he removes. or the city should remove the
| ashes. he claimed There are about 5000
houses from which ashes are removed. Mr..
| Weller said. and the average cost for cart
| ing the refuse away was formerly, per
| house. So year, or total Of $135OO0. and
now the Commissioners are endeavoring to
| have the same work done for $25 900. Don't
condemn the system. he said, but find it's
| defects and remedy them.
| Mr.. B. W. Clark defended the ash con-
tractor. He said he knew the man was
| giving good service for the amount Of
money Congress had appropriated. He adj
| vccated larger appropriations with no
strictions. If the contractor Is properly
paid for his work, said Mr. Clark. he VIII
| be able to put two men on a wagon. and
| householders will not be restricted to the
use of tin cans
The resolutions were adopted and the
secretary was directed to correspond with
| the Commissioners upon the subject.
Cross-Town Railway.
| way for East Washington was discussed
| and the association agreed upon the pro-
| posed route. except where provision Is
| made for the laying Of tracks on North
| Carolina avenue. 1t was the sense Of the
association that the broad avenues should
| not be used for railway purposes. The
| ISOLATION was notified by the Commission
ers that they have no power to compel
the Washington Traction Company to pro-
vide greater number Of cars during GER
tain hours Of the day. In a letter from
the Commissioners the members of the as
| sOciation were informed that the question
at issue is pending before Congress.
On motion of Mr. E. I. Nottingham. the
secretary was directed to address Col.
Bingham a letter asking that night
watchman be provided for Lincoln Park.
Mr.. Nottingham referred to some Of the
disgraceful scenes he had witnessed In
the park and said he knew the police
superintendent had not enough men to
guard such places.
The association rejected the resolutions
offered at the previous meeting by Mr.
Croissant, protesting against the imposition
of the proposed personal tax. An interest
ing discussion of the question was par
ticipated in by several members. Mr. Wei
Ter giving a lengthy explanation of the
matter.
Secretary Sperry was directed to COM
municate with the Capital Traction Com
| pany with view to getting waiting
room erected at the eastern terminus OF
the company's line The matter was
| brought to the attention Of the association
by Mr.. Whitney.
A communication was received by the
association from the suffrage committee
Of the Central Labor Union. asking the
attendance OF committee at Its suffrage
meeting to be held this week. Owing to
provision of the constitution against
taking part in such a movement. the in
vitation was not accepted.
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