Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-14
.sTREt1:.H.|X'TEAsiIOA
1T
An Effort ia-Behalf of 18th
and 18th Streets.
NEW PLAN PROPOSED
BOND ISSUE TO. BE MET By IN
CREASED TAXES.
The Lands Benefited to Bear the Bur-
den Of the Improve
ments.

- -
It seems to be the settled policy Of the
District Commissioners not to- assume re-
sponsibility in selecting between streets to
be extended This responsibility rests upon
the House and Senate committees, of which
Mr.. Babcock and Senator Gallinger are
chairmen, respectively. The subcommittee
on the appropriations bill for the District
are, for the Senate, MT. Allison, Mr.. Cock
rell and Mr.. Gaalinger, and for the House.
Mr. Cannon, Mr.. McCleary and Mr.. Benton.
Upon the Senate and House District COM
mittees and these gentlemen depend the de-
cision OF what streets are to be opened and
improved in the District Of Columbia. ThIr-
teenth and 14th streets, although the most
populous streets in the city and for many
years built up as far as opened, nave not,
1t Is commended by the property owners in
terested, received the attention they deserve
in view of their Importance and population.
These conditions have persisted so long
without relief that the citizens interested
have now come forward and offered the
District nearly all of the land needed to
extend these two streets and have devised
bills which have been pronounced operative
by the solicitor for the District and the er-
feet of which should be to provide the
whole right Of way free OF cost. The money
necessary for the improvements contem-
plated is also furnished by bond issue, 1or
which the District is to assume no ophga-
tion but which Is to be paid exclusively out
Of the increased taxation resulting from the
opening Of the streets.
Heretofore, when new streets have been
improved this benefit has been regarded
as simply gift to the adjacent prop
erty holders. It is now proposed to use
this benefit for the purpose OF acquiring
the right of way and to do so an appro-
priatiop must first be made for the physical
Improvement. 1t Is also necessary to use
the power to condemn to complete rev
virvhf Of uy0V
land of persons unwilling or incapable IN
law to make donations. Thus Tar the only
benefit assessed against adjacent holoeTs
has been the benefit Of providing the title
to the right of way and the remainder
of the cost Of the right OF way, usually
70 per cent Of it's value, has to be palo 1or
in cash by the District. which. 1t Is con.
tended, is incidentally throwing away the
main benefit, the physical Improvement
quiring the right Of way.
more satisfactory to property holders ac-
cording to its advocates. The old method
was slow and complicated and left the
street hung up nlmproyea ior many ny,S yG AR
Of the money heretofore expended, pro,
duces an improved street promptly ana
enables property holders I to meet eu thes
evidenced by the fact that for more than
mile on 18th street. from its present end,
80 per cent of the property holders indorse
4
that it may be carried out. On 14th street
from its present end, near Whitney avenue,
for mile and ,4one-third Of its length, 81
per cent Of ths onV
to the District Ct G Columbia but more ad-
i The property holders on iStn ana l4.n
assessed-at very high rate: The farmers
and dairy people claim that they are threat
ened with ruin. Their representative says
-lrs.~< dnn nf she
House committee of the. District Of Co
| lumhia for a hearing for over year, and
complains that the preliminary step refer
ring the details Of the measures to the DIS
trict Commissioners has not been taken. He
states the matter in letter to Chairman
Babcock as follows, under date of January
IS:
that it would be useless for you to consider
extending 18th and 14th streets until the
money is first provided or method Of OBJ
tanning it, You refer to the District of CO.
lumbia's share of the money, but to furnish
this is precisely what these bills provide,
$4,000 for each street. to be supplied by
bond issue to be paid exclusively out of the
Increased taxation on each particular street
and resulting from the improvements. All
| the risks would be assumed by the pur-
chasers of the bonds Thus, not only do
these measures propose method for Secur-
| ing the rights of way without cost, but
they also provide, a method Of obtaining the
money to improve the rights Of way with
out imposing any burden upon the District
of Columbia. In these two very important
respects they are new and general in their
application and are just what you say you
| wish to consider and to have suggested
and, yet, far as 1 am advised the pre-
liminary reference, usual in all cases, to
the Commissioners Of the District Of Column
bia, has not been made, although a year
has elapsed since the bills came to your
committee.
THE land and money for these streets
being TINS furnished
why cannot the streets be extended. They
are the most important and populous thor
oughfares in the District of Columbia and
have been built up for years as far as
| opened. Other purely speculative streets,
devoid of houses then and now, have been
given improvements. but 14th and 18th
streets, peopled to the ends stand blocked
for many years. 1t Is we'll understood that
speculative interests desire to keep closed
these two great streets. which are in the
| line of the city's growth, in order to raise
the value Of property on the side. 1t is
| further suggested that railroad company
which would have to extend out 14th street,
If opened, is opposed to this opening by
reason of the outlay the company would
have to make. These are motives opposed
| to the public interest and are mentioned as
| unworthy OF consideration. On the other
| hand the taxable area would be rapidly in
| creased and general advantages would re-
| suit to the municipality and its citizens by
| the opening Of these two leading streets
| People holding land along them are small
| Individual owners, now taxed at very
| high rate They cannot endure this taxa
| ton, being at the same time deprived Of
| all municipal facilities which the high taxa
! ton implies but does not furnish. Under
the circumstances. it, will be necessary for
them to take steps 7to secure their rights
| They must have relisf or. lose their prop
| erty. I have the honor. therefore. to in
missioners has got been, made and why a
hearing on: this suhjsaat IS denied, although
the matters. presented are precisely what
| ly. provisions to obtain the necessary money
| and furnish the, rights Of way without i'm