Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-28
Who viii Care for, the Strip


property in which he was Interested on
10th. street was very near Florida avenue
and was not directly involved in the pro-
posed reduction of width. yet he could not
view the suggestion of reducing the width
without feeling that the proposition IN
wolves great deal of injury to the general
prospects of what ought to be one of the
most magnificent exits from the city of
Washington. Leaving from forty to forty
three feet of parking on either side imre-
diately in front of the houses as. Is now
the Arrangement on the lower part of 18th
street he said, Is in good taste and gives
the best general result. and being adjacent
to the houses the parking Is cared for by
the property owners; while the proposed
reduction in width would be added outside
of the sidewalk and inside of the curb. and
that the District would not assume the cost
of soddng and caring for this additional
strip, which would be seven or eight feet in
width and which, not being adjacent TO
the houses, would not be cared for by the
house owners. The result would be an I'M
slightly line of mud Or weeds. detract1nG
considerably from the effect or the proposed
great thoroughfare. Therefore, IN Dr Sow
ers' judgment, 1t would be better to macad-
amize the additional ten feet and give the
public the convenience and safety or uslnS
the street of that width
Col. f. B. Townsend said that as one
long interested in the project of
great meridian or Executive avenue he
believed that to reduce the roadway or the
street one-f1fth in available width would
involve considerable injury to the adjacent
property; that houses facing on forty
foot thoroughfare were not as dfgnided or
available though they faced upon y
fifty-foot thoroughfare. He thought that
the public had always been led TO under-
stand that this street would be extendel
practically as 1t now exists south of Florida
avenue, and that investors had put OUT
their money and benefits and damages had
been assessed practically upon that under.
standing. Col. Townsend further sald thsls
he was advised that the Commissioners
estimated for making this street n1ty 1eel
In width when the appropriations now TO
be expended were sought from Congress,
and he approved the original ideas or the
Commissioners, as shown by TINS estimate:
as being most consistent with the general
understanding that the street was to De
extended on the plans which are shown to
the public and which have met with APP
prevail. namely. the way in which the street
has been developed and beautined between
the White House and Florida avenue
Mr.. Louis P. Shoemaker contended that
from the very beginning of the movement
to develop and open 10th street II mas al
ways been understood that the street was
to be extended on the lines laid down
within the city; that if there had been any
intention to depart from this plan 1t would
not have been necessary to go TO the
very great expense Of condemning and
securing the streetoat zthe extraordinary
width Of 100 feet MI shoemaker felt sure
that upon mature consideration of the
whole subject thes Commissioners would
long settled ed and aeesbisd width Of the ave-
nue.; and he furtherF said that, although
10th street isarefefEsd ITO las a numbered
swsSs eeep II
avenues of the city sOfiifWashington des-
tined to be the main ;imeans Of access to
Rock Creek Park. AND hs was very much
opposed to any redYStiogg, In its width ana
A Great Exsenti.Ne Avenue
Mr. Blair Lee saidsthat when. it was first
proposed to secure the1risht of way for ex-
tending 18th neutrality-suspicious. were
made to him and othar seWners In the north
ern portion of the Distinct of Columbia at
the Maryland line.oitllat II a. universal
movement and dedication could be secured
providing the four miles Of street neces-
sary north of Piney branch 1t would tend
| toward encouraging Congress to provide
the heavy expenditure required for securing
this great avenue through Mount Pleasant
and Meridian Hill, where 1t ran through
squares oDfQuely and involved the de-
struction of great deal Of property. The
matter was urged from the standpoint OF
and his neighbers united in 1t. although
they considered 1t had little bearing upon
their immediate personal interests. The
whole suggestion involved the creation OF a
great executive avenue. and he felt sure
that none OF the people in his neighbor-
hood who contributed to this street would
nave done so had they supposed for g mo-
the municipal authorities which would tend
70 decrease Its Importance or reduce Il to
the level OF the ordinary f0rty-f0ot thor
OuSnfare. the great expenditure lnv0tve0