Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-26
s T R EE T PAVING
WHAT rs DESIRED BY CITIZENS
OF THE DISTRICT.
Stone Should Be Replaced With As
phalt on All the Thorough
fares in the City.

leading property owner and taxpayer
this morning invited the attention of a Star
reporter to that part of Mr. McCleary's
recent speech in which he referred to the
necessity OF repaving Louisiana avenue be-
tween 9th and 7th streets northwest
MI McCleary laid great stress upon this
particular piece Of street." said the gentle
man, and he invited other members of the
House to inspect 1t. saying that IL any one
member came to him and declared that It
was In need OF repaving he would vote to
have the item restored to the BILL
The representative in question and his
coiIeagues lose sight Of one very vital point,
and 1t Is this: The stretch of street named
Is perhaps we'll enough paved with granite
blocks not to need repaving in an average
american city. where such pavements, with
their attending roughness, hills and gullies.
are accepted as a part of the town. The
capital of the nation Is not an average
American city. The tearing I'D of that
stretch OF stone pavement is in the further
ance OF general local plan and desire to
gradually tear up every block of stone
pavement In the city and replace it with
asphalt. The stretch OF street needs re-
paving from the point Of view Of Washing
tonlans, and the quicker 1t and every other
square foot Of stone pavement is removed
ana sent to the corporation yard the better
pleased we will all be-
For years the merchants on 7th street
ABOVE u have been trying to have the stone
pavement replaced with asphalt and have
failed -A A"'o
Again. the appropriations for the county
or Dlstrlct highways were cut beyond rec
ognitlon. Whether the county highways
lead1ng into the average American CITY are
axle deep In mud Is a matter of individual
local choice. We do not wish them here
and those highways of the District which
Join our city streets should be models of
their kind. The very paving stones which
the representative in question wished MAIN
tanned IN the city could have been used in
county highway improvement along the line
OF the combined pavement of asphalt and
Belgium blocks on the Benning road.
which stretch Of roadway, laid at very mod
crate cost, partly from discarded city street
stone blocks, has stood the test of several
years OF hard wear. is still in perfect con-
dition. and is model of highway making
which 1t was hoped to duplicate on other
highways converging into the city.
The People the Best Judges.
ITO the impartial observer Of the recent
debate in Congress over the Districts ap-
preparations the unjustness Of viewing the
capital her people and her needs from the
top Of the Capitol dome through the large
end of a telescope was again shown. The
people Of Washington ought to know what
they want, what they are willing to pay for.
and how they are willing to pay for 1t; and
to have a much more pronounced voice in
the manner in which the money they pay
for taxes is expended.
THE estimates Of the District Commits
sioners and the recommendations OF the
District committee ought to be taken prac-
tically in tact as indications of the peo-
pies individual and collective expressions;
the only way that their voices may be
heard upon the floor of Congress, as they
are without direct representation. The SEN
timent Of our people has been SO clearly,
so frequently and so earnestly expressed
through the recommendations Of the Com
missioners, local Improvement associations,
the Board Of Trade and the local press
that there comes as a strange echo to this
sentiment the words that the appropriation
committee has given the people Of WASH
ington what 1t thinks they need
1.-THE great difficulty is that the people of
the District and their municipal rulers are
distance too far for that close companion
ship which ought to exist between the
ruler and the ruled, and as they call to
one another across the abyss their voices
are lost In the echoing distance.
1.-The different congresses as they assem-
Bile and change appear to lose sight of the
great and rapid growth Of the city. Under
our peculiar laws we cannot come in closer
touch with Congress. but 1t is possible for
Congress to come in closer touch with us.
The rapid development Of the city must be
properly met and provided for. The city
Is growing so fast that measures adequate
a few years ago are now out of date. Yet
minor and important details OF imperative
need are reckoned by Congress upon q
basis Of conditions existing years ago
I'VE appeal for we are powerless to de-
mand, for Congress to provide for us ac-
cording to the times to appropriations,
and to give us the federal advance as our
people wish 1t. as shown by the practically
united sentiment Of the people"