Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-30
REDUCTION IN AREA
CITIZENS OBJECT TO THE MAR
ROWING OF STREETS.
Hearing Given and Policy of the Com
missioners Discussed-Col.
Biddle's Views.

Representatives of the Northeast Wash
| ington Citizens Association appeared before
| the Commissioners today and protested
| against the policy of the engineer depart
| nlent In narrowing certain streets in that
| section. The citizens association was rep
! resented by Evan H. Tucker, president;
| Samuel Sowerbutts. secretary, and DIR. L.
| D. Walters, DIR. Starr Parsons, A. H. F.
| Holster and William J. Frizzell. At the
| close of the hearing the Commissioners
stated that they would give careful consid-
| Grafton to the arguments offered by the
| citizens.
Mr.. Tucker, the first speaker admitted that
the engineer department was competent to
Judge without advice from the citizens, as
to engineering features, but he insisted that
, the citizens ought to have something to
say with reference to policies when they
affect the public.
Secretary Sowerbutts declared that he be-
lieved the Commissioners are making a seri-
| Gus mistake In narrowing streets running
! east and west In Northeast Washington.
| He mentioned that last year E street was
| narrowed and that recently street has
| been narrowed between curbs. This latter
| street, he said, is now greatly used. be-
| cause of the fact that number of streets
| have been closed by reason of the terminal
| work. Mr.. Sowerbutts declared that the
| Commissioners ought not adopt the penny
wise, pound foolish" policy.
Regarded as Of No Advantage.
| President Tucker said that the roadway
| of street has been narrowed by widening
the sidewalks. The trees. however, along
the street. he said. have not been moved
| and this increase in the width OF the side
! walk has not been Of any advantage to
pedestrians. He was strongly opposed to
| narrowing the roadway of any streets in
| Northeast Washington. 1t may be neces-
sary in the future, he argued. to lay car
! tracks along these streets and there will
| then be additional Inconvenience caused.
| He said he could see no reason for reduc-
| ing the width of the roadway OF the streets
| at this time. since the engineer department
| had stated that II 1t Is desired In the flu
| ture the roadway may be widened to Its
| original width. Mr.. Tucker declared that
| the policy of narrowing the streets is en-
| trict land we all know" he added. that
| the District Is not overburdened at this
| time with riches
| Mr.. Holster and DIR. Parsons also spoke
| in opposition 20 the policy of narrowing
the roadways of the northeast streets.
Col Biddle Explains.
| At the close of the hearing Colonel Biddle
explained that the streets mentioned had
1 been narrowed for one or two blocks to
| the west In order to make them corres-
pond in width to the eastern portion of
| the thoroughfares. The District, he says,
| can profitably spend 100000 in resurfacing
streets. and when the paving area can be
| reduced without Inconvenience to the pub
| lie it should. in his opinion. be done. The
| Commissioners stated that they will in
/ form the citizens association IL at any flu
| ture time 1t is deemed advisable to narrow
| any more streets. They indicated that they
| are not in favor in general of reducing the
| width of any streets In the city.
I
| The twelve-year-old son of III. c. Motley