Evening star., 1904-01-23
OF LOCAL INTEREST
Board of Trade Discusses
Several Committee Reports.
OPENING OF STREETS
JUSTICE OF ACTION WHEN LAND
Is DONATED.
Statement by VIM. g. Henderson
Commissioner Vests Address
Warmly Received.

The Board of Trade met in the banquet
hall of the New willard last evening, when
several reports were discussed and adopt
ed. Commissioner West was present and
was called upon to talk about the needs OF
the District The program included the re-
ports on streets and avenues commerce and
manufactures, river and harbor improve
ments and sewerage. After the transaction
of business a luncheon was served and
social hour followed.
Mr.. w. v. Cox, president of the board,
called the meeting to order, Mr.. VIM. M.
Shuster, assistant secretary, keeping the
minutes of the proceedings.
In the absence of Mr.. Ross Perry, chair
man of the committee on bridges and on
code, reports on those subjects were not
submitted to the board.
The first report was made by Mr.. VIM. G.
Henderson. chairman Of the committee OH
streets and avenues The report being
printed and distributed for the convenience
OF the board Mr.. Henderson did not read in
full, but commented on it's important fea-
lures.
Mr. Henderson's Report.
The report follows:
Since the last annual meeting Of the
Board of Trade there has been no legislation
providing for opening or extending any
streets. There are some streets constitut-
ing main arteries of travel which ought to
be extended. and there are other streets
that are blocked or obstructed as to through
travel by reason Of some short intermediate
strip of land that breaks the continuity Of
the streets. In these cases 1t Is the opinion
of your committee that these obstructionS
should be removed by legislation providing
ba nnODened
so that the improved portions at both ends
thereof may be made easy of access. and
your committee recommends that the Com
missioners OF the District be urged TO make
request of Congress for the opening of such
streets. Your committee Is also of the opln-
ion that as a general policy, streets should
be extended far as the needs and con-
venence of the general public demand, and
further, that wherever extensive improve
ments have been made and are separated by
an unopened portion of street, such un-
opened portion should be opened at the ear
liest practicable date. SO as to afford the
people easy access to and from the lnl-
proved portions.
Your committee Is further OF the opinion
that wherever a street is improved Dy
buildings upon both sides thereof, prefer
ence should be given, as a general rule, to
the paving of such streets with a suitable
character of material in advance of streets
upon which no improvements have been
made, and that such streets should be
proved by buildings. as nearly as is prac-
ticable.
The Closed Streets.
Under the terminal improvements, six
streets are closed lying between Massa-
chusetts and Florida avenues and North
Capitol street on the west and I'd street on
the east, while north of Florida avenue
and lying between lexington place on the
west and 7th street on the east, eleven
streets are closed.
Between North Capitol street and I'd
street east and lying between d street and
G street north, the grade has to be raised
in places varying from four to thirty-four
feet while from G street north to Florida
avenue and lying between 1st and Sd streets
east, the grade has to be cut or lowered
varying from nine feet to fourteen feet in
places.
Along the west side OF the union station,
extending from Massachusetts, avenue
north, to l street and at that point emerg-
ing into 1st east. new street to be not
less than forty feet in width will be opened;
there will also be opened two new streets
extending from the south of the plaza and
running in a southwesterly direction for a
short distance into North Capitol street,
while two short streets will extend from
the southeast corner Of the station to I'd
street Immediately to the east. 1t Is be-
lieved that 1t would be desirable to have
street opened On the east side Of the sta
ton extending parallel Herewith from
Massachusetts avenue to H street, so as to
afford a more direct route for the citizens
travelling east of the station to and from
the section lying south of Massachusetts
avenue, and thus also avoid any tendency
to congestion at H and I'd streets north
east, at which point the grade of H street
drops some nine feet, and this would also
avoid the necessity of having stub streets
extending from I'd street to the eastern line
OF the station, from H street south to
Massachusetts, avenue. This should be
done at the expense of the steam railroad
companies in view of the number of streets
running east and west closed to accommo-
date them; and your committee so recon-
mends.
The damage to private property arising
from change in the grade of various streets
under the terminal bill is to be borne one
half by the District and the other half by
the United States, and to this extent there
is recognition Of the organic act.
Title Vested in United States.
Since the title to streets extended vests
exclusively in the United States. and the
citizens have only the permissive use of
the streets. subject to the will of Congress,
and may be deprived of that use at any
time by Congress. as has been done with
SO many streets under the terminal act, the
general government should In all fairness
and equity pay one-half of the cost of street
extensions to which 1t has exclusive title
and over which 1t exercises absolute control
from the time the streets are opened and
improved. Let US therefore entertain the
hope that at some time our legislators will
recognize the great injustice Of imposing
upon the citizens of the District the entire
cost of street extensions and make ample
reparation for the wrong that has been
done in this particular for some years past,
and hereafter bear one-half of the expense
of extending such streets as Congress may
direct.
In the opinion of your committee, the en-
gineer officers of the District having charge
OF the roadways in Rock Creek Park are
entitled to much credit for what they have
accomplished In improving the driveways
under the very small appropriation made
by Congress. only $500 having been appro-
priated for that purpose. For the current
fiscal year, however. an appropriation of
$4,000 has been made, and it is expected
that the roadways will be very materially
extended and improved with that sum avail
able for the purpose.
The New Speedway.
The speedway from the foot of 18th street
to the Long bridge, along Potomac Park,
has been completed and opened to the pub
lie. 1t is magnificent piece of work, and
the superintendent of public buildings and
grounds, under whose supervision the work
was done, is deserving of much praise for
ha hCf ffo1 ctor ofa ,f