Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-29
NO WORK HASBEGUN YET
SEVEN WEEKS HAVE ELAPSED
SINCE COMMITTEE REPORTED.
Matter of Progressing With Baltimore
Improvements Delayed in
City Council.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE. Md March 29.-Although
seven weeks have elapsed since the COM
E,ercial and financial heart OF the city was
devastated by fire. not stroke of work
las been done by the city officials looking
To- the carrying out of the recommendations
as to improvements made by the citizens
emergency committee, and as adopted by
the burnt district commission.
The whole matter is hanging fire in the
city council and the slow progress made
in considering the ordinance of improve
n.ents mas aroused general Indignation
among the property owners, whose plans
for rebuilding have been delayed far be-
yond the time when they anticipated hav-
ing their work well under way. Architects
and builders, too, are not m.ncing words in
denunciation Of the dilatory tactics OF the
city councimen. In discussing conditions
with The Star correspondent today A.
Henry Cloves, prominent architect, who
has contracts for plans for number OF
buildings to be erected on Baltimore street,
said:
Well Along Into Summer.
1t looks to me now as if it would be well
along into the summer when Baltimore will
have passed an impr ovemcnt ordinance
which will permit property owners to be-
blame for this condition of affairs rests
upon the city council Why. do you know
that the councilmen lock to me to be put
ting themselves up like chattels on the ques-
ton of widening Baltimore street ard wait
ing FOR the highest bid.
Il fear that the Improvement ordinance
will be emascUlated in the council that
I, will not be recognizable when 1t gets back
to the mayor. And in that event it is GER
tain that Mr. McLsne will veto it.
x-nts will
require a two-thirds vote. which it will be
in possible to secure. Therefore a new ordi-
nance will have to he prepared. and the
same old routine of daily hearings gone
over again..
Mayor McLane. when asked today for his
opinion as to the merits of the contention
over the widening of Baltimore street, said
to The Star correspondent:
Contention Over Streets.
1.-The contention that to cut off ten feet
from the north side of Baltimore street
would ruin the building lots does not seem
tenable. II it is found that lot is too
small after the ten feet have been taken off,
that lot has yet great value to an ad-
joining owner, who can add it to his lot
and erect an imposing structure.
''If it can be shown that any small prop
erty owner would be injured then l should
oppose the PLAN but cannot see where
ten-foot widening of the street will work
any DANA ge TO aDuttlnS property OWHeTS
Former Governor William Pinkney
Whyte, said to The Star correspondent:
My. my isn't the work of rehabilitation
progressing slowly? Why. here's seven
weeks gone by and there's not a dozen new
buildings under way. And 1t is not the
fault of the property owners.
My grandchildren are anxious to re-
build seven or eight warehouses south OF
Pratt street. but they cannot get permit
To build. because the city officials don't
know whether they are going to use the
property for dock purposes.
1T seems that there should be some re-
dress 10 the owners for the money they are
compelled to lose while waiting for the
municipality to reach a decision. The
courts have decided, however that mu-
ncpality can hold property under decision.
and even if 1t is decided that the city does
not want the property there is no redress
for the owners.
Business Mems Demands.
From the great business organizations
comes demand that the plan of improve
nlents as agreed upon by the burnt district
commission. be put into effect without
change Secretary William Love of the
board of trade said to The Star correspond
ent today:
The business organizations have in
dorsed in the main, the plans agreed upon
by the burnt district commission. and they
should be adopted by the council without
delay Objections made by individuals to
great improvements that will benefit the
whole city should simply be ignored
The same views are held by Secretary
Clarence Forrest of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association. 1.-The time for
discussing proposed improvements is
past" he said; what is wanted now is
work. The city council should not delay
matters.
The plans have been thoroughly gone
over by the commission and its members
know Just what is needed.