The Washington times., 1904-04-26

| Congress VIII appropriate the money
| needed to pave Seventh Street, and the
work of making that thoroughfare what
! it should have been long ago Will begin
/ in the autumn.
The Times has won its single-handed
| fight on behalf of the merchants, and
| they are unanimous in their praise for
the determined effort of this paper to
/ improve their street.
The conference report on the District
appropriation bill was laid before both
houses of Congress yesterday afternoon
and there was complete agreement on
all items except one affecting the new
Municipal Building. The item carrying
/ $4,000 for paving Seventh Street from
Pennsylvania Avenue TO E Street. and
/ from G Street TO the north side OF New
York Avenue was left IN the bill, and
no question Will be raised against il in
either house.
! The appropriation will be available
/ for the work July ! next, as this date
/ is the beginning of the fiscal year. for
/ which the appropriations We're made
! Engineer Commissioner Biddle. in
! speaking of the matter today said:
The amount appropriated is what this
/ department estimated would be required
| 10 meet the expenses OF the improve
ment. The S24. 900 will be ample TO pay
for the asphalting.
II cannot now say exactly when the
work on Seventh Street Will begin. but I
see no reason for its not being done
next fall. II Congress adjourns shortly,
leaving the appropriation as it is we
will have from now until July ! next
to issue our advertisements for bids for
the contract Of doing all the asphalting
provided for this year
Award of Contract.
1T is our policy to award the con-
tract for all the asphalting to one man.
and this ought to be settled almost as
| soon as the money for it becomes
| aYaila bic"
After the contract IS secured by one
maa, some time viii be taken up BY the
contractor in obtaining rs materials,
and making his plans for the various
! streets that he will have to improve
Consequently. ii is probable that no as
| pha't'Eg viii be done IcfOre August
According TO Colohd Biddle, there
fore. the Seventh Street Improvement
VIII be among the frs. streets to re-
ceive attention. The demand for the
as7halting of this roadway has been
81 urgent that ito Tag neei Depart
ment realizes that il cannot afford TO
indulge in any unnecessary delays in
the matter. The merchants along
Seventh Street. having obtained the
necessary money from Congress, are
impatient for the asphalt to be laid
IA front Of their business houses, as
soon as possible
Merchants Pleased.
With one accord the merchants of
that rart of Seventh Street which will
be benefited nv the Improvement are
singing today the praises Of The Times.
Heie Is what Some OF them say:
Success After Many Years.
WILLIAM HAHN: The merchants
Of Seventh Street feel very grateful to
The Times for its effective Efforts in
their behalf The paper has in a great
measure been responsible for the ia
vorable report on the measure after ii
mad been turned down perslstently Tor
the past five ortsix years
There is every reason to believe the
pUIposed Improvement will prove ii
great boon TO the business of Seventh
Street, and al the same time rebound 10
the benefit Of the city in general. In aid
ing us in our effort 10 have the petition
brought before Congress. L consider
The Times has done a great work for
the community, and full credit should
be given TO II.
Seventh Street for the past fifty
| years has been the best business thor
oughfare In the District in point of natu-
| raj advantages. 1t is the great highway
| Of the city, running in a straight line
from the Potomac TO Maryland, and by
reason Of this gets the traffic that en-
ters the District from the river and
that which enters from the neighbortng
State.
"Other main business streets In Wash
| ington. such as Pennsylvania Avenue
and + Street, differ from Seventh Street
II. that they are not natural thorough
| fares. But both Pennsylvania Avenue
and + Street have been benefited by
artificial means In having been paved
with asphalt and because OF this have
thus far received the better class Of
| patronage.
Persons who do their shopping in
carriages and automobiles have Stunned
| Seventh Street on account OF the rough
| paving, and now that we will be on
he same basis as other merchants we
may reasonably hope to attract better
trade.
While we are well satisfied with the
,iberality of Congress IN this matter. we
hope al some future time 20 see the en-
Tire street paved from the wharves to
the District line"
A Debt of Thanks.
PHILLIP KING. Of the Kiag's Palace:
| Merchants in general on Seventh
Street are greatly pleased with the turn
our petition 10 Congress has taken The
proposition 10 repave the street is gem
orally popular among business men OF
the city. having been agitated by the
merchants for many years
1t must be a source of satisfaction 10
The Times to know that II finally de-
volved upon the paper 10 bring the mat