Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-14
NORTHEAST CITIZENS
tsEt MI
Meeting Of Association Held
Last.sNight.
WHAT CONGRESS DID
REPORT By PRESIDENT EVAN II.
TUCKER.
ul
Gratified at Provision Made for That
Section-Defeat of the Cross
Town Railway Bill.

Northeast Washington Citizens Associa-
tion reported from the executive committee
at the meeting of the association held last
night what the last Congress did for the
District In general, and the northeast Sec
ton in particular. Congress, he said. pro-
vided $4,000 for street improvements for
the entire northeast section, or much as
was provided for single suburban street.
Some of the more important measures, he
stated were defeated, and others were
passed. The most important measure that
met defeat, he said, was the cross-town
railway.
you all understand" he said, what in
fuence was brought to bear to make such
a result possible, Early in the session it
looked as if the bill would pass, but the
committee cannot now predict what will be
done with it in the future
President Tucker said that the committee
regrets that the bill providing for an in
crease in the pay of the school teachers
failed 1t was surprising, he said, that the
bill should have failed when the prospects
were so promising. The work done at the
last session, he realized, will bear good
fruit in the near future and make the work
much easier at the next session. He was
glad to report that Congress- neglected to
pass the bill providing for a storage yard
in the southeast section. On the other
hand, he said, he was glad to be able to
report that the bill providing for vestibules
for electric cars passed and an increased
amount was given for the Anacostia bridge.
'And isn't the committee going to report
Endorsement of the failure of Congress
to pass the $190,OOO mileage bill?" inquired
Mr.. Flemming.
Discussion of Plaza Streets.
There was a brief discussion of the ques-
tons relating to the plaza streets, and Mr..
Frizzell, chairman of the railroad COM
mittee. said his committee will present
report at the next meeting of the associa-
ton.
Mr. Tucker spoke of the provision for
constructing a bridge over the tracks at
Bunker Hill road. This, he stated, is a
move in the direction of making the aboli-
ton of grade crossings complete. In this
connection. he stated Colonel Biddle should
be commended for devisng means for do
ing away with the grade crossings along
the line of The navy yard sidings.
Mr.. Frizzcll spoke of the trouble the Bal
timore and OHIO Railroad Company is ex
periencing with it's Bumpers where the cars
are sent across lexington place. He told
of the narrow Nescapes of street cars and
pedestrians. ana said he sympathized with
the members oFEcklngton and North Cap
itol Citizens Association in their trouble.
He moved that the association tender it's
support to the other association in its eff
fort to require the railroad company to
erect proper bumpers to prevent the pas
sage of cars from the tracks east of Eek
ington place.
Continuation of F Street.
Maj. Jerome B. Burke spoke of the eff
fort that is being made to continue F street
from the east to the plaza. In order to do
this, he said, the railroad company will
have some ground to spare, and this, he
thought, the company might donate for the
accommodation of the building that Is to
be brought here from St. Louis. He was
told of the dimensions of the building and
his conclusion was that the ground there
would not be ample for the purpose OF
erecting the convention hall.
President Tucker, Mr.. Frizzell and others
spoke in favor of the proposition to bring
the building here from st. Louis. The lat
ter favored the site north of the Congress
s1ona1 Library for the building. He said
he thought almost rybody would favor
the bringing of the building here, and he
thought there would be but little opposition
to the government bringing the material
here and giving 1T to private corpora
ton that would reconstruct 1t.
Mr.. Josiah Willard said he thought the
government might construct such a build
Ing on the south side of Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. There could be hall on the upper
floor. and the lower floors could be used in
stead of the buildings that are now being
rented by the government at an annual
rental of S3O0,30O. By a unanimous VOTE
the association placed itself upon record
as favoring the erection of convention
hail.
Mr.. F. D. Foster, chairman of the school
committee. deplored the failure of Congress
to pass the bill providing for an increase
In the pay of school teachers.
: That Extra Mileage.
Congress-" he said. was almost willing
10
was not spent but it's members were not
willing to give the teachers the small in
crease
He referred to a cartoon printed in The
Evening Star as showing the idea as pre-
sented to him, and advocated continued
interest in the matter. as well as in that
involving the increase in the pay of police
men.
Mr.. Josiah Willard, who fled a suit to
enjoin the government from paying 81, 600
600 to the railroad companies, told of the
progress he had made in the case. Last
week. he stated, he made his argument
before the Court of Appeals and ventured
the prediction that the case will be decided
in his favor. He read part of the brief in
the case. which concludes:
The theory that the Constitution NAV
be successfully evaded or nullifed by means
of contracts with individuals or private cor
porations Is audacious, novel and danger
GUS. Sucn a IneOry mas never been
cepted by any court in this country The
whole doctrine of ultra wires is based upon
the contrary theory, and 1 refer to the
cases involving that doctrine for a refuta-
ton of the contentious of the defendants
and the opinion of the court below on this
point" -
Narrowing the Streets.
The question of narrowing the streets to
which the association is so greatly opposed,
was discussed by Mr.. Sowerbutts, who read
letter he had addressed to the Commits
sioners as follows:
IAN act of Congress, approved April g.
1870 Q6 Statutes 82). provides That the
corporation of the city of Washington be-
and is hereby, authorized to set apart. from
time to time, as parks to be adorned with
shade trees walks and inclosed with curb
stones, not exceeding one-half the width
of any and all avenues and streets In said
city of Washington. except Pennsylvania,
Louisiana and Indiana avenues and Az
street between the city hall and Pennsyl-
vania avenue. leaving roadway of not
less than thirty-five feet In width in the
center of said avenues and streets. or two
such roadways on each side of the park
in the center of the same; but such inclos-
ures shall not be, used for private purposes
Section 225 of the Revised Statutes re-
(N~Iv. ~t~S