The Washington herald., 1906-12-11
FIGHT GRADING WORK
South Washington Citizens
Score EncrOachmentS.
RAILWAYS ON PUBLIC LAND
Northeast Association Also Takes Up
Complaints Against Steam Roads,
Ginning They Are Using Tracks
Which should BE RemOyed-Dis-
trict Engineers Are Censured.

Alleging that the work of grading
Four-and-a-half and Sixth streets south
west is not being conducted in accord
ance with an approved plan signed by
the Commissioners, the South Washing
ton Citizens Association last night passed
resolutions authorizing the employment of
counsel to prevent the encroacbment on
public space. and, If necessary, get out an
injunction preventing the railroad COM
panies from continuing the work
It was resolved also that the Com
missioners be requested TO inform the
association whether the provisions of the
acts of February u. 1901. and February
u, 1903, authorize such use of streets and
parking spaces, and if not. what author
ity. if any, exists for such use and occu-
pancy.
1t was stated that the supporting walls
of the railroad tracks on Virginia ave
nue. southwest extend beyond the building
lines on Second. Third Four-and-a-half.
and Sixth streets. and also on the west
side Of Four-and-a-haIf street between
and d streets
EncrOach on Park Spaces.
It is claimed that the retaining wall
on the south side of Virginia avenue be-
tween Second and Four-and-a-half
streets encroaches upon the parking
spaces in these squares.
The association indorsed the efforts Of
the Commissioners in endeavoring to Sc
cure the amendment Of the smoke law so
as 10 cover steam locomotives.
Upon motion Of DR.. NJ F. Thompson a
resolution vas passed indOrsing the rec
ommendation Of the Board of Charities
relative TO the establishment of an in
ebria;e asylum.
The next meeting will be held the sec
ond Monday in January at which time
the annual election of officers will be
held.
Northeast Citizens Complain.
Removal of the abandoned car tracks
Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad with
In the city limits. and criticisms of the
policy of the District Engineer Depart
ment regarding the narrowing of streets
were the two chief topics discussed by the
Northeast Citizens Association at its De
CembeT meeting last night in the North
east Temple. The matter was brought up
on a resolution introduced by a. II. HCl-
sten. calling upon the Commissioners to
cause the removal Of the tracks between
Fourth and I streets and Florida avenue,
and TO grade and improve the streets in
tersecting the railroad between those linn
it's The fact was brought out that the
tracks have been removed 10 a point be-
low Third street, but that they have been
left intact the rest Of the way, and are
being operated 10 the District stOrehOUse
and to one or two coal yards It was
stated that the gates and watchhOuses
which formerly guarded the crossings
have been removed. and that the crossings
are more dangerous now than at any time
for several years The resolution was
unanimously adopted.
The question Of narrowing the streets
in certain parts OF the northeast sec
tion to thirty feet was brought up in
the reading Of the schedule Of improve
ments for the next fiscal year. which
was recommended in the estimates Of
the Commissioners. 1t was discovered
that the recommendations covered some
of the streets mentioned in the last
estimates. and carried -recOmmenda-
tiOns from the engineer department
for narrowing the roadways from 35
to 80 feet in the course of the improve
ments.
Contrary TO Court Order.
1t was charged against the municipal
engineers that they were trying, in
directly, TO obtain authority from Con-