Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-12
REPORT ON STREETS
VIEWS OF COMMISSIONERS ON
BILL BEFORE HOUSE.

In connection with a report on H r. bill
1890 ITO extend 4th. 9th and other streets
northeast" which was forwarded to the
House District committee today, the Com
missioners give a resume OF the history of
18th street beside recommending that the
extension Of that thoroughfaro be provided
for in a separate bill Sixth street and
other highways In the same vicinity. 1t is
stated. are IN, ntioued for Improvement In
House bills 1lO25 i0130 and 1ol3l. THE OBJ
ject of these various bills and the one now
being reported upon" the Commissioners
report states. rs to extend certain streets
throughout the subdivision SHOWN as Me
tropolis View. lying hetweea Lincoln road
and eth street. and Central and Michigan
avenues northeast The extensions Of 9Th
and 9TH streets provided ror In the other
bills were reported upon favorably by the
Commissioners. The reason the Commits
sioners recommend that the extension OF
4th street be treated independently of the
other streets Is that there are special cir
Cumstauccs in connection with this street
that do not affect the others.
Petition for the Opening.
In February, 1855. a petition was pre-
scented 10 the Commissioners requesting the
opening Of 9Th street northeast from
Brentwood road 60 Bunker Tfin road NOW
Michigan avenue which Includes the por-
tion Of 18th street referred 10 in this bill
In this petition 1t was agreed by the prop
erty owners that the land should be dedi-
Gated through their respective properties
providing the grading was done by the Dis
triCt. Plans and estimates for this grading
were forwarded to Congress, and an appro-
prlatiOn of 81, 600 was made on July 1, 1SSS,
and an appropriation of $40 600 on March
: lSs' for the improvement of the street
Among the names which appeared on
the petition was that OF Frederick Rose, who
owned tract of land abutting on both
sides of the proposed street as shown in
REQ lines on the blue print which is iuClosed
herewith. Mr.. Rose frequently appeared at
the office Of the Commissioners during the
progress Of the work Of grading and other
features connected herewith and at his
request the grade of the street was slightly
changed. After the money had been praC-
tically expended, Mr. Rose disavowed the
signing of his name 10 the petition claim
Ing that it had been signed by party other
than himself and he brought suit have
the dedication set aside. The claim was
made Just at the time when the Catholic
University was to be formally opened and
the lexington and Soldiers Home Railroad
Company which bad charter 10 lay its
tracks along 18th street to Bunker Hill road
(now Michigan avenue), paid Mr.. Rose
So 600 for a right~of-way through his tract
They did this rather than wait the delay of
suit and lose the trafiice to the Catholic
Reported by Request.
THE above facts were reported to Con-
gress at the request of Senator Mcmillan
then chairman of the Senate committee on
the District. under date Of January o. 1893
The opening Of this street Is not at
present matter OF great public necessity,
as the through traffic coming from Brook
land 70 the city now passes largely down
Lincoln road and North Capitol street
The opening would, however, be of consd-
cradle local Importance, and as Metropolis
View builds up this Importance viii in
crease. on these grounds the opening is
desirable, provided the entire expense IS
borne by the adjacent property. AS to the
equities of the case and the matter OF as
sessinE benefits. the Commissioners invite
attention to the foregoing history Of the
street and the fact that all the other land
necessary for its opening except where II
passes through the Rose tract. was dedicat-
ed and IL Is also questionable whether the
land through the Rose tract was not also
dedicated
IF it were possible to assess the entire
cost OF opening through the Rose tract
and the expense Of the condemnation pro-
ceedings ON this tract. the Commission
ers believe that. I'm justice this should be
done; but having their doubts to the
COuSutuiUUdllty of such proceeding they
believe the matter of assessing the bene-
FITS should be left entirely to the jury, and
they therefore recommend that the pro-
vision contained at the end Of section
OF the hill providing for exemption from
assessment be stricken out. They for
ward herewith an amended bill striking
out the reference To- 9Th street and other
streets and containing also other amend
Inents as To form. which they recommend
be substituted for the bin upon which re-
port is being made. They recommend the
passage OF this substitute Bill