Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-07
DISCUSS ENGINE SITE.
Citizens Before the Commissioners in
Effort to Solve Problem.

The question of locating a fire engine
house In Langdon, D. c.. was the subject
of public hearing before tie board of
Commissioners at the District building yes
terday. More than fifty residents and prop
erty owners in Langdon and the immediate
vicinity and members Of the Langdon Cit-
zens' Association and the Northeast Citi-
zens' Suburban Association were present
and there was considerable difference of
opinion among a number of them as to the
best site for the engine house.
At the last session of Congress an act
was passed providing for an engine house
to be located in Langdon. Since then Fire
Chief Belt has visited the suburb. and after
mended to the Commissioners the location
of the building on a site located at 22j
street and Flagler place, which was do
mated to the District by Mr.. J. Butler. Sew
eral days ago President McCauley of tie
Northeast Citizens Suburban Association
wrote to the Commissioners and protested
against this location In the name of his
association and requested that his associa-
site on Rhode island avenue in a part Of
Langdon.
When Commissioner Mcfarland. who
presided, called the hearing to order, he
report from the surveyor Of the District in
which he said Rhode Island avenue Is not
in Langdon, according to the official plats
and archives of the District.
Commissioner Mcfarland said: "Inas-
much as til act of Congress specifically
named Langcon for the location Of this en-
CINE house and as the surveyor of the
District informs me Rhode Island avenue
which thoroughfare you gentlemen are ad-
vocating, is not in Langdon. there does not
seem to me to be much use in discussing
the question:.
This statement brought number of men
to their feet and they declared that they
considered Rhode Island avenue in Lang
don and that every resident in the north
east section does in spite Of the plats.
Several Of them suggested that Congress, no
doubt, considered Rhode Island avenue as
a part of Langdon when 1t passed the bill.
B. F. Edwards, the first speaker, started
by saving he regretted that he and his as
sociates had been ruled out before they
got started. because of the boundaries pre-
scribed by the plat. "1f you put the engine
house in Langdon as 1T is known on the
plats,' Mr.. Edwards said, you will make
a grave mistake. The land Is low, inacces-
sible to the surrounding suburbs and only
few houses will be afforded fire protec-
ton, whereas with the engine located on
Rhode Island, which is high land, half
dozen suburbs could be easily reached in
a few moments, and more homes would be
protected"
There were a number of members of the
Langdon Citizens Association present and
during the discussions the two factions
clashed upon the topography. etc. and
several times drifted from the subject under
discussion to deal in personalities and
thrash out business association business.
E. A. M. Lawson president of the Lang
don Association, contradicted Mr.. Edwards
statement that Langdon is In hollow and
is inaccessible to all points. He declared
that there is much need for an engine house
in Langdon, and concluded by saying he
could see no reason for argument If the
intent of Congress is to be carried out.
Commissioner Mcfarland brought the
meeting to a close by announcing that the
Commissioners would take the matter under
adyisement