Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-06
The Widening of Benning Road.

To the Editor of The Star:
Permit me to offer an explanation In
reference to the bill for the widening OF
Benning road. The last nine lines Of
section of the act approved June Ii.
1898, being AN act to authorize the ex-
tension eastwardly of the Columbia rail-
way, under the terms of which the
Columbia Railway Company acquired
strip of land thirty feet in width from
18th and Fl streets northeast to a point
beyond Benning read follows: lin the
event that said Bennng road and other
roads mentioned in section / shall be
widened to width of ninety or more feet.
and further. in the event of any portions
of the right of way being included in
highways to be opened in future then.
and in such cases. the said company shall
convey to the District of Columbia for
the use of the public. the right of way
over the said area of thirty feet in width.
subject. however. to the right of the said
comapny to use and occupy the same for
the operation and maintenance of its said
road
Section / of House bill 1868. which
passed the House of Representatives
Monday. March 23 1908. provided. among
other things. that within ninety days
after the dedication to the District of Co.
iumbla of 30 per centum of the land neces-
sary tor the widening of Benning road in
the District of Columbia from 18th street
of the strip of land thirty feet in width
acquired of the Columbia Railway Com
pany under the provisions of the act of
congress. approved June 13 1898. entitled
An act to authorize the extension east
wardly of the Columbia railway" accord
ing to the street extension plans of said
District. the Commissioners of the Dis
trict OF Columbia be. and they are here
by. authorized and directed to institute in
the Supreme Court of the District of Co
lumbia proceeding in rem to condemn
the land that may be necessary to COM
plete the widening of said road to a width
OF ITO feet between the limits named
In a communication under date of March
p, addressed to Senator Gallinger. Presi-
dent William H. Ernest of the East End
Suburbana Citizens Association, said:
The bill in question. H. r.. 1869, was
drawn up by the secretary of our asso-
citation. Mr.. James NJ. Wood on the order
of the association and by it's direction
and introduced in the Senate by Mr. Gal
linger. and in the House by Mr. Sims, at
his request
association we have been striving to Sc
cure the widening of Bennins road and
thus relieve the contested state of affairs
existing along said highway from 18th
street to 18th street. at least
The Columbia street railway termi-
mates al that point, 18th and II streets. the
W. B. and A Z. r. Company's line termt-
mates there. the Bennng extension of the
Columbia street railway line terminates
there and the transfer of passengers from
one line to another is handled at that
point In a narrow roadway. making of 1t
ver1table death trap. where numerous
accidents have already happened. and
where many more are bound to happen
unless some relief is afforded the contest
ed state of affairs above enumerated
In my opinion Congress has never been
called upon TO consider more highly
meritorious measure than the bill for the
widening of Bennng road"
Part of the first paragraph of an edi-
torfal on THE Sims Amendment i'm YOUR
issue of today reads:
The explanation is offered that the bill
which carries the Sims amendment a
eet-widenng measure is i'm itself faulty
In that it fails to provide properly for the
acquiring by the public of a certain right
of way owned by the street railway corpo-
ration occupying the line with it's tracks
An amendment. therefore. is necessary
If. as you state. an amendment is neces-
sary. then what amendment would you
suggest. in view of the above incontro-
vertible facts?
When Congress directed in 1898 that the
Columbia Railway Company shall convey
the right of way over the said area OF
thirty feet to the District of Columbia as
soon as Benning road is wdened to ninety
or more feet. do you deem it advisable, or
does any one deem it necessary for the
6oth Congress to again direct the same
thing TO be done? If an act of one Con-
gress is not binding beyond the life OF
that Congress. then it is necessary that
the present and each succeeding Congress
re-enact every measure passed by each
preceding Congress. If it is desired they
should remain in full force and virtue
The aforementioned editorial is calcu-
lated to convey wrong impression in the
minds of the public, and thus work havoc
to a street widening bill of very great i'm
portance to the people of the eastern sec
ton of the city. as well as to great num-
bers of people in the fifth congressional
district of Maryland.
JAMES NJ. WOOD