Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-11
MEANS TO Do THINGS
Washington Railway Company
Plans Improvements.
WILL REDUCE TWO CURVES
Acquires Property Fronting on Wis
consin Avenue.
ARRANGES FOR NEW CAR BARN
Land Owners and Residents Near
District Line Sign Peti-
ton of Protest.
WILL REDUCE TWO CURVES
ARRANGEs FOR NEW CAR BARN

Extensive and important improvements
Of its properties in and about Georgetown
have been planned by the Washington
Railway and Electric Company. Already
steps have been taken to carry them into
effect. When they are complete not only
will the railway company be able to oper-
ate its lines with greater facility, but the
public service will be much improved and
two dangerous crossings on Wisconsin
avenue practically eliminated.
By cutting off one of the corners on each
of the two compound curves by which the
tracks cross Wisconsin avenue, going east
and west. the company expects to substi-
tute easy, graceful curves for the present
dangerous ones. The lot at the southeast
corner of Wisconsin avenue and p street
has been purchased for $4,000 and ne
gotiations are in progress for the pur-
chase of the northeast, corner lot at Wis
consin and Dumbarton avenues.
To Make Change Next Spring.
1t Is desired to make the change in
the direction of the tracks next spring.
This will also involve the widening of
part of street and of Dumbarton ave-
nue. and o street. which are practically
the same thoroughfare. The railway
company will give the property it pur-
chases to the District and secure per-
mission. in all probability, to move the
sidewalks back and widen the roadways.
There are no sections of street railway
in the District that give any more trou-
BILE to the company operating them and
are greater inconvenience to persons
using the streets than the curves in ques-
ton Of the " ashington Railway and
Electric line. Westbound cars at pres
ent move along street and make turn
Of 45 degrees into Wisconsin avenue, and
then right back again at a similar angle
into street. This compound curve Is
made necessary by the fact that P street
Is broken at the point mentioned and is
taken up only few hundred feet farther
down the hill. The curve that the east
bound cars have to make when crossing
the same avenue is even worse. They
swing more sharply to- the south OF of
0 street and right back to the eastward
into Dumbarton avenue.
Some Of the Present Drawbacks.
In both instances the tracks Of the
Rockville branch are utilized on Wiscon-
sin avenue, and the wear and tear on the
rails are tremendous to say nothing Of the
1olting of passengers. Cars are continu-
ally being caught on the curves by losing
the underground trolley, and traffic is
thereby delayed on both lines.
The railway company has been keeping
its plans secret, probably because it has
desired TO get the corner lots in question
at the lowest possible price. A. Gary
e s OF the os at
and street, only short time ago began
work for the erection of a brick business
building thereon Yesterday persons pass-
ing that way were surprised to see
wagons hauling back the earth that had
Just been excavated for the foundation
Today the hole had been almost filled.
1nquisitive Ask Questions.
This unusual circumstance led the in
quisitive to ask questions. and it was
soon learned that the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company had bought
the lot from Mr.. Johnson and made an
arrangement with the building contractor
so that the work that had been done was
TO be undone and the lot left level for
the crossing of the tracks. Men are at
work on the tracks at the curve today,
but ii is understood that they are merely
preparing to lay new rails and that the
work of changing the direction will not
De begun until next spring. The lot in
question has frontage on Wisconsin
avenue of about 45 feet and runs back in
OF about 100 feet.
The work on the more southern curve
will of course depend on whether or not
the company succeeds in making salts
the property at the northeast corner of
Wisconsin and Dumbarton avenues. The
lot is improved by a two-story brick
business building.
Legal Question Involved.
A legal question is involved in the carry
ing out of the railway company's plans
tha; is. whether the company will be able
10 cut across the property 1t has pur-
chased. move the sidewalks farther back
and widen the roadway without authority
from Congress.
1t was learned today from Commits
siOners West and Morrow, both OF whom
said they had not yet heard of the plans
of the company, that there would doubt
less be no difficulty in the matter. They
said the Commissioners have the author
ity 10 widen a street, and both expressed
The belief that such a change as is pro-
posed would be so beneficial to all con-
cerned that they would not stand in its
way for moment
Buys Land for Car Barn.
The Washington Railway and Electric
Company has also purchased four acres
of unimproved land on the west side of
the Georgetown and Rockville tracks.
about 200 yards south of the District line.
on which IT proposes to erect a new and
modern car barn to replace its old barn
on the right side of the line short dis
tance above Georgetown which. II Is un-
derstood may be acquired by the govern
ment for an addition to the grounds of the
Industrial Home School
The four acres were sold by Mrs. w. H.
Black who is said TO be very much op
posed to the erection of a car barn in the
neighborhood and was unaware, II is said
that she was selling her land to be used
for such purpose.
petition has been signed by twenty
five or thirty residents and landowners IN
this section protesting against the grant
ing of permit for such barn. and it
has been forwarded to the Commissioners
of the District. Commissioner West said
today he had not yet seen the petition
but he would be disposed to favor the
granting of the permit, If the company is
going to erect modern building that will
not be an eyesore to the community.
The Commissioner called attention to
the recently built barn near the lines of
the Capitol Traction Company on 18th
street extended. declaring that II had not
injured property values so far as he could
determine.
new barn on the Georgetown and
Rockville road is needed. II is said. be-
cause the company has ordered dozen
large. new cars. and 1t will be impos-
sible to house them In the old barn.