Evening star., 1909-08-26
APPEAL TO CONGRESS
Action Necessary to Have
PI0W Pit Removed.
SITE SUBJECT OF PROTEST
Citizens Object to Location on North
Capitol Street.
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY
SITE SUBJECT OF PROTEST
DIFFICULTIES IN THE WAY
Railway Company's Rights Defined
by Corporation Counsel-Result
Of Much Deliberation.

To secure the removal of the railway
plow pit on North Capitol street from its
present location near T street to a point
north of V street where the pavement
ends, the Commissioners have decided to
ask Congress at the next session to pass
bill which will compel the railway COM
pany to make this change.
After a petition of residents in the
vicinity of the present location OF the
plow pit had been received by the Com
missioners and the matter had been con-
sdered from all standpoints at a. public
hearing. 1t was determined that the Com
missioners have power now only to order
the removal of the plow pit from its pres
ent location to a point just north of T
street, a little over ninety feet. An act
of Congress, it was decided by Corpora
ton Counsel f. H. Thomas, gives the
railway the right to maintain the plow
pit just north of T street until North
Capitol street is paved throughout its en-
tire length, or to Michigan avenue.
Commissioner Vests Plan.
To secure the removal Of the plow pit
from its present location, Commissioner
West favored the securing of an appro-
priation from Congress for the paving
of North Capitol street to Michigan
avenue, holding the opinion. however,
that the pit ought to be moved from its
present location south of I street to a
point north of T street
when the estimates are under con-
sideration," he announced to the board
of Commissioners, Il shall propose an
item for the paving Of North Capitol
street to Michigan avenue In this
view Commissioner Macfarland inform
ally announced his concurrence.
Acting Engineer Commissioner Kelly,
however, thinks the same object can be
attained In another and a better way.
LAS 1t is my understanding that the
object desired is the removal of the plow
pit from its present location to one that
would be less Objectionable" Capt.
Kelly has said to the Commissioners.
land as the expense of paving North
Capitol street to Michigan avenue would
not be, warranted at the present time
1t seems to me that better way to ac-
complish the desired result would be to
present to Congress bill providing for
the removal of the plow pit to the end
of the present pavement at the north
side Of street. l move that such
bill be presented at the coming session
of Congress-
Suggestion Receives Approval.
Commissioner West has agreed to this
plan. believing that it will prove a practi-
cal solution of the difficulty.
Il still adhere to my former opinion that
the plow pit is illegally placed in its. pres
ent location, and that the Commission
ers ought to order it's removal" he said. in
concurring in the latest motion. Having
been outvoted, however, by a majority OF
my colleagues, l realize that the removal
of the plow pit must be accomplished by
some other means. Inasmuch as an esti-
mate for the paving of North Capitol
would entail unnecessary burden
upon the taxpayers, and As it's real object,
namely the removal of the plow pit,
might lead to the defeat of the item, l
agree that the question shall be brought
squarely before Congress in a sbill pro-
vding for the removal of the plow pit to
the end of the present pavement at the
north side of street. The enactment
of this law. if it can be secured, would
compel the railroad company TO make the
change without cost to the District. In
the meantime the situa ton remains open
for such relief as the residents of the
neighborhood may be BILE to obtain