Evening star., 1909-04-18
The Presidents in Marble on
18th Street.
LOGGIAS AS IN FLORENCE
Mr.. Ramsay's Art Plan Suggested
to the Commissioners.
WANT OLD NAME TO REMAIN
avenue of the Presidents" Not
Liked by Many, Including Some
Residents of the Street.

To adapt 10Th street to its proposed
new name of Avenue of the Presidents"
William Ramsay of 1921 F street north
west has written to the Commissioners
to suggest plan for. its ornamentation
to make 1t truly memorial avenue to
the chief executives of the nation.
He suggests the placing along the thor
oughfare of a line OF monuments to the
Presidents and Vice Presidents of the
United States and the erection around
them of loggias, like those in Florence,
upon the walls of which will be COM
memorated in frieze and art work the
principal achievements of each admins
tration.
THE Avenue of the Presidents is prop
erly so called, because we expect to make
1t a monumental avenue in memory of the
Presidents and Vice Presidents of our
country says the writer. 1.-The street
and parking is 100 feet wide. the parking
from the building line to pavement at
least forty feet. AT intersecting streets
loggas, as In Florence. might be con-
structed, to protect the marbles from the
weather. and as outdoor art galleries,
where the principal achievements of each
administration might be commemorated
Inspiration to Genius.
''Such loggias might in themselves be a
feature of the city's artistic and historic
decoration, greater than the street shrines
of Italy or the cities of the east. Such
artistic monuments are lasting effort of
a grateful and intellectual people; also
an incentive to the common sons Of our
people to glorify their lives with great
md Sr,,o
perhaps winning niche in the temple
of fame identifying them with the ad-
ministration of their time
Several protests against the changing
of the name from 18th street to Avenue
of the Presidents have been received by
the Commissioners from residents of the
street and others.
Please. may I be allowed to add my
protest to the others that have been made
by property owners of the District Of CO.
lumbia against changing the name of 10th
street textended or otherwise) to the Ave
nue. of the President" Frank N
Bauskett of l5Oo Emerson street has writ
ten.
"A few days ago it appeared in a local
paper that you were in favor OF the
change. and had the power to change
the names of streets beyond the city
limits. Do you remember that about two
years ago, In order to carry. out the
original scheme and to simplify matters,
many street names were changed. not
withstanding the loud protests of many
citizens and property owners? That was
right. because there was q good motive
simplification.
But to change the name of 18th street
would be to begin to undo just what you
have already done toward carrying out
the original plan for naming the streets
simply to meet the whims of a few. l
protest against any change at all in the
name OF 18th street, but in the name of
common sense I protest most strongly
a frnyn frp. 0faA aAN%
''Av. Pres for Short.
II may add. and you should foresee. If
the name be changed no one is going
to take the time to write The Avenue
of the Presidents but. to the contrary,
will write 'Av. Pres..' or some other
such abbreviation. That would look nice,
wouldn't it," Il
A. A. Snyder. NJ. D.. of 1925 10th street.
protests, as resident of the street,
against the change of the name.
About three years ago." he writes the
Commissioners. "a large majority of the
property holders on that street signed
circular letter protesting against the
change of the name of the street. Some
few weeks ago l saw notice of a meeting
OF residents of that street in the home Of
some one. and the meeting seemed to
be occupied by the speech Of one lady
and TO have accepted without dissent her
wishes in regard to the changing OF the
name of 10th street. / wish to state
that l did not attend that meeting. and
that | do not believe 1t was composed of
the majority of residents on that street
III for no other rason than that there
II no residence on the street capable of
holding the majority of the residents on
that street.
The people Of this city. and you also
have already had trouble enough chang
ing the names of streets and naming
streets to tit the location. so ! add my en-
phatic protest against the change of 18th
street and I'm the break-gap-in the
alignment of the numerical streets. and
l also request that you retain the good
Washington names for the Washington
streets"