Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-20
BILLBOARD WAR IS ON
| Commissioner West Against
Any More Permits.
TO REVOKE LICENSES ALSO
Judson Agrees With Colleague.
That Settles It.
SIGN MEN TO C0NC1L1ATE
J. E. Shoemaker Offers to Point Out
Signs In Vicinity of Union
Station.
TO REVOKE LICENSES ALSO
SIGN MEN TO CONCILIATE

No more billboards in the National Cap
ital
Permits for additional advertising fences
and for the ca.nting of advertising on
walls Of buildings will be refused in the
future if "a motion made by Commissioner
West today is approved by his cole CUES
on the board OF District Commissioners.
Engineer Commissioner Judson has an
nounced that he will support such mo-
ticn. and that indicates that the die is
cast against the billDoards-
But the move against the narr!ng of
the city's beauty by an over abundance
of advertising signs Is to go even further.
Besides recommending that the Com
nnissicners decline to issue any more per-
mits for billboards or for signs on walls
of houses. Commissioner West further
suggests that the corporation counsel de-
termine the power Of the Commissioners
to revoke permits for such signs already
issued. This Is also expected to be ap-
proved by the District board.
Action Taken This Morning.
Foreseeing the sightliness of the city
seriously marred by innumerable and
variegated signs. Commissioner West de-
termined on this action this morning
after Investigating the number OF per-
mits for signs issued recently by the
Commissioners and after an inspection
trip around the city.
He found from the records, he an
nounced today. that in the last six
months the Commissioners have issued
permits for the covering OF 1e2 walls
OF houses with advertisements and for
the erec ion Of fifty-six fences for huge
display posters. This means that every
day one wall in the District in the past
half year has been covered with good
words for food. clothing or patent medi-
cines. and that new billboard has been
constructed every three days. Besides
hat, he declared, his desk is covered
with applications for further signs.
West and hudson Tour City.
Yesterday afternoon Commissioner
West and Engineer Commissioner Jud-
son went out on an inspection :, trip
around the city. In the. vicinity OF the
Union station special attention was
given to the advertising signs, and 1t
was found that there are about twelve
houses facing the terminal that are
covered with advertisements. Steps have
already been taken by the Commission
ers to have the billboards in that vi
cinity removed and others prohibited.
will now be asked to determine the
power of the Commissioners to revoke
permits for painting advertisements on
walls. with the ultimate object OF wip-
ing out the signs near the Union station
and the plaza.
Many letters have reached Commissioner
West commencing his activity against bill
boards in the National Capital. One from
la prominent business man says that he
once heard a lecture on the billboards OF
Washington at distant city. and that
at its conclusion he really felt ashamed
Of the city.
On 1872 Walls and SO Fences.
Commissioner Vests motion to the
Board of Commissioners affecting the
granting of further permits for billpost-
ing is:
IAN examination of the records shows
that from January to July 10 OF the cur
rent year the Commissioners have grant
ed permits to paint advertisements upon
49, walls of houses and to allow the erec-
ton Of fifty-six fences for biilposting pur-
poses. In addition to this, there are now
pending before the Commissioners ap-
plica.ions for permits for five additional
fences and for five additional walls of
various premises. At the rate applica-
tions for these permits have been re-
ceived the time will not he far distant
when the sightliness OF the. city viii! be
seriously marred by innumerable varie-
gated signs.
1T seems TO me. therefore. that the
time has arrived when the Commissioners
can. in the exercise Of wise discretion.
decline to issue any more permits, either
for biiIboardS or for signs upon tho walls
OF houses. and move that all such appli-
cations upon which action has not been
taken, or for which formal orders have
not yet been issued, be not acted upon.
Il further move that the corporation
counsel be directed to advise the Commits
sioners as to their power to revoke such
permits for such bi1lboards and signs as
maintained"
J.. E. Shoemaker Conciliatory.
Commissioner West was called upon
this morning by J. r. Shoemaker. presi-
dent OF the Washington Bill Posting Com
pany, who stated that notw!thstandin.
the fact that the large billboard at Mas
sachusetts avenue and North Capitol
street was in existence prior to the erec-
ton OF the Union station. he would will
ingiy agree to have 1t removed at once.
and that also all advertisements upon
walls which his company has placed upon
houses fronting the Union station would
he painted out.
Mr.. Shoemaker stated that the compe-
tition between the firms that erect
billboards and paint signs upon houses
had been very keen. and that this ac-
counted for the large increase In the ap-
plications for permits. but his company
contract for the painting of a large num-
Der Of these signs. believing that II the
work was overdone public sentiment
would be aroused against It.