Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-16
Senate Committee Discusses
Clean Sidewalk Problem.
FAVORS DILLINGHAM; BILL
Various Suggestions Regarding
Penalty for Violation.
REPRESENTATIVE WILEY'S BILL
Senate Passes House Bill That Will
Establish Triangular Park on
Park Road.

United in the opinion that there is need
for a law In the District of Columbia
that will compel property holders to clean
snow and ice from the sidewalks, the
members of the Senate District commit
tee today ordered a favorable report to
be made on the Dillingham; snow bill
Some Of the senators have been walk
ing around the streets in the past few
days. and all the members of the COM
mittee present agreed that something
ought to be done to provide clean side
walks and cross walks in winter The
Dillingham; bill seemed to meet the de-
sire Of the committee members in that
1T is designed to compel those in charge
Of property in the District to see that
the sidewalks in front are cleansed Diff
fering somewhat from previous law.
which have been tested in the District,
the Dillingham; measure does not impose
the duty upon the owner-often long dis
tant from the property-but upon the
person directly in charge of the prem
ises.
Question Of Penalty.
For nearly an hour, however, the
penalty to be imposed for failure to
clean sidewalks was the subject Of dis
cussion. In the draft before the COM
mittee it was provided that in case
the person in charge Of premises fails
to clean the sidewalks the Commis-
s1ons must do the cleaning. and that
suit to recover the expenses Of doing
the work, with a three-dOllar penalty
for each violation.
Members of the committee suggested
there were other ways of enforcing the
law. Some suggested that the expense
of cleaning by the District should be
made a lien, like taxes. against the
property; while others thought a pun
ishment by fine might be proper. The
main object. it was explained, is to get
obedience to the law, and which will
be constitutional and upheld by the
courts. Earlier experiences with snow
laws have shown that large rocks, such
around in framing new legislation.
Senator Dillingham; said, after the meet
ing. that the suggestion for changes in
his draft will be considered before the
bill is reported to the Senate in form for
passage
Tie committee also acted favorably on
the bill to allow St. Matthews Catholic
Church on Rhode Island avenue to be
in the future can be built. In reporting
the action to the Senate. Senator Gal
linger asked immediate consideration, and
the measure went through without discus
sion.
New Park on Park Road.
There was also favorable action on a
bill. recently passed by the House, for the
purchase of land for widening Park road !;
and the Senate also gave it's approval.
Back of the passage of the bill for
the widening of Park road is a story of
the display of great civic pride on the
part of residents of the National Capt.
tai. The bill will have the effect of
turning into a public park a triangu
lar plot of ground on Park road just
west of 18th street northwest. About
three years ago the owner of the tri
angle, who did not reside in the vicin-
ity, started. to construct three one
story stores on the lot. The triangle
was situated similarly to many in the
older sections of the city which are
set apart for public parks. and the
residents of the section thought it
ought to be devoted to such purpose.
Congress was not in session at the
time, and in order to keep down the
cost and to preserve it as an open
space residents of the vicinity bought
it by popular subscription. The pass
age of the bill by the Senate today, it
means that the residents will have
their money, returned and that the
triangle will be, in the future, public
park.
Representative Wiley's Bill.
Representative Wiley Of New Jersey.
one of the most active members of the
House District committee, proposed Il
remedy for the controversy over the
snow and ice situation in the District
Of Columbia in an interview with
Star reporter today.
III you will read the snow and ice
bill which ] introduced in the F'ifty-ninth
Congress and again in the Sixty-first
Congress-, said Mr.. Wiley, you will
find the relief desired by the citizens
of Washington.
IN New Jersey especially in Essex
county. we do these things much bet
ter The object of my bill was to have
the snow and ice cleared off by some
body within twelve hours of the cessa-
tion of the storm. If the owners refused
to do it. the District Commissioners were
authorized to do it and the public was
thereby benefited.
''The plea was made that many pieces
of property were owned by nOn-residents
who could not attend to II. This was not
considered an adequate excuse in New
Jersey, as l found out by experience. l
was executor of small estate which
owned a vacant lot in a small town some
distance from me. and, knowing the law,
I employed a man TO clear the walk,
which was not even paved. He failed to
do this in one instan.e and l was prompt
iv notified of a fine of 81 as penalty for
neglect. which I was compelled to pay.
.'Something on this line could certainly
he done in the District of Columbia and
not have the streets of Washington a
disgrace, as at present. to the large num-
Der Of visitors who are coming here. Fur
ther a menace to the health and life OF
all who use the streets would be avoided y