The Washington times., 1910-10-05
{ ngineer Commissioner
Stands Pat on Suburban
Light Question.
CAPITAL DECLARED
BUT AN ARMY POST
W. W. Price Scores Methods of
Army Officer In Relation to
District Projects.

Declining TO answer the charge Of w.
w Price, president of the Congress
Heights Improvement Association. that
he has assumed dictatorship" of Dis
trict affairs, Engineer Commissioner
Judson announced today that the En-
gineer Department will stand pat on
the question of the restoration of lights
In the suburban districts.
Il have nothing TO say in answer TO
Dir. Price," said Commissioner Judson,
today. He has called on me several
times with reference to the restoration
OF lights in Congress Heights, and his
sentiments were not unknown TO me.
While my elevation TO the dictatorship
Of Washington is news 10 me. there is
nothing for me 10 say on the subject"
In regard TO the discontinuance of
three hundred and fOrty-seven suburban
lights. Commissioner Judson said that
the position of the Engineer Department
was TO establish lamps IN the sections
where it is believed they are most
needed
Commissioner Rudolph has expressed
the opinion that certain lights which
were discontinued should be restored,
and the question will be determined by
the Board Of Commissioners upon the
conclusion of their work on the annual
estimates. The position Of the Engineer
Department as outlined by Major Jud-
son, is that suburban lighting should be
treated as an entirely new proposition, !
and that the needs of each section !
should be considered separately.
Depends On Development.
In other words. the lighting Of a sub !
orb should be determined by its devel- |
Opment and the amount Of travel" said /
Major JudsOn.
IN. considering the questions the Com /
mIssioners must decide whether the cost
Of maintenance can be better applied in 1
the suburbs or in some other sections Of 4
the District. Increased appropriations 4
for Lighting viii be included in the Com
missioners' estimates which they are
now preparing.
AT the meeting Of the Congress Heights
Improvement Association last evening,
President Price spoke in opposition to
the policy of Major JUdson, the En-
gineer Commissioner, and predicted that
President Taft, if requested 10 do so.
Will make an investigation 10 determine
whether the Engineer Commissioner is
conducting his work in sympathy with
desires of the people Of the District.
President Price spoke in plain terms
concerning the attitude of the Engineer
Commissioner toward projects affecting
the District. When he had concluded he
was congratulated. The meeting took
place in the town hall, on Alabama ave
nue..
Mr.. Price charged Engineer Commits
- MIL
precedent in the methods and manner
in which he has assumed charge Of af-
fairs. Washington" said Mr.. Price,
has become virtually an army post,
ana every citizen private soldier who
must hop around and salute upon the
appearance Of its military boss
Urged Civilian Appointees.
The speaker deplored absence Of suf-
frage in the District and said that even
this absence could be made less HARM
ful to the city if native Washlngtonians
were appointed to places of authority
Instead Of men whose residences we1a
away from Washington.
1t is bad enough said Mr.. Price"
70 be without suffrage, but what is
lacking in this direction has heretofore
been made up by a body of Commission
ers, the majority Of whom were civil
ians, in harmony with the people of the
District, who stood steadfast for what
they considered the best interests of all;
who refused 70 be dominated by an En-
ginecr Commissioner residing away from
Washington. whose education and en-
Nironments in the past, all tended to-
ward uniting him for a full understand
mg Of the needs, aims, and purposes Of I
the District people"
Engineer Commissioner JudsOn was
Oh =. LII
District pay all expenditures for strictly
local institutions, while the United
states deNotes the part Of the revenue
II Is supposed 10 contribute to costly
roads, brilliant lighting of streets in the
silk stocking sections Of the city"
The speaker made the direct charge
that had the plan of putting out the
lghts on the suburban roads and streets
been attempted in former administra-
tionS, IL never would have gone into ef-
feet. The address concluded with an
appeal for citizens associations to ap-
peal directly 70 President Taft to have
the question investigated.
To Give Entertainment.
The question Of giving an entertain
ment under the auspices of the asso-
citation I'm which the members of the
organization and their families nigh.
participate was also considered at the
meeting last evening. The committee
having the proposition under advise
meEt, composed Of Philip MaEruder and
Richard +. Jones, made a favorable re-
port, and il was decided to hold the
event on the evening Of October IS in
Tie town hall
The subject Of the extension Of the
water system from the city TO Congress
Heights for which Congress made an
appropriation Of $4,000 was taken I'D.
President Price making q rennrt that