Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-20
PLEA FOR NEW NAME
Mrs. J. B. Henderson Cham
pions Avenue of Presidents
COMMISSIONERS BLAMED
Recites Bill Of Offenses Against
Sixteenth Street.
SHE WANTS CONGRESS TO ACT
Tells of Things Done by District
Authorities to Detriment Of
Great Thoroughfare.
SHE WANTS CONGRESS TO ACT

meeting last evening at the residence VI
Senator Thomas H. Carter Of Montana,
at which the rejection by the present
District Commissioners Of the name
Avenue of the Presidents for 18th
street was discussed.
Mrs. John B. Henderson advanced rea-
sons for naming the street Avenue of
the Presidents.
Referring to the Importance of 10th
street and its worthiness to be called an
avenue he said, II will say that, ovigi-
nally. the capital was laid out with the
II White House as a center Of a wheel from
which radiated seven important avenues.
One Of the two widest is its central one
10th street, 1t being the same width as
Pennsylvania avenue. This great central
avenue was originally intended to be i
most important residential thoroughfare
Ambassadors Did Not Settle.
n From old accounts it is found that an
original intention was to call this central
thoroughfare Avenue Of the Aarbas sa-
DORIS Sites were offered certain foreign
governments IL they would erect legation
buildings upon them.
When Rock Creek Park was created
its eastern boundary led alongside 18th
street, which was extended to the District
line. Thus was planned by Senator Gal
iinger and others OF the congressional
committees Of the time a still create,
natural advantages. could and will be the
most magnificent residence thoroughfare
in the world.
Reasons for this assertion are as fol-
lows:
"First-Its great length and breadth,
namely. 100 feet broad, seven miles long
and leading in an absolutely straight line
from the White House to the District line.
"Second-It leads most directly to the
n Rock Creek PARK, which it borders Aor
several miles.
''Third-Like the Champs Elysees at
Paris. the 9TH avenue in New York
Inter den Linden in Berlin, it is CEN
4 trally located, providing the most con-
venient boulevard for all the city.
II "Fourth-As a driveway its surface
grades and general topography are per-
feet.
',rifth-It is perfectly drained and in
i every way hygienically surrounded.
u Sixth-1t will never need or contain
railway lines, while it is easily accessible
by near parallel roadway already ex-
listing.
"Seventh-On it's entire length 1t con-
tains vacant space aptly suited both as
settings for handsome residences and for
landscape decoration in the interest OF
beauty.
"Eighth--It at present contains no I'M
slightly houses of any kind which can
not be easily removed.
Ninth-While four or five other streets
Of the city of sim. width are ad-
certain distances, the possibility alone
j remains for 10th street to be beautiful
from one end to the other.
"Tentn-It may be SO affected by con-
gressional legislation and private action
that 1t may become the model street OF
the country-one of the greatest OF boule-
wards, lined with all that is best in ar
chitectual and landscape art.
Appeal to Congress.
But heretofore this thoroughfare has
been badly managed. / would like to
show why Congress should now take the
/ affairs of this street in hand, our ex-
periences with District management hav-
/ ing been chiefly story of grievances.
II For want of building regulations or
protests of any kind 18th street. below
Scott Circle, became congiomeration Of
disgraceful looking slums, mixed with
some of our handsomest residential build
| ings. Open spaces became che most I'M
slightly of dumping grounds. A worse
condition came about on Meridian Hill.
After the purchase of Rock Creek
Park more practical and representative
kind of District government might have
accomplished the work for the extension
of 10th street in five or six years On
the contrary, over sixteen years passed
before the tforoughfare emerged from a
4 state of chaos.
For all these years property holders
were uncertain of anything but taxes
and special assessments. Every few
years new maps appeared outlining new
changes for the location of circles and
tributary streets.
The present Commissioners have now
taken away our new name, given us last
n year by two of the old board of Com
missioners. The Commissioners have not
been able to take away the thoroughfare
itself. But taking away anything TAX
able that was desirable has been the rule.
For instance, Hancock Circle appeared
on the maps, at the intersection of three
streets at L street. The rejoicing sur
rounding property holders had hardly fin
j! ished paying for actual building of this
circle when they were called upon again
There was some excuse for that taking
through l. street
"A second circle appea red on the maps
at the crest of Meridian Hill, where,
some day, splendid arch will be erected
corresponding, far site is con-
cerned, with that of the Arc de Tri-
omphe in Paris. That circle was next
taken away.
"On new maps a third circle called
Mead Circle. appeared at the intersection
of three streets at Columbia road This
| would have provided one of the, most
attractive circles in town, for, like Scott
Circle, two fine triangles lay alongside
need hardly mention that later this
circle was taken away and the triangles
have now been lost for future embellish-
ments by buildings.
For Sale Signs Prominent.
neglect the people of the street became
al a<ap,t.. Il IN<...k