Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-12
OPPOSED TO A PARK
Commissioners Want Property
Yard in Square 857.
NEEDED BY THE DISTRICT
They Relieve That This Consideration
Should Outweigh the Wishes of
the Citizens of the Northeast.

The engineer department of the District
government is firm in its opposition to
/ the Northeast Washi lgton Citizens Asso-
ciation's demands that portion of square
ST. shall be made into park instead Of a
property yard and the matter will evil
IDENTIFY have to be settled at the Capitol.
The District Commissioners taking the
recommendation of the engineer depart
ment, have forwarded an adverse report
on the joint resolution introduced by Sem
ator Scott directing that part OF the
square be made into a park.
The square is bounded by I and X, 9Th
and 1th streets northeast, and through 1t
Is the old diagonal right of way of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad The right Of
way was a sore point with the citizens of
the northeast for years, and. in fact. the
citizens association was formed half a
century ago to do away with certain
features OF 1t disagreeable to the resi-
dents Of that part of the city at that time.
The association is still fighting for park
there. and have filed numerous protests
against the proposed property yard, and
have had hearings before the Commits
SionerS.
|. The engineer department. however. be-
Iieves that a property yard for the stora ge
of all sorts of electrical equipment is
really needed on that old right Of way.
The Commissioners say they intend to
build a wall fence around a portion Of
the land. so that lamp posts, reels. cables.
manhole covers and other District prop
erty of that sort can be stored there
safely The eastern half is intended for
the storage of material for street and
sewer work. such as curb, block and pipes.
Needed by the District.
The Commissioners report says:
IF the Joint resolution is passed 1t will
be to the detriment Of the District of Co
lumbia and could only be Of advantage
to the owners of property in square S67,
who would gain additional street 'front.'
age for their property and as this prop
erty has already been very greatly bene
fitted by the removal of all steam railway
tracks and by other municipal improve
ments in the vicinity the result of the
elimination of grade crossings and the
extension of street railway Facilities, the
Commissioners believe that the benefit to
the District by the reason of the location
of this storage yard should outweigh the
benefits to be derived by these property
owners"
The Commissioners also say that due to
the elimination of the embarrassing at
Delaware avenue and / street, and In adj
justing conditions to meet it, it was nee
essary to purchase a property yard at
Florida avenue and I'd street northeast
at a cost of $4,000.
More Storage Facilities Required.
The Commissioners continue:
This property yard was much smaller
than the one the District was forced to
abandon and owing to this fact and to the
increasing need for g. storage yard 1t is
necessary to find additional storage ia
clities. II the intention OF the Commls-
sioners to use the right of way through
square S57 Is required to be abandoned
by the passage of this resolution 1t will
probably be necessary to purchase ground
for the purpose elsewhere"