Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-17
STORM COAT USEFUL DISTRICT BILLS PASS
Blizzard Pointed This Way, House Engaged in Consider
Is Playing Havoc. ing Local Legislation.
INDIANAPOLIS HOUSEBOUND POINTS ENGAGE LAWYERS
Street Traffic Tied and Long Discussion Acquiring
Business Suspended. Riparian Rights Anacosta
SNOW CAUSE OF TRAIN WRECK WIDENING SIXTEENTH STREET
by Narrow Margin-A Number Of
Locomotive Measures
House Engaged in Consider
ing Local Legislation.
POINTS ENGAGE LAWYERS
Long Discussion Over Acquiring
Riparian Rights on Anacostia.
WIDENING SIXTEENTH STREET
Proposed Improvement Defeated by
a Narrow Margin-A Number OF
Measures Go Through. !,

The House of Representatives sitting
today as the board of aldermen OF the
District Of Columbia, tackled big bunch
Of local measures. 1t was about time,
too, for nearly a month has elapsed since
the last occasion when Chairman Smith
and his colleagues ON the House commit
! tee on the District Of Columbia had their
inning on the floor.
number of street extension measures
went through without difficulty and the
first snag was struck on a measure for
the widening OF 18th street northwest
near the Piney Branch road. Although
the committees action on this bill was
| ably defended. Representative Johnson Of
kentucky. a democrat. called it "a waste
Of money for the purchase of a hole in
the ground and as there were very few
republicans on the floor and the demo-
Gratis all voted with him, the bill was de-
feated
There was a long wrangle over the
| measure for a roadway along the Eastern
| branch, which finally went through.
The House was still engaged in the
consideration Of local measures when The
Stars report closed.
Street Changes in Northern Suburbs.
Without argument the House passed
| III. r. 1916 introduced by Representa-
| tive Hay Of Virginia, authorizing Ger
| tain changes in the permanent system
| of highways of the District Of Colum-
| bia- The bill authorizes the Commis-
siouers of the District to prepare q new
! highways plan for that portion OF the
| first section of the permanent system
4 nF n tcrbx ralo lxyino h0f
! gia avenue on the east. 18th street on
| the west, kalmia street on the north
| and Butternut street on the south.
Mr.. Cox OF Ohio. who made the report.
| explained that the object il I'd provide
| for the abandonment as q highway Of
| North Dakota avenue between these
| limits. The reason for this Is that the
| grounds of the Walter Reed Army Hos
| this site lying west Of Georgia avenue
| make the extension Of North Dakota
| avenue impracticable.
1t is further proposed to change some
| what the directions Of the north and
/ south and east and west streets
| through this tract to enable its devel-
! opment more in keeping with the to-
1 biography of the tract than is possible
| on the basis Of rectilinear streets now
/ laid down on theohighway plan In this
| section. The changes proposed will be
| to the advantage of the District al
well as to the owners of the property
4
| ments. None of the streets which Will
1 be affected by the new plan 10 now
/ owned by the public, SO that no aban-
donment of public space is involved.
Index to Be Kept by Recorder.
Then Mr. Smith called up H. r. 1850
directing the recorder OF deeds OF the
District to keep an index to recorded in
struments by lots or tracts. which was
la lSn vuif aff "a
man Smith had explained that the pro-
posed legislation will greatly facilitate
and promote accuracy in the searching
of the records of real estate titles. Its
| original suggestion is the result OF the
experience of the present recorder OF
| deeds, as detailed to the President OF the
United States in a letter which was after
| ward transmitted to the District COM
mittee by the Attorney General.
Other Bills Concerning Streets.
| The House then passed II. R. 1879, to
| change the name of the west side Of
10Th street northwest between l and X
streets. to Mcpherson place.
| The bill introduced by Chairman Smith
to extend 4th street southeast through
the United States reservation, lying be-
tween Congress Heights and Washing
| ton Highlands. SO as to connect 4th
| street, Congress Heights, with 4th street.
Washington Highlands, was also passed
After brief discussion the Cary BIN to
authorize the extension of 4lst street
| northwest from Harrison street north
| to keokuk street. as now dedicated. with
a width of ninety feet, was passed.
Official Designation Of Land.
| Mr.. Smith experienced no difficulty In
securing favorable action on H. r.
1880. to authorize the surveyor OF tho
District Of Columbia to adopt the sys-
tenn of designating land in the District
of Columbia now in force In the office
Of the assessor.
Extension Of Belmont Road.
Favorable action was also taken on
the Commissioners bill to acquire land In
the vicinity of the Connecticut avenue
bridge for the extension Of Belmont road
| to Calvert street, to connect the extension
with Waterside drive, and to extend
Waterside drive to the southerly line
OF the Geological Park, as shown on
plans on file in the office Of the En-
gineer Commissioner.
Mr. Cox of Ohio explained that "The
purpose of this bill is to acquire GER
tain ground TO the south and east Of
the Connecticut avenue bridge for the
purpose of laying out q road crossing
over the south approach to the bridge.
which will replace the old Belmont
road, across which il was necessary to
construct the south abutment OF the
bridge. 1t will make possible, also, q
second lower level road running under
the first arch of the bridge and con-
nection with Belmont road to the east
and west thereof. 1t will further make
possible a connection between Connec-
ticut avenue and Calvert street, which
are at high level, and Waterside drive
running along the low level OF Rock
Creek Park 1t will further secure the
ownership of a small piece of ground
at the present north end OF Water
side drive, thereby affording an en-
trance to the Geological Park from the
latter.
Private ownership at the south end Of
the bridge and to the east thereof is such
that dumping and building may be un-
dertaken to the very great detriment OF
the bridge. The topography of the
ground In this locality is such that for q
great many years to come there Is bound
to exist under present ownership the
combined objection of extensive dumping
and building development, with the tops
and back yards OF houses In evidence
from the bridge The unsightliness Of