Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-19
WOULD RETAIN YARD
District Commissioners Want
Place to Store Property.
OPPOSE BILL IN CONGRESS
Write Senator Gallinger Stating
Uselessness of Extra Street
in the Northeast.
OPPOSE BILL IN CONGRESS

Once more the District Commissioners
have sent to Congress a message in
opposition TO the wishes of the North
east Washington Citizens Association.
which is behind the bill to make
the old Baltimore and Ohio right of
way into avenue running from 9Th
and | streets northeast TO Florida ave
nue. The Commissioners have that
| right of way now in use as a property
yard 1t is a sore point with the north
east citizens. who have appeared before
the Commissioners in earnest appeal to
| do away with the yard and make a
/ street The association claimed a VIC
| tory on the subject when the Attorney
Generals office gave an opinion in jan
uary to the effect that the title in the
strip of land is vested in the United
States and is entirely at the disposal OF
Congress. Later this was toned down
| by , letter from the Attorney General
which said that in view of the fact
that the District of Columbia paid for
half the deed, there is ground for the
commissioners views that the District
| can use that strip of land for a prop
| erty yard or anything else necessary.
| Inc citizens association has worked
nara TO get the property yard taken
away and street placed there bill
TO that effect is again in Congress, and
| the Commissioners very strong adverse
| views on the subject are entirely ex-
planned in a letter sent to Senator Gal
| linger. part of which follows:
Letter to Senator Ga1linger.
Under the act of Congress approved
February II, 1901, providing for the
elimination of grade crossings on the line
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, a new
route for the railroad was laidsdown from
| Winthrop Heights station to the new
Union station and provision was made
Tor abandoning the old right Of way
from Winthrop Heights to I'd street east
The abandoned right of way was decided
to the United States in accordance with
the terms of that act: the total length of
TINS right OF way was about ten thousand
feet, of which about nine thousand feet
has been set aside by the Commissioners
for use as a public highway known as
west virginia avenue. This portion has
already been graded in part and i'm
proved.
The portion which runs through square
ssS has been set aside as public res
ervation, and the portion which runs
use as a property yard for the storage Of
material for public use. this portion Is
about GOO feet in length, and 1t has been
inclosed by the construction of a sub
stanfial. ornamental brick wall 50 as to
screen material In the property yard from
view.
objection was raised by certain per-
sons In the northeast section of the
of the right of way, and hearing was
granted to the protestants. The Com
n1SslonerS gave very careful conSidera-
ton TO the matter. and decided that the
proposed use was the most advantageous
TO the public interests. There is no need
for thoroughfare over the old right of
way south of X street.
Main Line Of Travel
X street is very wide. and has been
improved and developed as the main line
of east-and-west travel. 1t is a through
street, being carried under the railroad
viaduct by subway. and into this street
| the traffic OF West Virginia avenue has
been properly led. 1t was for this rea-
son. particularly. and also for the rea-
son that the District was in need of a
property yard in this section of the city,
that the old right-of-way through square
s5I was not set aside for street purposes.
II it were used as a street the traffic
would be diverted to I street. the next
street south. which street has a blind
end at the railroad terminal at Cd street. |
to the westward.
IF this bill is passed the Commissioners
will be required to abandon the portion OF
the right Of way through square S57
which they have set aside as a property
yard, and the portion Of square 6SS, which
has been set aside for a park. will have
to be changed into a highway. A high
way through these two squares the Com
missioners believe to be absolutely I'M
necessary for the reasons herein given.
while q property yard in square S57 Is a
necessity. If this property yard were re-
ouired to be abandoned it would be nee |
essary 10 select some other ground in the
immediate vicinity and purchase or con- |
denim land al cost which Is estimated |
to be 10000: and II the unnecessary
street was laid out some $4,000 would |
be wasted in its improvement. with fur |
Their sums annually for maintenance.
The public would thereby be damaged, |
without compromising benefits. Any bene- |
fits that would result would be to the |
| owners Of property which abuts upon the |
land I'm question. Their real estate would |
be increased in value doubtless: and this |
is the same land which has already bene-
fitted by the change that has already &C.
CURED in the use of the land in question, |
which was formerly a railroad right of |
way"