Evening star., 1913-02-11
COMMITTEE Of SENATE
AGREES ON STREET BILL
Benning Road Improvement
Involves Purchase by District
of Railway Property.


between the opposing interests that have
been at loggerheads over the legislation.
the bill for the widening of Benning road
from 18th street to Oklahoma avenue.
already passed by the House. was ap-
proved by the Senate committee on the
District of Columbia today Senator Cur
lis reported to the Senate the recon-
mendation of the committee that the bill,
as amended, be passed.
The two amendments favored by the
committee provide for the purchase by
the District of the ground of the Wash
lngton. Baltimore and Annapolis rail-
road upon which the White House sta
tion now stands at 18th and II streets
northeast, and for making the total width
of the improved street 12o feet. so that
the present tracks of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company. now at
the side of Benning road. will be In the
center of the improved roadway.
Objections to Measure.
AS the bill was passed by the House, It
provided that Benning road shall be
widened to 11O feet and that the traction
company should remove it's tracks to the
center of the improved highway The i'm
provement of the road was urged upon
Congress by persons owning property in
that section, especially by those whose
property fronted on the street railway
right of way instead of on the road. But
there was sturdy opposition on the part
OF the local railway company and the
Baltimore and Annapolis line.
The traction officials contended that
they were to contribute their present
right of way alongside Benning road to
widen it, and thought the further re-
quirement for the moving of ,neir tracks
4,
ship.
The Washington, Baltimore and Annap-
oils line officials argued that to take forty
feet off the side OF their property at 18th
and III streets would make 1t practically
useless to them.
Compromise Suggested.
To meet the objections Of the street
railway company it was suggested that if
the street We're made 12p feet wide in
stead of 40 feet the tracks in their pres
ent location would be in the center of the
new thoroughfare and the expenditure of
100000 for the removal of the tracks thus
avoided. This suggestion was regarded
by the committee happy compromise
and was adopted.
Regarding the amendment for the pur-
chase of the Washington, Baltimore and
Annapolis terminal property at 18th and
II streets northeast. the committee re-
port, written by Senator Curtis, says:
The second material amendment which
your committee have thought it proper TO
insert in this bill is one providing for
the purchase of the property now owned
by the Washington, Baltimore and An
napolis Electric Railroad Company. This
company owns a strip of land fronting
proximately 1,21225 feet with q width
of 154.61 feet, which was acquired by
purchase at an expense. including pres
ent improvements, Of $122, ,5S6.21 The
bill, as amended. directs the purchase of
this property at a price not exceeding
$4,000, which is a reduction of S425S6,2 "a
in the actual cost of the property to the
present owners, including improvements.
Used as Terminal Station.
This property is now owned and used
by the Washington, Baltimore and An
napolis Electric Railroad Company as a
terminal and station, and for their pur-
poses is very valuable. The taking of a
strip off this property forty feet wide.
as provided for in the amended bill, would
do doubt destroy its value to this COM
pany for the purposes for which it is now
used, and probably for any other use that
could be made of it in the line of their
business. 1t would require the removal of
House station, and would require them to
seek elsewhere for property such as could
be used for terminal and storage facili-
ties.
Also. the street Improvement plans in
this section. which will no doubt he car
ried out within q, reasonably short time,
provide for the extension of II street.
Maryland avenue and 18th street. all
three of which extensions cut through
this same piece of property. and. to-
gether with the strip necessary for the
widening of Benning road. would reduce
it's area from 4.23 acres TO a little more
than one acre, and this remaining one
acre would be cut into three small tri-
angular pieces of such size as to be en-
tirely valueless for any purpose what
soever except for small parks. Therefore
it may be said that this present bill, to-
gether with the other plans for street
Improvement. contemplates the use of
substantially all Of this piece OF property.
and your committee is Of the opinion
that the circumstances in this case are
such that the best interests Of the Dis
trict of Columbia and of justice to the
owners of this property can best be pro-
NOTED by providing for its purchase out
right"
Ind TN!0 QkH|CeuIDo