Evening star., 1914-02-08
Demand Upon Congress for
Resurfacing Decided On at
Mass Meeting.
DIVERSION OF BUSINESS
BY C0BBLEsTONES CITED
Provision in Current Appropriation
Bill for Asphalt Paving Is to
Be Sought.


avenue and representatives of COM
mercial and civic organizations OF the
city. gathered In a mass meeting last
night to protest against the action of
the House committee in eliminating from
the District appropriation bill money for
the paving with asphalt of 7th street
north of X street.
The meeting was held in Carroll In
stitute Hall, and was under the auspices
OF the Mid-Ctty Citizens Association.
Speakers told how the antiquated bel
gian block. laid forty years ago. had
served to divert business from this part
of what was termed the main artery
of Washington" and how the diversion
of this traffic had deprecated property
values in what was characterized as
this district of cobblestones.' Every
speaker urged that the business men and
property owners of this part of the city
should go to Congress and have provision
for paving the street inserted. not next
year. but this year.
The inactiveness of the people to get
this paving in the past was criticised. but
the speakers generally agreed that an
organized effort to &c the pavement now
was being made. and they spohe with
priation bill. when enacted into law this
year. will contain the provision for this
street Improvement.
Plan to Go to Congress.
At the end of the meeting Joseph Ber-
berich. who presided at the meeting. de-
clared that Monday morning he would
call a conference of the men having
charge of the matt - with a view 10
going before the congressional commit
tees and getting action which will re-
suit in having provision for the improve
nent made in the currert appropriation
bill. Those who spoke last night We're
A. J. Driscoll, president of the Mid-City
Association; D. A. Edwards president
of the Federation OF Citizens Associa-
tions; William +. GUIDE, president of the
Chamber of Commerce; w. H. Singleton,
first vice president of the Washington
Board of Trade; Isaac Cans. vice presi-
dent of the Retail Merchants Associa-
ton; NJ. u. Rosenberg. counsel for the
Retail Merchants Association; Charles
S. Shreve. judge William II. De Lacy.
John Shugrue, Louis Gutenberg and Bris-
tow Adams. president of the Rhode
Island Avenue Citizens Association.
Seventh street is in worse shape than
it was five years ago.. declared Mr.. Ber-
berich, although our taxes have been
increasing. Unless the street is paved SO
as to invite traffic and trade. both will de-
cline and values will grow less and less.
There is no doubt that the cobblestones
keep traffic, and incidentally business, off
the street. Very few people get above X
street. You can stand any day and see
vehicles come to eth and X streets and
then they go east or west, but never
north on 9TH street. The beautiful cleo
trio lights even stop at X street Every
thing stops at K street. 1t is the divid-
ing line. Property values are lower above
street than they are below. The
maintenance of the cobblestones on 9TH
street is crying shame; l think it
should be corrected Mr.. Berberich read
letters from the Washington Chamber of
Commerce and the Retail Merchants As
sociation pledging the support of these
two bodies to the movement Mr.. Ber-
berich also read letter from Represent
ative L. A. HAYES. in which the latter ex-
pressed the belief that mo legislation in
imical to the District will receive the in
dorsement of this Congress
City Beautiful in Spots.
President Edwards of the Federation of
Citizens pointed out that the trouble with
Washington was that it was beautiful in
spots. Right alongside OF fine residences,
he said, you will find novels, and behind
magnificent dwellings, one will find
wretched alley conditions. He also ex-
planned the need of repaving 7th street
and declared that there was no doubt
that business goes where there is the
least resistance and that the cobblestones
at present on 1th street formed a resist
ance. He declared that he. like others.
would go mile out of the way in order
to avoid the cobblestones of 7th street
Seventh street is a disgrace to the
National Capital" declared President
Guide of the Chamber of Commece. Par
ticularly is this so in connection with 7th
street, for it leads the way to one of the
most productive farming communities
around the country. 1 do not sec how
you can keep from making the sort of
protest you are now making. You are
going about getting the provision for
paving inserted in the bill in just the
right way. Seventh street is blemish
the way it Is now paved. But 7 sincere
ly believe that the remedy will be forth
coming at the present session of Con-
gress.'
Mr. Singleton called attention 10 the
spectacle that greeted the stranger in the
city when he turned into 7th street on
car from Florida avenue, where the
sight of the green, virgin grass growing
right in the street was a sorry one
He declared that at the present time
just as when he was a boy. one could
wade in puddles of water and sail boats
on 7th street.