Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-29
Arguments on Proposed Con-
struction Between WASH
ington and Annapolis.
MARYLAND TAXPAYERS
INTERESTED AUDITORS
Question of Selecting Route and Re-
quest for Appropriation Before
Committee Of Legislature.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
ANNAPOLIS. Md, February o3-Ths
joint hearing Of those Interested in the
construction of the national defense
highway between Washington and An
napolis was held at noon today before
the committee on finance and ways and
means of the legislature in the senate
chamber. The meeting was to have
been held in the committee room on
finance. but when the committee ar
rived it was impossible for the mem
bers to get inside the door. owing to
the crowd of taxpayers and property
owners from Anne Arundel and Prince
Georges counties. who arrived early on
the scene.
The Senate chamber was pressed into
service. and the hearing finally called
finance committee.
Opening Address.
The opening address in favor Of the
old stage route and the reques st for an
appropriation of $c6O.00O for the con-
struction Of the highway was made by
c. c. Magruder. clerk of the Court OF
Appeals. who began presentation of the
facts before the committee. He was
interrupted several times by a resident
of the central road section, who evil
IDENTIFY intended entering objections to-
the selection Of the old stage route.
After several such attempts, Chair
man Cooper insisted that he remainN
quiet and show proper respect to the
holding the hearing.
a n g kc
ed with shouts of Put him out, put
him out"
After quiet had been restored the
Mr.. Magruder recited a brief history
of the road back to 1896 and dwelt on
the fact that it had not been improved
ana the people were today. after 12o
years. waking up to the Importance of
constructing national highway be-
tween the two capitals.
Proposed Width of Boulevard.
The boulevard. he said, should be
sixty feet wide from stem to stern.
II we should have trouble with for
eign powers we should be able to
transport troops from this capital to
the capital at Washington. There
were no bridges to build and the route
was the shortest between the two
points. The road. he said, while sandy
and with some hills. had shipping sta
tons which compared favorably with
the roads lower down in the counties
Neither party. he continued. had any
thing in their platform in regard to the
construction of a road or allowing an
and the several hundred
persons present, he said, gave evidence
of the fact that they " ould rather have
good roads than anything else for
which he urged. VIA Collington. and
with the boulevard at
he said. would bring An
napoi1s nearer to Washington. and he
appealed to the committee as tax
payer and in justice to the people Of
that section of the state.
Endorsed by College President.
Thomas Fell. president of st. Johns
College. who expressed himself as
being in favor of preparedness, spoke
In favor of the construction of the
highway. He said that the government
was in favor of increasing the army
and navy. and doubted il any one pres
ent would object to building the road
He Endorsed what had been said by
Mr.. Magruder.' Army and navy experts,
he said, Informed him that if these two
branches of the service were increased
good roads were necessary to move
them about. He alluded to the lessons
already taught by the European war.
We have high-powered automobiles,
'apid motor cycles and motor trucks,
ind we should have some ready means
Of access between the two capitals He
old of the interest being taken by
'esidents of the two counties and also
poke from an economic standpoint.
the fact that taxes
would have to be slightly increased if
he roadway is built.
Joseph c. Addison. former member Of
he house of delegates from Prince
arrest proposition to use the old stage
quite. which was through the central
section of the counties.
No provision, he said, had been made
II the central section of counties. No
he said, had been made in
he s2,500.00O appropriation of the state
Dads commission for construction of
Dad between the two capitals, or even
From the standpoint of
economy he urged this route.
Urges Northern Route.
Ridgely p. Melvin. city counsel Of
Anna polls and counselor of Anne
arundel county commissioners. urged
he northern route as the most prac-
icable. although he did not speak for
II against the other. He told of tho
.dvantages by the selection Of the Col
ington route. With the Introduction
providing for an appro-
'riation of S250.000 and the appropria-
ion of a similar amount by the state
f Maryland. the state in reality would
re getting the highway at half price.
Advantages Detailed.
T. Howard Duckett. from Anne
arundel county. told of the money 1t
would bring into the state with the
of new homes, new people,
Increase in realty values and of its de-
Inability through the sections re-
erred to.
He mentioned its connection with the
eeder of the Lincoln highway at Blad-
nsburg and said the tourists from west
IN Maryland could motor to Annapolis
ia Bladensburg over good roads.
The hearing adjourned after former
tate Senator Thomas Brady told the
ommittee of the practical ADVANTAGES
T the road and discussed the CONSTRUCT
ion from the standpoint of an invest
rent. The road would be of great bene.
t. he said. to the taxable basis of the
tate.