Evening star., 1921-06-18
To FIGHT CLOSING
Of 14TH STREET
Hearing on Proposal Thurs.
day Likely to Attract
Throng of Directors.

Hearing before the highway COM
mission in the District building next
Thursday on the proposal TO close ali
streets in Walter Reed Hospital reSer-
vGtion. thereby making impossible the
extension Of 14th street. gave promise
today Of attracting one of the largest
delegations of protestarts that have
ever appeared before the commission.
Residents of Maryland, including
hundreds of government employees
who work in the District. and who
see III the proposal a stoppa ge OF
transportation development that will
lead to acute congestion on existing
lines. and District citizens. who regard
the proposal as serious thrust at the
development of the capital in accord
ance with the highway plans. plan to
attend the hearing.
The highway commission is CON-
ItoSed of the Secretary OF War. the
Secretary of Interior and the chief OF
engineers of the United States Army.
Views Are Solicited.
It has been requested by the Senate
District committee considering the
NaGsworth bill to close all streets
in tn. hospital reservation for re-
port on that measure, and also by
the House District committee. con-
siderirg the District Commissioners
bill introduced by Representative
f'ocht. TO extend 14th street in ac-
cordance with the highway plans. to
submit its views on that proposal.
The two bills. as they stSnd. are
in conflict, but the Commissioners
have sought to pave the way for the
passage of both by recommending
that The Wadsworth bill be amended
TO permit the extension of 14th street
through the hospital grounds.
II has not been indicated to what
extent the Senate and House Dis
ri fsAT mi. fnaS will hn nn@
hy the recommendations of the
highway commission. but District
and Maryland citizens. proceeding on
the theory that. the commissions
views largely will influence the policy
to be adopted by Congress. have de-
Thursday with an impressive array
of facts as to why 14th street .shoulu
not be closed.
Citizens Are Aroused.
Several citizens associations of the
District already are on record in op-
position to the proposal to close the
street, and the town council of Takoma
Fark. Md. at a meeting to be held
Monday night, is expected to adopt a
resolution of protest which will be sent
to the highway commission
1t will be pointed out to the commits
sion that, inaSmuch as 18th street is
omitted from the street extension
plans of the District, 14th street is the
next street to 10th street and Rock
Creek Park, and has been slanted west
to within one square of 18th street. so
that the rapid transit system on I4th
street, when extended, practically
would serve the whole of the east side
of Rock Creek Park. and be the only
means of rapid transit service to the
upper portion of the park, the dwelling
house area adjacent, and all the avail
rn in he icYr lot 1f
| and Maryland to the north and north
west of Rock Creek Park.
! The 14th street line, it is suggested,
properly could be sent to the west
and authorized to serve rs far as
kensington. in Maryland. Rock Creek
Park is not served by any street car
line Immediately adjacent to it on the
west. as Connecticut avenue slants
away from the park, and the rugged
topography Immediately adjacent on
the west apparently prohibits a street
railway there on account of the cost.
One Car Line Main Dependence.
II the Walter Reed Hospital area
is permitted to stop the development
OF, l4th street and the extension of its
rapid transit line, there will be left.
IL IS pointed out, no north and south
rapid transit line in the whole region
immediately north of the body of the
city of Washington except the Georgia
avenue line-that is. in the region be-
tween 1st and 18th streets. This is
! brought about by the filtration plant,
Soldiers Home and Rock Creek GENE
| terry forming block on the east that
practically extends to Georgia avenue
Fourteenth street extended offers
the only hope of relieving congestion
| on the Georgia avenue line and pro-
viding the transportation artery vital
to the further development of the big
| section hRv0nd -
] tion, and. unless the extension of this
| street is authorized, it is claimed,
WaShington's growth toward the
| north will be seriously hampered.