Evening star., 1921-08-04
OPPOSES CLOSING
Of 14TH STREET
AT HOSPITAL LINE
Highway Commission Recon-.
mendation Embodied in Bill
introduced in House.

Another step was taken today in
the controversy over the extension of
18th street through the Walter
Reed Hospital grounds and the pro-
posed closing of several streets in the
vicinity of Walter Reed Hospital.
Chairman Focht of the House Dis
trict committee today introduced a
new bill to conform with the recon-
mendations of the highway commits
sion of the District. The bill is a
combination Of the two bills previous
ly introduced. one by Chairman Kahn
Of the House military affairs COM
mittee. to close certain streets and
alleys within the area Of the Walter
Reed General Hospital, and the other
introduced by Chairman Focht of the
House District committee at the re-
quest of the District Commissioners,
authorizing the extension and widening
Of 14th street from Montague street.
Gen. Beach's Recommendation.
The new bill follows the line recon-
mended by Maj. Gen. Lansing H.
Beach. chief Of engineers, who wrote
to Mr.. Focht as follows:
The highway commission Of the
DiStIlCt OF Solumoia mas carefully
considered H. r. 1924 (the Kahn bill)
and H. r. 557s Ohe Focht bill intro
duced at the request Of the District
Commissioners.)
THE highway commission is of the
opinion that 14th street should not be
closed through the Walter Reed Hos
pital grounds. as. IL that were done
it would leave only two highway
Georgia avenue and 18th street.
available for north and south bound
trafic. which is almost certain. with
the growth OF the city, to amount to
greater volume than could be OF
should be handled by these two streets
1T will be necessary and advisable
to have the other streets within the
limit of the hospital grounds closed
as provided for in H. r. 1924 (the
Kahn bflD. Fourteenth street should
however. be kept open. for the rea-
sons stated above. which should have
such grade that the traffic will prove
as little inconvenience and annoyance
to the hospital as possible.
1T is, therefore, recommended that
H. X. 5S24 and H. R. 5579 be united in
one bill. using H. r. 5s24 for the first
section of the combination bill. after
slight variations. and H. R. 557s. as
redrafted. for the remainder OF the
bill"
Provisions Of Bill.
The bill which Chairman Focht in
troduced today, by request of Lam
sing H. Beach. major general. chief
of engineers, member of the highway
commission of the District of Column
bia," proposes:
ITO vacate certain streets and al
leys within the area known as the
Walter Reed General Hospital. and to
authorize the extension and widening
of. 14th street from Montague street
to its southern terminus south of
OF
18th street to 18th street. Colorado
avenue from Montague street to 18th
street. Concord avenue from 18th
street to its western terminus west OF
Sth street west. 18th street from
Nicholson street to Piney Branch road
street to Blair road.
The redrafted bill says that in or
der to provide for the necessary ex-
tension and additional buildings to be
erected at the Walter Reed General
Hospital, all public streets except 14th
street and alleys included within the
area bounded by 18th street on the
west. Alaska avenue on the northwest
Fern street on the south. Georgia ave-
nue. on the east, and Aspen street, as
plated on the official survey map on
the south, be vacated, abandoned and
closed. The portions of public streets
within this area thus abandoned are
| known as 18th street. 18th street:
Dahlia street, Dogwood street and
Elder street.
The bill provides that when 14th
street shall be opened for traffic to
the southern boundary of the Walter
| Reed Hospital grounds the control
and jurisdiction of that part of 14th
street as laid down on the plan OF
the permanent system of highways OF
| the District which lies within the
| hospital grounds Gan Army reserva-
toni shall Immediately pass to the
CommisS oners of the District.
There As a special provision in the
! bill introduced today that sthe grade
of the street through the hospital
grounds shall be subject to the ap-
proval of the. Secretary of War"