Evening star., 1921-06-14
CITIZENS OPPOSE
CLOSING 14TH ST.
Seek Aid in Congress to Ex.
tend One Thoroughfare
Through Walter Reed.

District and Maryland citizens as
sociations are protesting to Congress
against passage. in its present form,
of Senate bill 1878, directing the clos
ing of streets in Walter Reed Hospi-
tai reservation, which would stop 14th
street at it's point of contact with
the reservation.
To enact the proposed legislat ation, it
is claimed. would leave Georgia ave-
nue. as the only rapid transit street
leading north out Of Washington, be-
tween 1st and 18th streets northwest,
and would produce such traffic con-
gestion on that thoroughfare as to
make 1t the most overcrowded high
way in the District.
The Distric: Commissioners May
1s reported favorably on the bill In
question, but with the pro.ise that
14th street be excepted.
Last night. the Citizens Association
of Takoma Park. Md. adopted unani-
mously a resolution stating that the
would be a serious setback to the
town of Takoma and to that entire
section of Maryland and the District
of Columbia
1000 Sign Petition.
More than 1000 persons living in
that section have signed petitions ia
which will be presented tomorrow
morning to Senator Weller and Rep
resentative Zihlman Of Maryland. Aid
of the Maryland delegation in Con-
gress in opposing the Senate bill will
be sought.
District citizens associations that
are on record as opposed to the pro-
posed legislation are the Brightwood
and Sixteenth Street associations.
The former. at its meeting Saturday
tion requesting the opening of 14th
street from Colorado avenue to the
District line, which would carry the
thoroughfare through the hospital
reservation.
The resolution of the Takoma Park
association states that 14th street, if
extended, would not pass near the
hospital buildings on the reservation.
These buildings are now located"
says the resolution. we'll to the east Of
the line Of 14th street on the Georgia
avenue side of the reservation. The
proposed Walter Reed extension plan,
recently on file with the War Depart
ment, Contemplated the erection Of a
medical school, museum. officers quar-
ters and similar buildings on and near
the line of 14th street extended. The
erection of buildings of this type will
in no sense properly conflict with the
extension of 14th street. which extern
sion is SO vital to the general public
good.
Congest Housing Situation.
"The development along 14th street
south and east of Walter Reed has in
recent years been the largest single
source of supply of homes to the peo-
PIE Of Washington; tto w.1,a The block blocking OF
walton will in sthe near future much
more seriously congest the housing
situation of Washington.
The question of how to extend 14th
street as a rapid transit line has been
considered jointly by District En-
Lansing H. Beach. chief of engineers
of the United States Army. It is un-
derstood they have arrived at the
conclusion that the street could be
sunk below it's general level, at no
great cost, SO that all the footways to
be used by officers. patients and
would pass over the highway. This
would seem to be the complete an
swer. say extension advocates, to the
suggestion of safety for inmates.
Georgia Avenue slants.
Georgia avenue. which would be the
only north and south rapid transit
line left in the event Of the Senate bill
passing in its present form. slants
top much to the southeast to accomo-
date a great many people, It is claim
ed by those urging the extension of
14th street. To regard this street as
the: only north and south rapid transit
line going through to the District line
is almost an fmpossibility, they say.
and the importance of connecting the
city. with the section beyond the hos
pital reservation by extending 18th
street cannot be overestimated.