The Washington herald., 1922-04-22
Central Citizens De-
7 nounce Senate Bill as
Menace to Rights"
KELLER'S LETTER
OFFERS SUPPORT
Commissioner Declares
He Would Never Per-
nit Extension.

Characterizing Senate bill 30s3
as a menace to the rights of
Washington residents" a mass
meeting of citizens, held under the
auspices of the Central Citizens
Association, at goa street north
west. last night adopted resolu-
tiOns cOndemning the measure and
asking its defeat in the Lower
House
The legislation. said to be sup
ported by railroad interests would
confer upon District Commission
ers authority to grant railroads the
right to extend elevated and sur
face tracks into residential sections
OF the city.
Measure Denounced.
Members declared that the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany for years has endeavOred to
extend its tracks across First street
northwest -IE the area between I
and y streets. Declaring that the
present bill. which has passed the
Senate, is designed to accomplish
this purpose, the members vigor-
the sO-Callcd secret means used to
effect it's passage.
Should the right be granted to
build such track extensions. it was
I."inted out that hundreds of homes
IN this section would be destroyed
In addition. seven phiIanthropic in
Situti"ns would he razed. Including
The North capitol Methodist Church.
N"trc Damc Convent. trvnzaEs
S'-H"ul. -. AlOysiUs Church. GOnza-
~ college. Blake Public School and
Siblcy Hospital
. topi imISSiunrrs Rrassurr Mrmber
I'strict Commissioners. in a letter
v -.;tcn by Commissioner Keller. as
="rcd members that they supported
iH- citizens in preventing railroad
tensions which would constitute
.. menace. The bill the letter eN-
F..iu"d. was desi gnsd to confer upon
''',. commissioners the authority to
'-''.Ut railroads the right to extend
i..rtr tracks where. in the Judgment
The Commissioners. ii was
thought advisable. Under no circum-
s''.nCrS. it was stated, would the
''uEtissioners allow extensions
That would cause any danger to resi-
d.uts
Although reassured that no i'm
mediate danger impends. citizens
declared that future District Of
H"ia,s might not prove sympathetic
g." their wishes.
Donovan Expresses Confidence.
Expressing confidence in the sup
port Of present Commissioners.
President Donovan declared that the
hanger in granting the power of
extending tracks lies in the future
While we have confidence in our
officials of today" he stated. we
d." not know that those in the fu-
tUre Will be attentive to our wish
g. For that reason. this power
should not he granted. If il is
- cranted it will be a standing men
ace to our section of the city and
a danger to these institutions"
The following motion, introduced
by President Donovan. was adopt
cd unanimously.
solved That we arc grateful
for the assurance conveyed in col.
kellcT's letter Of even date. but
that We renew our protest against
the passage in the House of Rep
resentatives Of Senate bill 5OS5. and
that we believe the time will come
when Congress will refuse author
ity by special bill for such extern
sion Of the railroad tracks as any
emergency may require in any CIV
On ncighborhoOd. within the bounds
of the city as now established. II
is unfair in principle that any part
oT the city he subjected to the
alarm that We have experienced
during tho past two weeks. when
that neiChborhood has developed
under the reconstruction following
the general legislation Of 1908 bear
ing on this general subject"