Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-26
EXTENSION OF 14TH
Street IS FAVORED
Bill Reported to House With
Strong Recommendations
Attached.

| mendation from Chairman Rudolph
of the Board OF District Commission
ers and Secretary of War Weeks 10
Chairman Reed of the House District
| committee urging the passage of the
bill to extend 14rh street, a favorable
committee report on this measure was
| made to the House today by Repre-
sentative Frederick N. Zihlman of
Maryland. acting chairman of the
committee.
Representative Zihlman emphasized
that this legislation had been declared
by Gen. Lord, director of the budget.
program of the President, and that
! IT is In the form recommended by the
| highway commission. He called
particular attention to a statement
by Secretary Weeks that it provides
the most equitable solution of a
problem which has a very important
bearing on the future development
Of the District of Columbia as well as
| the Walter Reed Hospital"
Features OF Bill.
The Zihlman report points out that
the bill provides for the closing of all
Reed Hospital reservation except
14th street, these including 18th
| street. 18th street. Dahlia street.
| Dogwood street and Elder street 1t
provides for the widening and open
| ing of 14th street through the
grounds of the reservation In accord
ance with the plan prepared by the
| office of the chief of engineers of
the United States Army.
| By this plan it is provided that
| 18th street shall extend through. that
part of the reservation on which the
Medical Department of the United
States Army plans to build medical
| officers school. student officers
| quarters. library and a museum.
| designated by the surgeon general
of the Army as the Army medical
| center"
1t is not proposed to extend 14th
reservation used for hospital wards
or purposes, the wards, under the
permanent plan of the surgeon gen.
eral, being placed much closer to
Georgia avenue than to the proposed
extension OF 14th street.
Commissioners' Letter.
The bill also provides that the ex-
tension of 14th street shall be SUBJ
ject to the approval of the Secretary
of War. Favorable consideration by
Congress is accordingly recommend
ed.
In forwarding the draft of the bill
to Chairman Reed the Commissioners
pointed out that they have no OBJ
lection to the closing of any of the
streets and alleys included within
the area, with the exception of 14th
street" This statement was made
because of the statement that closing
of certain streets within Walter Reed
Hospital reservation is necessary in
order to provide for additional build
ingS and extension to the hospital.
Relative to the widening of the
other streets mentioned above, the
Commissioners pointed out that a
general law authorized them to in
Stitute condemnation proceedings in
accordance with the highway plans.
Expenses in this case are assessed as
benefits to property holders. In this
case. however. the Commissioners
point out, extension of some of the
streets will involve destruction of
number of dwellings,, and the Com
! missioners believe it would be in
! equitable to open these streets under
! the general authority granted them,
and that the: community d whole
tshould bear part of the cost"
Is Vital Legislation.
Concluding. the Commissioners
wrote:
There is no District legislation now
pending that is of more vital impor-
lance to the development of the
northern part of the District than the
bill submitted. This part of the Dis
trict and the adjacent communities
in the state of Maryland are opening
very rapidly, and with the normal
growth of motor transportation de-
velopInent of 14th street as an addi
tionai arterial highway leading into
the District of Columbia from the
north will be necessary to relieve
traffic conditions on Georgia avenue,
Alaska avenue and 18th street"
Indication of the $3.50 procedure
between the District and federal gov
ernments>in this matter is shown by
another paragraph in Secretary
Weeks letter which points out that
although certain streets have already
been opened up and improved by the
District within the area which has
been acquired for the extension of
the hospital reservation, the bill pro-
poses the vacation and abandonment
of such streets and Will benefit the
hospital by giving 1t complete con-
troll and use of the land now included
within those Streets; The District
gets 14th street extended and Walter
Reed Hospital gets the land needed
for buildings without having the
obstacle of improved streets as a