Evening star., 1925-08-15
CITIZENS DEMAND
BAN ON BELT LINE
Somerset, Nd, Residents
See lrreparabIe Damage to
Suburban Towns.

Pointing out that irrepars ble da m
sge would he done by the construction
OF the proposed Washington and
Loughborough belt line. formal pH't-
ton signed by the mayor. j. William
Stohlma n: town council and so prop
erty owners OF Somerset Md, and
skiing that the railroad com pa ny's
petition be not granted. has been fisd
with the Public Services Commission OF
MARYLAND.
We, respectfully urge. say the pc
tttioRers that the privileges sought
by the Washington nd ughboronsh
Belt Line and Terminal Co. be nor
granted for the reasons that the region
affected is strictly residential with
small exceptions; that as TO these eT-
ceptions adequate service is given bY
the existing facilities; that the develop
ment involves serious and trreparaDle
injury to the vested rights of the res
dents of this area; that the develop
ment will seriously affect and ds mage
the DEVELOPMENT OF that area in Mary
md which is contiguous 10 the Dis
tricf of Columbia. and whose con
sistent development is now being un-
dertaken on large scale, and thar The
financial interests involved-namelN,
small holding by the Washington and
Ioughborough Belt Line and Terminsi
Co. at the junction Of River road and
the Baltimore and Ohio rsilroad-aCe
insignifica Mt in comps rison with the
enormous property damage which
would he wrought by the introduction
of In extensive industrial development
into strictly residential area
Case Fn,ly Set Forth
The case of the Somerset residents
is completely set out before rhs com
mission In the following language:
THE mayor and council of rhe
Town If Somerset MontsomerysCoun
~, Md. and the undersigned taxpsy-
ers q Nd citizens of the same. hereby
protest against the issuance Of an
order permitting and approving the
exercise by the Washington and
Loughborough Belt Line and Term
nal Co. OF It's alleged franchises
rights and privileges; and in support
of such protest IL calls The attention
facts:
''Somerset is an incorporated town
extending from Wisconsin avenue 10
the River Road essr of the branch
line OF the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road. The southwest corner of the
town is adjacent 10 the present
4, Loughborough development and the
entire western boundary OF the town
and much OF the southern boundary
of the town. are contiguous 10 terri
tory which viii be used in The pro
posed development. " is even possible
that the proponents Of this develop
ment contemplate the extension Of the
developme nj. within the town limits.
THE Town Of Somerset is strictly
residential development. The town has
now. and long has had in force. an
ordina nee prohibiting the conduct or
ny business within the town. Nearly
q n The residents of the town own their
own homes end nave recently been "a
heavy expense in The improvement of
their streets and in the laying Of new
wa ter mains and sewers. The region
Is one OF great natural beauty. with
good ps ssenser ransportation facili-
ties: and is rapidly growing. The sur
rounding area, which includes the
towns OF Chevy Chase. Friendship
Drummond. Bradley Hills. LEILA nd and
Edgemoor. is quite extensively de
reloped "a residential communities
a nd il is inevitable that the deNelop
ment of an extensive commercial cen
ter at Loughborough and the building
of an additional railroad will work
serious and ireparable injury 10 Your
ers in the same region.
Denies Company Claim.
CONTRARY to the statement made
in the petition filed on behalf ot the
Washington and Loughborough Belt
| Line and Terminal Co. virtually no
part OF the region 10 he Iraverssd by
the proposed railroad is Of an indus
trial character. Al LouEhborouGh
! there are q few oil storage tanks ano
| small quarry. These are amply
served by the existing Baltimore and
| Ohio Railroad branch. At Bethesda
and at Chevy Chase. Lake there are
small coal yards and yards connected
with the building supply industry.
! These are adequate for local purposes
and are adequately served by the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad. There is
no existing demand tor additional IA
cilities and those offered BY the Ba
timore and Ohio Railroad are ample
for any probable future development
| and are capable of extension if The
need shall arise.
There Is being started 2 much
needed plan to unity and coordinate
the development Of that area in Mary
| land which is contiguous 10 the Dis
| trict of Columbia. This involves 2
recognition OF the fact that the region
| is residential in character. and that
It's harmonious Development is impor
tant. The fact that the District of Co
lumbia does not tolerate developments
such as are proposed in the petition
! OF the Washington and Loughboroug
| Belt Line and Terminal Co., ia sci
! forth in that petition. We submit that
il is not Just nor eQuita BILE TO permit
! Washington interests to impose on an
! important residential area in MARY
! land those types of development which
are so Objectionable that they are for
bidder in the District OF Columbia. tn
permit this is to convert growing
suburban residential development into
a freight ward for the convenience Of
I We On