Evening star., 1926-01-23
14TH STREET BILL
CHANGE PROTESTED
Compromise on Extension
Decided Disappointment to
Property Owners, Is Claim.

Compromise, agreement on the ex.
tension of Fourteenth street through
the Walter Reed Hospital reservation
was reached in conference between
Chairman Capper of the Senate Dis
trIct committee, Chairman Zihlman
of the House District committee, En-
s1neer Commissioner Bell, Gen. Glen
nan. commandant of the Walter Reed
Hospital, and Surg. Gen. Ireland, after
a personal inspection on the grounds
yesterday. AS agreed upon. the bill
providing for the extension will be
pressed before the Senate and House
committees soon, the respective chair
men assured the conferees and other
interested parties.
The compromise is a modification of
the District Commissioners measure
and a decided disa appointment to prop
erty owners on the line of the pro-
posed extension and to the suburban
territory that the extension is de-
signed to serve. A large population.
both in the District and in Mary
land, will suffer deprivation, 1t Is
claimed.
Hospital Officials State Terms.
The hospital authorities agreed to
withdraw opposition to the extension
OF Fourteenth street through the res
ervation provided street car and bus
traffic and heavy trucks are barred,
and the regulations of traffic within
the hospital grounds is left TO the
hospital authorities. This at once de
feats one of the principal purposes of
the legislation, for the Sixteenth
Street Heights Citizens Association
has been urging this development be-
cause the people wanted a street car
line in competition with the Wash;ng-
ton Railway and Electric Line. so as
to assure better service.
Under the compromise the Walter
Reed reservation will be given a mag
nificent entrance replacing the pre- sent
unattractive entrance from Sixteenth
street and the decidedly squalid ap-
proach from Georgia avenue. with the
Fourteenth street extension becoming
the main approach and thoroughfare,
ITO feet wide to and through tn reser-
vation. for half mile, conforming to
the natural contour Of the grounds
and not interfering with any existing
building or landscaping plans.
Regarded Complete Surrender"
The civic interests that have been
behind the Fourteenth street exten-
sion project consider the compromise
reached yesterday a complete sur
render to the demands Of the hospital
dOInOr1tleS, ana not Tor the best IN
terests of the patients, who would be
afforded better facilities by a street
car or bus line along Fourteenth
street.
The compromise also provides that
Aspen street along the southern
boundary. instead of being widened by
taking a small amount of land from
the hospital grounds to make II 90
feet wide and to keep 1. straight, shall
be swung to the south and widened
by condemning and purchasing pri
vate land al the expense Of the Dis
trict taxpayers.
Another Concession to Hospitals.
The southern boundary of the hos
pital grounds is now on a line with
the center of Aspen street. 1t is
claimed that to carry the street
through on a straight line would in
terfere with some of the hospitals
service buildings. To avoid this it
was agreed to swing Aspen street out
of straight line and slash into pri-
vately owned property.
When this measure comes before
the House and Senate District COM
mittees a demand doubtless will be
made for public hearing, at which
civic leaders, representatives of citi-
zens associations and property own.
ers are expected to protest against the
corDprorniSe