Evening star., 1926-03-28


resenting Arlington County Citizens;
whose only interest is a financial one
1T is not fair to force this menace
upon the citizens of Maryland with
out their consent and in the face OF
their unanimous opposition. They
have built their homes and their chii-
dren are being reared there. We are
sure that Congress will not go out Of
it's way to destroy these homes built
by the savings of our citizens in order
to help plans of a few promoters and
in the face of a complete lack of
necessity for such a belt line and ter
minal.
Sees Evils to District.
1T would not be fair to the District
| OF Columbia for it would not only
bring these evils to their very doors
but would require heavy hauling to
and from the terminals through the
very heart of the most beautiful resi-
dental section in Washington. In all
probability this hauling would be done
to and from the terminals directly
| through Massachusetts, avenue north
west, the shortest line from the terml-
nal to the city proper, menacing this
wonderful new development with its
fine homes and passing the new ca
| thedral at st. Adams, OF which the
| city and Nation Is proud and which 1t
| is hoped to make the Nations valhalla.
The whole of Wisconsin and Massa-
chusetts Avenue Heights section
| would be made vastly less attractive
and less valuable if these heavy truck
| ing movements, the inevitable and
| necessary results Of freight terminals,
are permitted.
"The Washington Board Of Trade
and the Washington Chamber OF
Commerce are both opposed to the
measure and have adopted resolutions
which have been filed with the COM
mittee.
Civic Standpoint.
From a. purely civic standpoint
the project is indefensible. Through
out Arlington and Fairfax counties
in Virginia, all of Montgomery
County, Md, and those sections OF
Prince Georges County, Md, con-
tiguous to the proposed belt line,
wave after wave of indignation has
swept the people who have invested
their all in homes bordering on the
District of Columbia and who have
pioneered in the greater Washington
development movement.
"It is in these suburbs that Wash
ington will grow, official figures indl'
eating that the District of Columbia
is at present IS per cent improved
The future growth of the capital by
necessity must be in nearby Virginia
and Maryland.
Strikes Home Makers.
Items of thousands Of people have
gone ahead of the march of popula-
struggled bitterly through the years
in many instances, to establish the.
hearthstones-alI the while confident
in their belief that their Investments
would be secure, never to be endan-
gered by unsightly industrial
growths. It is these settlements, now
fast being unified and brought to-
eether by millions Of dollars worth
of additional residential development,
that will form through the coming
wears the very heart OF residential
Washington. It is hoped to make IT
the most beautiful capital in the
world through the years and so main
tain It. A belt line railroad can not
but hinder.
In Arlington County.
"In Arlington County alone the
assessed valuation on property,
coupled with mineral rights, is placed
at $4,000, ,0O0, three-fourths OF this
being residential in character. Offi-
cials declare that the present tax
valuations are but one-fourth of the
total real value. Conservatively, 1t
| is estimated that in this Virginia
county alone $6S,0O0,000 worth of
established property is hazarded and
menaced by the belt line proposal
| by virtue of the charter inaoVertently
granted ex parte to the washington
| Loughborough Co. by the virginia
Corporation Commission without
hearing property holders. Ihis cnar-
| fer would permit the belt line to fol-
low it's own routes, with full right or
| condemnation in any direction. Dur
| ing the past three years Arlington
| County development has quadrupled
| and nlans calling for future develop
| ment give every promise or attracting
| untold numbers OF new property
holders and the investment or mil
/ lions of dollars.
"That the danger to the present
| established values and future develop
ment is a real one and that the actlon
of the Virginia Corporation Commits
sion in no wise reflects the viewpoint
of the citizens of those territories 70
| be most aIIeCleu NY ehc phoPoo.N DSA>
| line construction is indicated by the
action of the Greater Arlington
County committee, appointed to pro,
tect the best interests of the county
in development projects, In condemn
| ing the venture.
Appeal to Maryland.
"THat the people of Virginia have
been intent on defeating the project
despite the action of their public
service commission is best demon
strated by the concerted appeals made
| to the Public Service Commission OF
MARYLAND, a governmental agency
without their own State-asking that
| this organization by denial of charter,
assist Virginia property holders. The
Maryland Service Commission, realiz-
! ing the necessity Of hearing the pub