Evening star., 1927-10-25
NEW FIRE STATION
OPPOSITION GROWS
Piney Branch Citizens Group
Condemns Selection of Site
for Building.

| teenth street at Webster IL the Wig
| orous protest Of residents Of the com.
munity. as voiced at a special meeting
of the Piney Branch Citizens Asso-
citation last night, are needed. The
meeting. held in Hamline M. +.
Church, Sixteenth and Allison streets,
was open to the public and attended
by several hundred persons, and was
for the purpose of determining the SEN
timent with respect to placing a fire
engine house at Sixteenth and Web
ster streets.
| To bring the matter properly before
the meeting. w. e. Hoffheins, secre-
| tary of the association, presented res
olutions favoring the proposed loca-
| ton. Approving OF the location was
merely following up action previously
| taken by the association requesting
a firehouse in that vicinity, it was
pointed out The resolution was
amended to read:
Resolved. That the Piney Branch
Citizens Association epphatically dis.
approves the action of the Commits
sioners of the District OF Columbia in
purchasing the site at Sixteenth and
Webster streets to be used for fire.
house purposes"
Opposition Unanimous.
After discussion lasting nearly two
hours, during which the sentiment
expressed was completely in disap-
proval of the action. with the excep.
ton Of one feeble attempt TO justify
the sale for the purpose specified, and
that by the agent who made the sale.
In MI yptA xxy00 ~fnfn
favor Of the amended resolution.
Edward S. Brashears, who opened
the discussion, said the fire bunga-
low" site was purchased and the plans
were being drawn before any of the
interested citizens learned of it. He
pointed out that this one, if erected,
will be the only bungalow on Six
teenth street, which he likened to the
famous boulevards Of different Euro.
pean capitals.
There is no street more carefully
guarded and regulated by Congress
and the Commissioners than this one,
he said, claiming it is unthinkable
that the Zoning Commission, which
has authority to protect the street
from every other form Of undesira.
BILE incursion. should consent to the
establishment of a menace to public
safety at this point. when its greatest
need Is several squares to the east.
Price Held Excessive.
Purchase Of the lot was considered
irregular by E. H. Small, builder, who
owns a corner lot on the opposite side
Of the street, and was not asked to
submit a price on his lot. The price
paid for the site-$2S, 1876. .93-was ex.
orbitant, he declared, in that proper
ty on the west side of Sixteenth street
runs from 10 to 80 cents a square
foot more than the other side and he
did not pay near that amount at peak
prices for his land, which was claimed
to be more desirable. Mr.. Small point.
ed out, also, that in the title submitted
to the District by the title company
there is clause stating that this lot
is to be used for a private residence.
He urged suit against Mr.. Machen,
former owner Of the land. should it be
shown that he signed the deed with.
out this restriction.
The secrecy with which the whole
transaction has been conducted was
resented by s. T. Cameron. He de.
clared the property to be too highly
assessed and felt that the authorities
who were supposed to be looking after
the interests of the citizens were try
ing ito put something over on them"
through secrecy, pointing out that a
Sold" sign was not placed on the
lot until Ave or six weeks after the
transaction was over with. Argu-
ments Of the Commissioners for plac-
ing the FIRE bungalow" on Sixteenth
street. he said, were so unsound that
he believed them to be insif1cere.
Rev. DR.. J. T. Herson, pastor of
Hamline NJ. e. Church; Louis Often
berg and Mrs. Cabot Stevens were
others to talk in opposition to the prof.
ect.
That the subject attracted the at
tention of the city generally was at.
tested by the presence of representa-.
tives from other civic groups, among
them Paul Grove, sr., former president
OF the Sixteenth Street Heights Citi-
zens' Association, and Robert Strobel,
president Of the Southwest Citizens
Association. In order to be permitted
to participate in the voting, F. T. Hur-
ley, J. c. Mcdowell, Mrs. Charles L.
Pilzer, M. Jacobs, E. F. Dougherty, F.
s. Brashears, Mrs. f. r. Dougherty
and Mr.. and Mrs. Cabot Stevens were
felected to membership.
Edgar B. Henderson, president of
the association, on motion, was in.
structed to appoint a committee of
five to offer its services to the Com.
missioners in an effort to decide on a
suitable site for the proposed fire
station.