Evening star., 1928-05-06
TAKOMA PARK VOTE.
INVOLVES RAIL ROW.
Mayor Davis. Foe of Freight
Siding, Has First Election
Battle in 28 Years.

AN''AASt AaAAes sEAO one OF the issues up
perncSt in the minds Of the voters is
the controversy Surroun6irr the North
1akoma siding Of the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad.
Mayor Ben G. Davis and his adher-
entS contend that the strip Of land ad-
lofntne the siding must be used for =
P0oiic park and that unloading Of rail-
road cars on that property can no
longer be tolerated Msvor Davis. who
is banker, is being opposed for re-
election 10 public Office for the first
time IN rs years off service by Chester
c. Waters. Treasury Department en-
pioye, and his friends. who insist that
the North Takoma siding is inCiiSpsnSa-
Die and that unloading must so on.
me law has taken a hand in the
controversy. for Judge Robert D. Peter
Of the Rockville Court issued an in
1l1lCr.Gn Friday against the mayor 10
prevent Interference With unloading
The injunction followed the test case
arrest C H. E. Routenberg assistant
6iViSlo engineer Of the Baltimore 4.
Ohio S.silroa0. by l. A CutShaw chief
police aficer II the town. on s charge
Of trespsSSing on tfe town property By
unloading railroad car OF coal at tbs
siding.
Mayor Davis and J. Bond Smith
any abTi6gment of tha towns rights
IN the matter. the mayor said yesterday
Commerce Chamber Head Speaks.
Il. l. Thornton. real estate man and
president Of the Takoma Park Cham
her Of Commerce. is intent on having
the siding retained, with unloading
facilities. and insists that there is no
Intention Of establishing a freight yard
eli urf ne
siding which he SAYS has been big
factor in the development Of Takoma
Park for more than 20 years" should
be eliminated The Takoma Park
Chamber Of Commerce he explains
knows no politics and has not brought
politics into the siding controversy"
and adds that the Chamber of Com
n1erce believes that the North Takoma
siding is for the best interests OF
Takon1s PARK
In further discussing the situation.
NT- Thornton said:
The freight shipments TO Takoma
Park are Of such volume as TO make
the North Takoma siding indispensable
Furthermore. il has been authoritatively
stated that 80 days notice has 10 be
given the Interstate Commerce Com
mission and shippers throughout the
United States before this siding NAV
he eliminated as shipping and re-
ceivinE point the art Of the MAYOR
ordering the abandonment Of the siding ]
On Nav 10 the contrary notwith- !
standing.
Why eliminate the North Takcrna
siding. which has been q big factor in /
the development Of Takoma Park for /
more than 30 years. when our neigh /
boring town Silver Spring. has been /
adequately provided with freight facil- /
ities through the recent acts of the /
Maryland-National Capital Park and
Planning Commission?
Members Of the Chamber of both
parties cenounce the resort 10 any
practice that may be indulged in which
would prevent a referendum on the
siding question az the election to be
held Nav Z, which was authorized oy
the council al the April is meeting. for
the express purpose of giving oppor- /
tunity for a fun snd free expression
Of the opinion by the people of the
town generally"
Mayor Davis Statement.
Mayor Davis declares that from fig
tires furnished by the railroad 1t ap-
pears that 90 per cent of the cars un-
loaded at the siding in dispute are
loaded with building materials for con- /.
tractors on construction work at Walter
Reed General Hospital and about per
cent Is for the Washington Suburban
Sanitary Commission and the Potomac
Electric Power Co for unloading poles
for work up the county
Cars foY the business men are un-
loaded In the District nearby at the
railroad station. where ample facilities
nav ne had, the mayor declares
Ar Thornton -f@ friends die
pute the statement Of Mayor Davis that /
the property iasNcrth Takoma is zoned
b. ta72 town and the Maryland Park
and Planning Commission as residential.
precluding commercial use Mr. Thorn 4
ton insists that the plan 10 make the /
disputed land q public park is a Joke '' /
Mrs r r Waterhoiter Of AZ Takonaa
avenue. who lives near the siding and /
Is opposed 70 unloading there. asked +
yesterday. IF the Chamber Of Com /
nerce is going 10 run the town what /
need IS there Of mayor end council?" !
Tire mayor and council have been
running the town for IS years and /
the Chamber Of Commerce has been /
organized IN the last six months" she /
EssT One hundred and eighty persons
signed a petition recently against the j
siding Seventy-five per cent of the /
Chamber of Commerce members re-
side sn the District
improvement Club Stand.
Adding fuel 70 the election fight, the
Nortk Takoy1a Improvement Club n2s
issued the following statement which
has been broadcast throughout the
town
Do you realize that Takoms PARK
has long been n z state of isolation be-
cause of the fact that the town was
tnzdeqQstely proYi6ed with direct high
way entrances? DO YOU know that
Saer the Chestnut avenue grade cross !
ing Is eliminated. as Is contemplated
by existing legislation. the two most
direct and logical District of Columbia
entrances 70 The town VI Takords Park
Nd viii b. vis the Carol street SUBJ
way and the projected overhead cross
snR at FeTr street connecting with
Baltimore. Tskoma Chestnut Phila-
celpnsa ard Maple avenues DO You
knnW that ot The two entrances tho
Fern street entrance gs the more i'm
p0Ytarf since n acts a. n feeder fgr
trsf ffic 10 that large expsnse " ne
f0vn ~ fne east continuing 70 S1tpo
and me buildings of tne Sevenih-day
Edgentift Denomination across the
Gliao7
You kn0R su these things. they are
solt-ep1dent The present mayor ~
T7akoyna PsFk No Is pleoRed ~ the
protection sEd oesutlfcstiGn u the
paris psrkNsgs and Sidewalk paFkinqs
If ne town including mat parkWaY
lF3s1a sioGaSloe sb6 ~ the esst ~ tie
Baltimore h O1io fsilroso ana along
f1ee snc - fof west - Tagnnas avenue
jB Rorh Jskons Jne freight pard
@1jI sFertl%ety preclude any attempt =
b@29'lnc9f1ph II the pans anG pFqper8y
tn 'nf F.clnpH and offers ~ the casual
t#iGDf GF prospective ffslceUi 3 fYeigHt
yard a''cyeG with rubbish sna trash
through unloading operations
t~fBls Is 10 longer z question which
j. ~ interest 10 tlJs tit3Hsp& NJ North
TaEOnla alone. o3If question which Is