Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-07
CAPPER TO SPEAK
At D. c. BANQUET
Association of Oldest Inhab.
itantS to Hold Program
December 7

the annual banquet of the Associat ior
Of Oldest Inhabitants of the District Of
Columbia December at the Raleigh
Hotel, 1t was announced by Washington
Topham last night at well attended
meeting of the organization,
The principal subject Of last evenings
session was The Beginnings of Chevy
Chase" with Edmund Brady, attorney
discussing the development of this Sec
ton and stirring up much discussion
not only concerning Chevy Chase, but
also the growth of the street railway
system in Washington.
Senator Frank L. Greene of Vermont
contributed, through a letter written to
Fred A. Emery, vice president Of the
association, an explanation of the say
ing Wake me when Kirby dies"
Much interest was evoked by remarks
of A. N. Harmon, confirmed by other
members, that there Is pane of glass
in the house occupied by the superin-
tendent of the Washington Zoo on
which it is believed President Andrew
jackson scratched old Hickory, 1928, v
when he was guest of President John
Quincy Adams
Tribute to Foresight.
Tribute was paid By Mr.. Brady to
Francis G. HeWiand former Represent
ative. later Senator, of Nevada, and
to Senator Stewart Of Nevada for their
vision" ana persistence in pushing the
development of Chevy Chase against
odds. Senator NeWland poured" money
into the Chevy Chase Land Co. for IS
years without receiving a cent of divi-
dend," according to the speaker. Ex-
planning that it was a commercial de-
velopment, Mr.. Brady said that never
theless the success achieved in the
growth Of the suburb would not have
been possible without his vision" and
resources
Discussing the development Of Con-
nectieut avenue, and explaining why 1t
takes q turn at Chevy Chase Circle,
Mr.. Brady said: The first scheme was
to buy up farm lands extending through
an undeveloped country on each side
OF line which would be direct pro-
longation of Connecticut avenue. as it
exists in the City Of Washington The
intention was that this line should be
q direct connection through to what
is known as the Georgetown and Rock
vile turnpike. The surveyor who was
to run this line did the unwise thing
OF nagging the line clear through into
Maryland and to its proposed final
point of juncture. The result of this
was that certain active real estate men
bought large acreages of property at
the upper end, which they afterward
specialized on in large degree by re-
selling to the land company until it
got to be so much of a tax that the
company t,>cided to abandon its origi-
nal intention and to defect the avenue
at the point where you now and CHEVY
chase Circle. and from there on extend
IN ncrtherly direction straight on as
1ar as the Jones Mill road.
Dedicated to Public.
The AVENUE was dedicated to the
public as gift from where the Million
Dollar Bridge over Rock Greek now
stands to the Maryland line with a
width OF $50 feet. At the same time
tnat this handsome dedication was be-
ing made by the land company the au-
tnorltles OF the District were condemn
ing sixteenth street and paying several
nlilon dollars in doing so. After hav-
ing omciaIly designated Connecticut
was most important, and the land corn
panY feeling that If it waited until
sucn Time as the Government itself
should open this thoroughfare it would
not De an economical procedure, there
lore concluded to do the heavy grading
az lS own cost and expense A sum
Oh S4SO,0OO was spent to cut this avenue
our at the width indicated"
The development Of the street rail-
way was sketched by the SPEAKER from
the time the land company acouired
Jne charter OF a road from Thomas 3.
Neggaman, which was tc have min ont
through Woodley lane. but which was
never built. Congress later changed
the charter, 1t was explained. to alter
Sne route So. that it could 60 out through
SoalhecIlcut avenue and bring persons
AlIo washington for one fare. THE
company, it was explained bv the
speaker. bought the rights of the Love
Underground system and built what was
known as the Rock Creek Railroad
running down Connecticut avenue
crossing Rock Greek by the iron Cal,
ssrC sueet bridge, constructed at the
HpenSe OF the company, down Eight
tba sMseC 10 Florida avenue, where
ene overhead trolley was Abandoned
ana transfer made by a street nit n
Glie Underground Love system which
al turn ran to Seventh street and
ioiioa avenue, the terminus.
Difficulties Experienced.
al Olinculties experienced however. with
LIe copper cable under ground. hnaIIu
which trolley wheel was rim nnaiiS,
cauSea change in the system n u,ss
explained. Engineers finally deveIoreS
Cne cable to the soft iron rails NM,
WHICH sliding contact was nada ~
!un' Inc old copper cable eXnanded IN
one summer, contracted in the Winter
chu Gne line was tied up SO much that
changes were necessary.
to- ioaner attempted underground sys-
Ill winch Jailed completely was ro
ported by James F. DuhameI ne hev;,.o
Zen Zen trleo out near Howard TJniversitv
,,ai1. Sereet cars, he said, were to be pro-
PeAeo oy long screw revolving rnSer
tu' roller being hung from the
SeeI car and lowered or raised az
f was needed Another system re-
teo 10 by Mr.. Duhamel as HAVING
car carried two long underoro,,,, =
snoes TO slide along from section tn
Sectlon OF copper cable, which wss
put up in sections. va"
Fight Is Related.
T, w. Noyes, president of the associ-
adoH, reviewed the severe fight" ex-
perlenced in Washington when trans
PoLGatlon passed from the horse car to
rapid transit The problem. he ex-
planned, was to make the change with
OUT passing through the stage Of over
mead trolleys in the city limits. Ex
perlments on underground work made
on the Rock Greek Railway and on =
similar road between Pittsburgh and
AHegheny City both proved failures AT
nrst ne explained. The Philadelnhia
syndicate which was urging an over
neso trolley IN Washington used these
1alures, he said, in an effort to change
the law here against overhead wires
because they claimed for underground
systems a demonstration of COM
mercial impra cticability."
Mr.. Noyes related his personal expert
ences IN visiting the underground cable
street railway systems in Europe. anC
writing for The Evening Star accounts
OF what was being done there. in Buda-
pest, IN the Netherlands and the suburb:
NJ pariS Tn, D.,Ao