Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-11
TRINIDAD CITIZENS
FIGHT ASSESSMENT
Proposed Schedule for Wild
ening of Benning Road
Draws Strong Protest.

Protesting vigorously against the pro-
posed assessment schedule levied for the
widening of Benning road, several hun
bred residents Of Northeast Washington
last night met under auspices Of the
Trinidad Citizens Association and unit
ed in plans to fight confirmation of the
assessments by the District Supreme
Court.
The plan calls for canvass of the
neighborhood to back up their argu-
ments with the weight of numbers py
securing signatures of all the property
owners to petitions which point out the
assessments are unfair and unreason-
able" and request the court to grant a
hearing before finally passing on the
case.
John T. Miller Heads Committee.
The work of framing the petitions and
canvassing the community was intruSt-
ed to a committee headed by John T,
Miller and comprising Charles I. Kap-
Ian, William Louder, Henry Barr, Bruce
Casteel, w. H. LomaX, Arthur G.. Emory
L. M McVearry and Mrs. Helen W.
Luckett.
The chief argument brought out at
the meeting against the assessments In
Guide a contention that many of the
property owners assessed are several
blocks from the road and will in no wise
benefit from the improvement, and that
the widening of the roadway will ere
ate new thoroughfare into the city by
which the entire District will benefit as
much as those within the assessed area.
Among spokesman we're Arthur EN-
DRY, who declared citizens Of the Trini-
dad section were overburdened with
street-paving and alley assessments, and
William Louder, who claimed fund
for the widening of Benning road had
been appropriated by Congress IL years
ago.
weeks to receive the report of special
committee appointed last month to
study the assessment situation.
Filing Of Protests Urged.
This committee, through its chairman,
L. NJ. McVearry. in lengthy report
recommended that every property owner
file protest against the assessments with
the District Supreme Court. All objec-
tions and exceptions must be filed be-
fore May IS.
The committee found that the Com
miSSionerS. representing the administra-
tive branch of the District government,
would not entertain a protest from the
Trinidad Citizens Association against
the action of the Supre:sse Court. repre-
senting the judicial branch" the re-
port states THE different branches of
the District government are very careful
not to criticize each other" it adds.
In addition to considering the
Benning road case. the citizens briefly
debated the traction situation and
passed a resolution requesting the
Public Utilities Commission to reroute
street cars on both lines pending a
merger agreement.
Thirty-eight new members were ad-
mitted. They we're: William F. Schaefer,
C. F. Souder, S. L. Rhodes, C. C.
Buchanan, J. Rogell, E. T. Beall, G.. H.
Morse, John T. Miller, Harlan w.
Hagan, r. I. Butt. Alexander Hodkinson,
Ira P. Midget, Walter N. Wilson, j. M.
Selby. Patrick Doherty, John w. WEIGH,
Antonio Catena, John Sullivan, Phillip
Weber, Paul d. BarStow, William ].
Toomey. Mrs. Annie z. Jameson, v. M.
Fitzhugh, R. Clements. r. e. Frye, A. w.
Lyles, Robert L. Talbert. Ernest C.
Spaulding, Joseph. B. He'll. James I.
Brogan. L. Gilchrest, Mrs. p. B. Chios,
L. z. VenghauS. H. NJ. Huddle, N. H.
Reever, Harry M. Lewinson, William z.
jenkins and w. r. Price.