Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-27
SHOOTS REzON|NG
PLEA MEETS WITH
GALE OF PROTEST
Residents of Neighborhood
Who Oppose Change Hurl
Sarcastic Terms.
SENATOR CLAIMS TRAFFIC
MAKES HOME UNTENABLE
Utahan Backs Move to Place Area
in Dispute Into CONNER
cial Class.

Senator Smoot of Utah, appearing be-
fore the Zoning Commission today at
the second consecutive monthly meet
ing to endeavor to obtain the rezoning
of his property at Connecticut avenue
and Calvert street, created storm of
opposition and was referred to in sar-
castle terms by residents of the neigh
borhood who opposed the change.
The proposition supported by Senator
Smoot was to change from residential
B, B restricted and c areas, to first
commercial G area, both sides of Con-
necticut avenue from Connecticut Ave-
nue. Bridge to Cathedral avenue. which
includes the Senator's home, but ex-
Guiding the ground of the Wardman
Park Annex and including also the
north side of Calvert street from Wood
ley place to Connecticut avenue
In supporting the petition for the
change Senator Smoot said that he
built his home there 20 years ago. and
that since then conditions have changed
considerably and traffic increased so
enormously that the attendant noises
and noxious fumes made it impossible
for him to continue to live there.
Traffic Signal Is Cited.
He said that traffic stop light placed
on the corner close to his home had the
effect of making large number of au-
tomobiles start up simultaneously when
the light turned green. He was in dan
ger of suffocating, he said, if he opened
any of the windows of his home during
the morning or evening rush hours.
Nobody is willing to do more than
l." the Senator said, for the beautifi-
cation of Washington. This is some
thing have worked for for years. But
conditions change and the conditions
OF this beautiful area have changed so
that I can see no escape for those who
have invested in homes there and no
longer are able to dwell in them ex-
cept to change the section to a COM
mercial one and allow them to recover
their investment by selling their prop
erty for business purposes"
Senator Watson of Indiana, who lives
at 1851 Connecticut avenue. supported
his colleague and urged the commits
sion to change the coming.
The opposition to the change, led by
Guy H. johnson, 1912 Woodley place,
claimed that there was no need for
business in the community, that stores
established there before the coming act
was passed and therefore allowed TO
continue became vacant every two or
three months.
Proponents Called Selfish.
The proponents of the change we're
attacked as selfish people who want to
make a dollar at the expense of their
neighbors."
Mr. johnson asked George r. Linkins
a real estate dealer, If he had not sold
Senator Shoots house, condition of
the contract of sale being that it would
not be conSummated unless the zoning
was changed to commercial. Mr.. Lin
kinS answer was that that tas fact.
When MIR. johnson sought to ind out
il the price involved was $4,000, Lin
kins refused to answer.
Mr. johnson said that 1.-THE traffic
conditions of which Senator Smoot
complained would not be cured by
putting business coming into effect
rather they would be made worse. He
said that Senator Smoot a year ago
had opposed similar petition for a
coming change effecting his home and
that there was no reason for him to
change his mind now except that he
saw chance TO make a piece of
money"
He said that the Government is
about to purchase land at the south
west corner of Connecticut avenue and
Calvert street for park approach TO
the Connecticut Avenue Bridge and
that it should buy Senator Shoots
home from him rather than mar the
entrance to the bridge with lot Of
cheap shops"
John j. Hamilton, 26l1 woodley
,11a 81
and accused Senator Smoot of having
an ak to grind In asking the new
coming.
Senator Smoot sat silent during his
arraignment. but rose later and said
that the reason he had changed his
mind about the coming in the course
of year was that traffic light had
been put up In that time. and although
conditions before the light was put IN
were bad they now were impossible. He
said that the money for which he
would sell his house had nothing to do
with the case.
Numerous other residents spoke
against the change. all stating that It
would ruin their property, already some
what damaged by the enormous increase
of traffic. Among them were Assistant
Corporation Counsel Richmond B.
Keech, 2746 Woodley place. and Mrs,
Annie Sherman. 2610 Woodley place.
Among those who favored the change
were p. A. Chamberlain. 1903 Connecti-
cut avenue; W. c. Miller OF the firm Of
w. C. and A. N. Miller, building con-
tractors. The Connecticut Avenue Citi-
zens Association and the Washington
Board of Trade were recorded as op-
posed to the change.
The petition took practically the en-
tire morning session and 10 other pc
titions remained to be heard at the
afternoon session.