Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-05
CITY PLAN EXPERT
TALKS TO CITIZENS
Traffic Lane Development Is
Outlined for Columbia
Heights Group.

General plans of the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission for the
adequate development of arterial high
ways and other lanes of trafic in the
District Of Columbia were described by
Charles w. Eliot. city planner of the
commission, in an address, illustrated
with lantern slides, at meeting of the
Columbia Heights Citizens Association
in the Columbia Heights Christian
Church last night.
Mr.. Eliot declared the Columbia
Heights section, with It's lack of ade-
quate lanes of traffic to take care of
traf1c coming into the section from
number of streets, offers one of the
most perplexing situations faced by the
commission.
In line with the plans of the COM
mission to develop adequate cross-town
thoroughfares through Columbia Heights,
Mr.. Eliot told of plans to seek enact
ment Of legislation providing for elimi-
nation of offsets" in Harvard street at
Fourteenth and at Georgia avenue.
1t would require about $4,000 to- do
the desired Strengthening, he said. Ac-
cording to the way the proposed legis-
lation is now vorded, he said, in answer
to a question, the property owners would
not be required to bear any of the ex-
penSe of the Strengthening process.
With lantern slide maps, Mr.. Eliot
showed the general highway develop
ment plans, arranged with a view to
eliminating traffic congestion, and in
number of cases designed to avoid the
necessity of through town traffic getting
into the downtown area of the city.
Mr.. Eliot was given a rising vote of
thanks by the association for his
address.
The association adopted a resolution
urging that an item be inserted in a
deficiency bill providing the necessary
appropriations for the full-week en-
ployment of so-called per dem en-
ployes Of the District, who are enabled
to work only f1ve days weeF because
Of lack of funds, 1t was suggested
that some of the District surplus might
be used.
Another resolution urged the enact
ment of legislation to provide for the
District government to bid in and
thereby take over property sold for the
non-payment Of taxes, instead of SELL
ing 1t to private individuals, as at
present, with view to giving the de-
linQuent taxpayer longer time than
at present to pay the taxes and re-
gain his property,
The latter resolution was introduced
by w. /. Swanton, who also introduced
resolutions urging that statement of
arrears taxes be submitted with the
regular tax bills. and that provision
be made for giving the District as
SCISSORS office additional space. Both of
these resolutions were adopted.
In reference to the arrears tax state
ments, Mr. Swantou said he had learned
Of q case where property was put up
for sale because Of taxes not having
been paid when the owner Of the prop
erty did not know he was in arrears
in payment.
the District tax assessors ONCE has in
It much machinery that cannot be used
because Of lack of space.
A resolution was adopted asking that
property be purchased for the estab-
lisfment Of a playground somewhere
north Of Euclid street, south of Park
road, east of Thirteenth street and
west OF Sherman avenue. Another re-
oilested the establishment of half-price
carfare for school children.
Other resolutions adopted included:
resolution urging the adjustment
Of all grade crossings in the District, es-
peciaily one along Michigan avenue;
resolution urging the strict enforcement
Of regulations forbidding parking within
10 feet of fire plug, especially with
reference to smaller vehicles. such as
pushcarts, bicycles, ETC.. which, it was
charged, more often violate the regula-
lions; resolution urging the irstalla-
ton Of electric lights on Belmont,
Chaplin and Clifton streets, and a reSo-
luton urging the District Commits
eioners to open up a new street north
of Florida avenue between Ninth street
and Georgia avenue.
An address was delivered at the meet
ing by Mai. A. M Holcombe, chairman
Of the special committee of the Fedora
ton Of Citizens Associations, to ascer-
tain the sentiment of the citizens re-
garding securing subscriptions for pur-
chasing the Buffalo Statue, the work Of
H. K. Bush-Brown. Mai Holcombe ex-
pressed the view that the statue should
be made one Of the permanent statues
Of the National Capital
william M. Deviny. president of the
Michigan Park Citizens Association;
L. s. Trundls. past president of the lat
ter association. and @. G. Click, presi-
dent Of the Southeast Washington Citi-
1ens' Association, were guests and deliy-
cred brief addresses.
Mrs. Leonard Schloss, Mrs. Gertrude
Morris. Mrs. Edna Mitchell and Mrs.
Leila A. Blain were elected new mem
beers. William w. Adams, president Of
the Columbia Heights Citizens Associa-
ton, presided at the meeting.