Evening star., 1933-05-16
ALLEY YDWELL|NG
MEASURE CHANGES
ARE AGREED UPON
Bride and Grant Decide Upon
Several Reyisions in
Legislation.
SENATE DISTRICT GROUP
TO RECEIVE PROPOSALS S
One Would Relieve D. C. Govern
ment Of Financial Burden-Op-
tional Methods Proposed.

t1Oudl MetHOUS kTOpOSeu.
A new draft Of the measure to pro-
vide for abolition Of Washington's alley
dwellings was decided upon at a con.
| ference at the District Building today
between Corporation Counsel w. w
Bride and Lieut.. Col. U. S. Grant. Sd
representing the Park and Planning
, Commission.
Several important changes in the
measure were agreed to, it was re.
ported. These will be outlined tomor.
row before the Senate District Com.
mittee when consideration Of the meas
| ure Is to be resumed. One of the
changes, 1t was said, would relieve the
District government of responsibility
for bearing the financial cost Of pro-
posals for replacing dilapidated alley
structures with new structures. Under
the proposed new bill, an appropria-
ton would be made by the Federal
Government.
Optional Methods Urged.
Another important new proposal
! would be to permit selection Of one OF
two different methods for abolition OF
| alley dwellings. the selection to be lef,
to the authority vested with control OF
the whole program
Whereas the original bill provided
for condemning alley dwellings, their
razing and the building of new struc-
lures, the revised plan suggests as an
alternative the conversion of blind
end" alleys into narrow, but through
streets.
This latter plan involves condemna-
ton Of what land is needed to extend
an alley from street to street This is
designed to eliminate the present con-
| cealed aspects of many of Washing
tons alley dwelling sections.
Laid Before Commissioners.
The plans involved in the proposed
new bill were laid before the Commits
sioners 1t noon today, but it was not
expected they would act officially In
the matter at this time.
Under one plan, favored by the Park
and Planning Commission, Congress
will make available s5O0,OO0 of Fed
time work Of the United States Hous-
ing Corporation, to be used to start
the reconstruction OF alley areas. The
President would designate some agency
to buy alley property, rebuild it fol-
dwelling or commercial purposes and
then sell to make the projects self
Eqludattng. Until yesterday this pro-
/ cedure was the main feature of the bill
During q lengthy conference yester-
day afternoon with a subcommittee
composed Of Senators Capper oi
Kansas and Austin of Vermont, Cor
poration Counsel Bride and other mu-
nicipal officials urged the inclusion in
the bill Of authority for the Commis-
sioners to convert as many of the al
leys as possible into minor streets by
cutting them through from street te
street and assessing part Of the cost
against surrounding property as bene-
fits.
Col Grant and T. S. Settle, repre-
senting the Park and Planning
Commission. contended the plan o.
! clearing out and rebuilding the alley
areas is the best solution. Mr.. Bride
and District Surveyor Melvin c. Hazer
argued many of the alleys could bt
converted into 30-foot streets ane
made satisfactory at little cost.
The original bill, embodying tht
Park Commissions plan, contemplated
annual appropriations Of S500,000 fol
10 years to eliminate gradually all o
the 1873 inhabited alleys, the first in
stallment to come from the Housing
|
| Mr.. Bride expressed fear that tht
amount involved in the complete pro
gram would be too much, and also sale
the District does not want to go int
! the real estate business If it can b.
avoided.
Appropriation Provided.
MI. Settle pointed out that the origi
nal bill contemplates appropriation o
Federal money for purchasing and re
building the alley areas, the funds t.
are sold. He suggested the Distric
! 1t needs In the street condemnation Law
to enable the city to open up some o
the alleys into minor streets, and le
the other plan of acquiring and re
building 60 forward In other alleys.
Mr.. Bride said that If the who'll
project Is to be carried out and tn
entire amount appropriated by tn
Federal Government, of course, tn
District government would have N
objection
Senator Austin also voiced the belle
that the bill might 60 through NOR
quickly If it provided for smalle
amount, to make start, instead o
authorizing the entire program.
| Revision Suggested.
It was finally suggested by the sub
committee that the bill be revised II
make possible the carrying out of botf
plans, namely, the changing Of SOM
alleys into minor streets by the District
and the purchase and rebuilding Of th'
areas In which other alleys are located
The Senate District Committee, Al
the meeting tomorrow, also is ex
pected to consider the bill for mer'
ger of the Washington and George
town Gas Light companies, and may
take up the King bill to broaden the
powers Of the District Commissioners
In the drafting of municipal ordinances