Evening star., 1934-08-14
HEARING GRANTED
SOUTHEAST GROUP
Demand for Improvements
to Be Sifted Friday by
District Board.

Charges made last night by South
east Washington business men that
District officials have not given prop
er consideration to the Southeast
Business Mems Associations cam
paign for improvements in that Sec
tton, today moved the Commissioners
to invite representatives of the sec
ton to appear for the second time
before the board and outline their
plans.
Engineer Commissioner Gotwals
informed R. B. English, vice presi-
dent Of the business association, that
hearing would be held Friday at
2 pm, at which time each of the
18 points of the improvement cam
paign will be considered.
School Bids Due Soon.
At the same time, Maj. Gotwals in
formed spokesman for the southeast
group that announcement of the
opening of bids for construction of a
new junior high school In Anacostia
would be made within a week or 10
days. Hl sMGW
when the bids for this project are
opened" Maj. Gotwals added, "a time
limit of eight days will be set for con-
tractors to get in their bids.
I'm addition, time limit will be
set for the construction job which
will bring the date Of completion of
the school nearer than would have
been possible under the specifications
of the former bids which were thrown
out"
At last nights meeting the asso-
citation adopted a resolution de-
mandlng immediate action on five
kspecific points of their program.
Bridge Plan Heads List.
Replacement of the old Pennsyl-
vania Avenue Bridge heads the list of
improvements demanded. The four
other points contained in the resolu-
ton demand removal of the garbage
transfer plant at New Jersey avenue
and K street southeast, immediate
opening Of bids for the proposed junior
high school in Anacostia, erection of
comfort station at Eighth street and
Pennsylvania avenue southeast and
the building of a swimming pool
When 1t was pointed out that re-
placement of the old bridge had been
promised by the District Government
for 1887 the group declared itself op-
posed to this, and demanded immedi-
ate utilization of funds now available
to the Bridge Committee of the Dis
trict for study and preparation of
plans for new bridge-60 feet in
width, with two 12-foot sidewalks.
I'VE want the plans and specifica-
t1ons and an estimate of the cost of
building new bridge to be submitted
in time for the first hearing on the
1886 District budget" English said.
There is no reason why this item
cannot be included in the 1886 bud
get" he added.
No Assurance of Action.
A. W. Lee, president of the Randle
Highlands Citizens Association, told
the group he had received a letter
from Engineer Commissioner Gotwals
concerning the new bridge, but said
the letter contained no definite assur-
ance that plans would be drawn up
in time for the budget hearings.
Discussing removal of the garbage
incinerator, the group declared it
would be entirely to the advantage of
the District to do this because the
value of real estate in that section
would be raised and more money
would accrue to the District in prop
erty taxes
Moi s~ no1,-i-Jar;r~ - ~,,~
gestion that the building of a wall
around the transfer station and roof
might remove some Of the objection
to its location, but the citizens group
is opposed to this.
Turning to the part of the improve
ment program asking for establish
ment of supervised Fairgrounds and
building of a swimming pool, it was
pointed out there are no swimming
pools in the Southeast area, which
has some $1,000 population, and that
there are only four Fairgrounds, while
the Northwest has is Fairgrounds,
Northeast, z, and Southwest, S.
In a separate resolution adopted
the group requested that the architect
of the Capitol obtain the necessary
authority to permit the widening of
B street. from Second street south
east to Third street southwest, by
the utilization of such portions of
the Capitol grounds adjacent to B
street as will permit the necessary
widening and thereby afford a safe
and adequate approach to downtown
Washington from the Southeast"
This item was contained in the pro-
gram of improvements sent to Dis
trict officials a month ago, but the
group feels that the elimination of this
"bottle-neck" situation on B street
requires speedier action.