Evening star., 1934-10-07
CAR LINE BATTLE
CAUSED FORMING
OF M|D-C|TY UNIT
22.Year-0Id Group Headed
by A. ]. DriscoII Since
Its Organization.

test a congressional bill granting a
franchise to several out-of-town
capitalists to build a cross-town
street car line through M street from
Georgetown to the eastern part OF
the city.
A protesting resolution was drawn
up and a committee appeared before
the Senate District Committee. 1t
was partly through the efforts of
this committee that the bill was
pigeon -holed and received no further
consideration.
The success of this committee laid
the foundation for the formation OF
the Mid-City Citizens Association,
for it was only short while later
permanent organization was formed.
A. j. DriScoll, who was one OF the
small group that met to protest the
street railway, was elected as its first
president and has been elected each
year. Mr.. Driscoll is credited with
being largely responsible for its
growth He has been untiring In
his efforts to obtain improved con-
ditions, not only in that section OF
the city represented by this associa-
ton, but the entire District.
First Officers Chosen.
The other officers elected at the
frs meeting we're DR.. L. M. Turner,
vice president; Edward ]. Haunan,
secretary. and J. c. Whythe, treas
urer. The last two we're named also
as delegates to the Federation Of
Citizens Associations. Others who at
tended that meeting included DR..
Hugh M. Smith, former commissioner
of the Bureau of Fisheries; DR.. w.
X Butler, DR.. c. H. Washburn, a
former member of the Civil Service
Commission and health officer of The
Philippines, and J. C. Wilson.
From that night, % years ago, this
group has grown both in Importance
and in membership. 1t has on Its
membership roll today more than
$50 names, approximately 300 of
wide drive last March.
Soon after organizing, the meetings
OF the association were held each
month at 1909 Seventh street until
permission was obtained in 1917 to
use the Thomson School, Twelfth
and L streets. Since that year the
group has always met there.
The associations territory has as
its terminal boundaries Fifth and
Sixteenth streets, G street and Florida
avenue inclusive.
The officers and members of Mid
City were active in the interest Of
the Government and the city during
the long war period, aiding material
ly in the sale of Liberty Bonds, war
saving stamps, and in the conduct
of the selective draft. 1t was the
only association to install COM
munlty canning and preserving
equipment during those days.
Repairing Obtained.
One of the first and possibly most
important pieces of legislation the
group ever became interested in was
the securing of an appropriation to
repave Seventh street from New
York avenue to Florida avenue, then
covered with worn-out Belgian
blocks. Not only did the associa-
ton secure the repaving, but also
the installation of an improved light
ing system.
To celebrate the improvement the
group fostered a street parade in
which hundreds of residents took
part. Joseph A. Berberich was grand
marshal of the parade and the line
of march extended from Pennsyl-
vania to Florida avenues.
Another important piece of le2is-
lation the group fought for was a
congressional bill granting the use
of District schools by citizens asSo-
Citations and various other commu-
nifty organizations. The bill was
backed by Miss Margaret Wilson.
daughter of the wartime President,
who was influential in having il ell
acted into law.
Members have been active in en-
listing their strength for increased
pay for school teachers, greater
number of Fairgrounds, improved
sewerage for outlying sections, strin-
gent regulations against the sale of
firearms in the District, severe laws
against needless cutting OF trees, free
text books for school teachers, ee-
tablishment of street car safety zones,
the Community Chest, compulsory
liability insurance for public vehicles,
abolishing highway billboards and
the placing of stop lights on the rear
end Of street cars.
Opposed BorIand Law,
Mid-City has always been opposed
to the Borland amendment affecting
the paving of public thoroughfares
Its membership has expressed itself
as feeling that this law imposes un-
due hardships upon the property
owner, especially in the matter of in
creased taxes. The group has gone
on record as favoring the proposed
constitutional amendment giving rep
resentation in Congress to the Dis
trict and the rights of State.
zoning OF property within their
area has always received the careful
consideration of the association, but
the group never makes a final de-
cision on the reZoning of a certain
area until every property owner in
that area has been consulted. At
one time, when abolition of the zor-
ing Commission was being considered,
this association waged spirited fight
for its retention.
Besides the surface improvements
on Seventh street, the association is
responsible for the repaving and
installation of better lighting facih-
ties on Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh,
Twelfth, Thirteenth and Fifteenth
streets. They also were instrumental
in securing the widening of Eleventh,
Thirteenth and Fifteenth streets. as
far north as Massachusetts avenue.
The present officers of the asso-
citation, besides President Driscoll,
are Mrs. Edith L. Grosvenor, vice
president; Maurice E. Salisbury, sec
retary; Max T. Pines. treasurer, and
Frank B. Hoffman and G. Howard
Dunnington, delegates to the fedora