Evening star., 1935-10-18
Citizens Opposing Structure
at Circle Map Legal
Battle.
FEARS ARE EXPRESSED
FOR PROPERTY VALUES
Transit Company Contends Build.
ing on Maryland Side Would
Furnish Needed Shelter.

Transit Co. proposes to erect tempo.
rary terminal on the Maryland side
of Chevy Chase Circle at Connecticut
avenue, citizens Of that area today
voiced vigorous opposition to such
a move. They declared they would
fight such a proposal with every legal
and other resource at their COM
mand.
Miss Beatrice A. Clephane, 5000
Connecticut avenue, president Of the
Citizens Committee of Section Of
Chevy Chase, Md, the legally author
lied governing body Of that area, said
the transit firm already has asked
permission to erect temporary struc-
ture in the triangle in Connecticut
avenue, north Of Chevy Chase Circle.
At the October meeting Of the COM
mittee the request was turned down
unanimously, she said. Any further
move in this direction will be op-
posed, she added.
The Citizens Committee Of Section
2, Chevy Chase. Nd, was created by
special act Of the Maryland Legis-
lature. Miss Clephane says the body
takes the position 1t is necessary for
the Capital Transit Co. to secure the
committees permission before erect
ing any such structure within its
jurisdiction.
Urges Lake Location.
The bus terminal for the Connec-
ticut avenue line properly belongs at
Chevy Chase Lake, Miss Clephane
said. This location would be q great
convenience to residents In that sec
ton, for now only few busses run
out Connecticut avenue north of
Chevy Chase Circle. For most people
it is now necessary to change at
Chevy Chase Circle If they desire to
travel farther north, she declared.
The proposed shelter would serve bus
drivers eating their lunches and the
general public waiting for q change
of buses at that point, Miss Clephane
has been informed, and there has
even been q suggestion that conces-
sion stand, selling refreshments, would
be incorporated in the shelter.
The Capital Transit Co. feels that
with Winter coming on some sort Of
shelter should be furnished the public
at Chevy Chase Circle, Miss Clephane
has been told.
Arthur w. Defenderfer, secretary of
the Citizens Committee of Section 2,
said:
IF they erect such a structure they
will do it over our dead bodies. As
yet the Capital Transit Co. has not
replied to the letter notifying it of
the official action of the committee
in turning down its request"
Defenderfer, who lives at Z East
Kirk street, Chevy Chase, Md, said
that he Is very much opposed, per-
sonally, to the company's plan, fore
seeing that it Is "only the entering
wedge into other things to follow"
The present bus service Is entirely
unsatisfactory" now to residents living
north of the circle, he added. The
transit company should have been able
to break up its terminal points instead
Of grouping the busses at Chevy Chase
Circle, he declared. He said he has
heard complaints the bus service north
of Chevy Chase Circle is very in
ferior" to the former street car service.
He said q mass meeting protest may
be held to demand improvement.
Diffenderfer advocated putting the
bus terminal at Chevy Chase Lake,
where the old street car barn used
to be.
Sydney r. Prince, general counsel of
the Southern Railway, of No. Chevy
Chase circle, Chevy Chase, Md, told
The Star today that he would most
certainly oppose any move to erect
structure in his neighborhood to serve
as q waiting station or bus terminal.
Fears Effect on Values.
As matters now stand, "very dam
gerous situation exists for traffic" at
Chevy Chase Circle, Prince said, and
very fine residential section has
been destroyed" All property in
that section has been zoned and is of
high grade residential character, but
the erection Of temporary structure
would depress values, he believes.
John H. Hanna, president of the
transit company, has promised H. P.
Caemmerer, executive secretary Of the
Fine Arts Commission. that he will
send his architect with sketches for
any structures so they may be passed
upon by the commission.
The transit company has secured
permission from the Maryland Nation
al Capital Park and Planning Commis-
sion and the Board of County Com
misisoners Of Montgomery County,
Md, the latter sitting as District
council, on Monday night, to erect q
bus terminal at the junction of Wis
consin and Western avenues. The
transit firm has promised "a very at
tractive shelter" Eagner said. The
Wisconsin avenue terminal will be
located on the northeast corner, east
Of the gas station.
Irving c. Root, engineer Of the
Maryland National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, whose offices
are in Silver Spring, Nd, said use Of
terminal in Connecticut avenue
north Of Chevy Chase involves the
use Of public space. which, he said,
is under the jurisdiction Of the Mary
land State Roads Commission. For q
change in zoning, the transit company
must apply to the Maryland planning
commission, he explained. The transit
firm has laid no plans before the
Maryland planners for a structure
north Of Chevy Chase Circle, Root
said.
War Will Be Discussed.
Round table discussions on the
Italo- Ethiopian War, free speech, Dis
trict of Columbia courts and other