Evening star., 1935-08-04
FRIENDSHIP HALLS
POLES REMOVAL
Campaign of Association
for Wisconsin Avenue
Ends in Success,

With the removal Of the last trolley
pole from the center Of Wisconsin
avenue, the long campaign CT the
Friendship Citizens Association to
make that avenue one Of the most
beautiful approaches to Washington
has at last met with complete success.
Objecting to the poles as an eye
sore and traffic hazard, the associa-
tion first began agitating for their re-
moval in 1928. At that time the poles
stretched all the way from M street
to the District line. At the October
meeting in 1928 a resolution was
passed asking for the complete re-
moval Of the poles. No action was
taken by the Public Utilities Commis-
sion or the street car company, how
ever.
Project Is Pushed.
The matter was brought up again
the next year and strongly pushed by
the association. this time with partial
success. During 1929 and 1880 the
poles were removed from NJ street to
Massachusetts, avenue and from River
car company and the electric COM
pany objected to completing the work
because of the expense, and we're given
until 1882 to finish the project.
In 1882. despite the strong objec-
tionS Of the association, a further de-
lay was granted. and nothing was done
on the project until this Summer.
From 1882 until completion of the
work was finally ordered, the associa-
ton continually made efforts to have
the removal resumed. AS a result of
It's efforts the last pole in the section
between Massachusetts avenue and
River road was taken down lasi
month.
New trolley poles have been set ur
along the side of Wisconsin avenue
TO carry the overhead wires for the
street cars, and the electric power
lines. which we're formerly carried by
the poles in the center of the stree
have been placed in underground con-
duits.
Another project to beautify Wis
consln avenue which has been pushed
by the Friendship Citizens Associa-
| ton and on which work Is expected
to begin soon, is the completion OF
Tenley Circle. The association had
also asked that the name of the circle
be changed to Friendship. but this re-
quest has been turned down BY the
Commissioners.
The request to have the name
changed came as the result Of a mo-
ton introduced at a meeting of the
association by James Calvin. The
motion stated that as the name Of
the community had been changed from
Tenleytown 10 Friendship Heights and
as the post Office and library were
now known as the Friendship branches
the circle should be renamed Friend
ship, so as 10 conform to the genera
change.
Request Is Refused.
Samuel J. Flickinger, president O.
the association. however. recently re-
ceived q letter from the Commis-
sioners, in which they stated that
the requested change could not be
made. The letter said that all circles
and squares in the District, by act
Of Congress, were to be named In
honor of prominent Americans. For
that reason they had refused a re-
quest Of the Immaculate Seminary
to name the circle Marion when ii
was first constructed
The letter further stated that, even
were the Commissioners willing tc
change the name of the circle, they
could not do so. because an act Of
Congress was necessary to make such
a change once a circle or square
was named.
Tenley Circle was named In honor
Of John Tenley, who settled in that
section in 1896. and whose descend.
ants had a large part in building up
the community which later became
known as Tenleytown. When the
circle was first constructed the Com.
miSSioners decided to honor him and
named it Tenley Circle on May 81
1927.