Evening star., 1937-12-12
TRADE BOARD UNIT
ACTIVE SINCE 1891.
Streets Committee Has
Been Large Factor in
City's Development.
By JOHN H. Cassidy, Jr.

the BOArd OF ITa0e WAS Haruly
more than . baby back in 1891. but
even then 1t commanded the respect
Of the legislators on Capitol Hill. it
seems.
The history OF the Streets and Ave-
nues Committee Of the trade organi-
sation bears out that statement.
Back in those days the city's thor
oughfares required much attention,
Is they do today, but at that time 1t
wasn't so much a question of better
paving or wider streets. The big prob
lem was to get streets where there
weren't any.
The L'Enfant play for the National
= Capital, 1t appears, didn't make pro-
vision for laying out the city beyond
the original city limits. AS WASH
tngton continued to grow, the problem
Of building streets to connect Wash
ington, Georgetown and Washington
County-then practically separate
towns-became more and more i'm
portant.
Active in 1891.
In 1891, records of the Board of
e Trade show, the House District Com
mittee was tackling the problem. 1t
called on the Board of Trade for help.
The boards Committee Oh Streets and
Avenues took it up, and to it can be
credited one of the most important
and comprehensive street extension
programs ever put into effect in the
District.
Employing its own counsel, engi-
neers and consultants, the committee
vigorously undertook the task It
drew up bill outlining a systematic
plan of extension of the city streets
beyond the original limits and pro-
viding plans for financing the job.
. 1t was turned over to the House
. Committee, and although Congress
. refused to pass it Immediately, the
boards records for 1904 show that the
measure finally was made law in the
form in which the Streets and Ave-
nues Committee had offered it.
This unit of the board is as old as
the trade body itself, having been
organized in 1899. 1t is considered
one of the most important committees
active today.
Its record shows that it has been
closely identified with every major
feature in the development of Wash
ington's thoroughfares 1t has al
ways worked together with District
othcias, and Capt. H. G. Whitehurst,
director Of highways, and Engineer
commissioner Dan I. Sultan often
call on the committee for opinions
and advice.
Joint Meetings Held.
The unit is headed by George v.
Graham and usually meets Jointly
with the Committee on Bridges be-
cause their work is so closely allied.
D. s. Bright is vice chairman and
Louis j. Grayson, secretary.
Most of the subcommittee have
been organized to deal with specific
projects. The Subcommittee on Ex-
tension of New Hampshire Avenue
q project the board has been seeking
Tor many years-has been successful
IN Its efforts. It is understood that
District and Maryland officials have
come to an understanding and that
the work of cutting New HAMPSHIRE
avenue through to Takoma Park, Md,
Is expected to be completed next
spring. This unit is headed BY DR..
Iewellyn Jordan.
The other subcommittees are: Sub
committee on Participation of the
District in the Federal Highway Act
headed by Mr.. Graham. George C.
Shinn and DR.. Jordan; Subcommittee
on Improvement of Eastern Avenue,
A. j. Driscoll; Subcommittee on Re-
lieving Congestion at lexington Place
and Florida Avenue NE, headed bv
Mr.. Bright, and Subcommittee on
the Proposed K Street Viaduct, which
Is under the leadership of John Ihl-
der. director Of the Alley Dwelling Au-
thority.
Shortly after Capt. Whitehurst an
nounced his proposed five-year plan of
improvements and operations for the
streets and bridges divisions of the
Department Of Highways, the Com
mlttee on Streets and Avenues Joined
with the Bridges Committee in ap-
pointing q special subcommittee to
study the proposals contained in the
plan.
Members Of Committee.
The committee members, headed by
Mr.. Driscoll, chairman, include H, ]
Robb, j. Leo Kolb. O. B. French and
William r. Ellis of the streets and
avenues unit; Adelbert w. Lee, sec
retary; Charles A. Appleby MIR.
Bright, H. E. Bealer and Everett C.
critics OF the bridge unit. and Traffic
Director William A. Van Duzer, Mr..
Shinn, MIR. Graham and Capt. White
hurst as ex-ofhcio members.
After giving long consideration to
the plan, the committee recently made
its report to the board, pointing out
that only those items which were of
outstanding importance and which the
committee felt could be accomplished
within the next two or three wears
were acted upon.
The list OF major thoroughfare
paving projects included in Can't.
Whitehurst's plans was considered by
the committee. and it was felt that,
anasmuch as all Of these paving prof.
ects we're necessary. it would not be
advisable to establish or recommend
priority OF any of the streets designat-
ed. The subcommittee went on record,
however, as advocating the indorse-
ment IN principle of all the items
proposed.
Replacement Of the PENNSYLVANIA
Avenue Bridge was suggested by the
subcommittee as the most necessary