Evening star., 1938-06-12
CITIZENS PUSHING
EAST Dc PROGRAM
Work Being Sought Would
Make More Rounded
City Development.
BY WILLIAM A. MILLEN.

BY WILLIAM A. MILLEN.
Civic interests here are alert to the
! need for more balanced develop
ment Of the National Capital, espe-
cially to the eastward, and are getting
behind the projects that will make
for betterment of the city
The interested groups arc supporting
the National Capital Park and Plan.
ming Commission in its drive for the
balanced. economical development of
East Washington. The civic Grganiza-
tions have fought for a Lumber of
projects that have already been
realized; they have done preventive
work and are boosting other plans that
will, in their belief, stimulate the
Advancement Of East Washington.
Louis F. Frick. secretary OF the
Southeast Business Mems Association
and chairman Of the Law and Legisla-
ton Committee of the Southeast Citi-
zens' Association, says that both Or
ganizations have gone on record in
favor of the stadium development at
the end of East Capitol street, on the,
banks of the Anacostia River. They
both advocate that the stadium be
named in honor of Thomas Jefferson.
Bridges Needed.
Looking ahead, the citizens in that
section want bridges across the
Anacostia River at South Capitol
street and also at Massachusetts, ave-
nue.. They have just celebrated their
victory looking toward the early
realization of new bridge in the line
of Pennsylvania avenue, across that
waterway.
The Southeast Business Mems AS
sociation favors the creation Of the
Avenue of the States, along East
Capitol street, from the Capitol to
the Anacostia River. Under this pro-
gram, the various States would erect
their own buildings in which to dis
play their advantages.
Both the Southeast citizens group
and the business men have gone on
record in favor of the construction of
a new National Guard Armory in
East Washington. They also favor
the new General Accounting Office
or some other Federal building-to be
built in the general area around First
street and South Capitol street Sc,
near Independence avenue.
The citizens have worked for Fort
Dupont and Fort Davis-two vital
links in the Fort Drive Parkway prof.
ect, which they also sponsor. They
advocate the completion of the Ma
tional Arboretum, which is LOCATED
north of M street NE, on the west
bank of the Anacostia River.
Vigorously, the citizens and busi-
ness men of East Washington cam
paigned against the slaughter house
that was to be renovated at Benning
and Anacostia roads Sc They op-
pose similar nuisance industries" for
Washington. Mr.. Frick of the S. E.
B. M. A. points out, however. that the
District of Columbia government
should clean its own house by eliminat-
ing the garbage disposal plant at New
Jersey avenue and I street Sc. II
that region is to develop properly, he
insisted, the District government
should remove that plant to q less
residential area. -.
Member Of Council.
Mr.. Prick is member of the South
east Council, which has delegates from
each Of the civic associations in the
area. The council advocates the vari-
GUS worthwhile improvements that
have been projected for that section
Of the metropolis. -s,
The improvement of Independence
avenue is one of the projects for which
the citizenry of that region are driv-
ing. The thoroughfare now narrows
at the Capitol grounds and with the
street car tracks in that section a
dangerous traffic hazard is created,
Mr.. Frick asserted. The citizens want
Independence avenue improved so that
1t will compare to Constitution avenue,
on the north side of the Capitol.
Development of the projected sta
dium at the end of East Capitol street
and the Anacostia River, in Mr..
Frick's opinion, will create new hotels
in that section of the city, which Is
now lacking in these facilities.
The late Chief Justice William How
arde Tafts insistence on placing the
new Supreme Court Building where it
is today spurred the neighborhood
zeal of Northeast Recent years have
brought Improvements to that section
among them the purchase OF the |
Patterson tract as public park, the
extension of New York avenue to |
Bladensburg road and the advance
ment Of West Virginia avenue to New
York avenue
Parkway Development Urged.
The identification of the Anacostia
Parkway is yet another objective to-
ward which residents of Northeast
have long been working Electrifica-
tion of the Pennsylvania Railroad, re-
ducing the smoke in that section of
the city, has been a material benefit to
the residents there.
The Lincoln Park Citizens Associa.
tion-and other groups-is interested
in the replacement of the Pennsyl-
vania Avenue Bridge, spanning the
Anacostia River, now in prospect, but
they are also thinking of a bridge
across the waterway in the line of |
East Capitol street or at Massachu- |
sets avenue and Of replaced railroad |
bridge across the Eastern Branch.
Ciyic-minded citizens of today are
endeavoring to carry forward the ideas
of the original planners of a century
and half ago-to make the eastern
section of the city an unusually fine
residential section. Uniform streets,
properly aligned; careful attention to
coming, better schools, parks and other
improvements. as well as expert han
ding of trafic are on the agenda of
the organizations vitality interested in
the correct development of Northeast.
Looking ahead, some of the forward
citizens anticipate that Twenty-frst
street NE. should be as wide as Mary
land avenue, as one Of the great feed
ers Of the future to the stadium, pro-
5ected at the end Of East Capitol street.
Calvert Is Leader.