Evening star., 1951-12-21
And Into Our Lives q Little Snow Fell
To the Editor Of The stor:

Is
on Friday the 14th most of us averaged
l mile In four hours. We wasted at least
$4,000 worth Of gasoline in that traffic
tie-up. Yet the snow was only inches
deep.
On January 2s, 1922, snow fell here
to depth of 28 inches.
In February, 1899. Washington had
accumulated snow amounting to "a
inches, although 1t was only IA 9/10
degrees below zero at the time.
In February. 1896. 14h inches Of
snow fell within "a hours.
On March 20, 1912, 11h inches Of
snow fell. Also, in 1880, there was a
snow 11A inches deep. Earlier than
this, there are records Of SHOWS nearly
q foot deep. Shows in Washington are
not just freaks of the weather It has
showed on Christmas Day IA times since
1888.
More thought should be given to re-
moving these SHOWS and more money
invested in snow-removal equipment.
Why have an investment Of over $400
million in autos stuck on the streets and
useless because snow removing equip
ment might not be used some winter?
100000 should be allotted every year
from the $40 million annual highway
fund and held in reserve for snow re-
moval and the purchase of equipment
to speedily remove snow.
Many other preparations should be
made. Streets should be widened where
tottlenecks usually occur. A bridge
should be built over Rock Creek near N
street. -Four new bridges should be built
across the Potomac River near Alexan-
dria, at Roosevelt Island, near Three
Sisters Island and near Great Falls.
All automobiles within the District
and those coming into the District daily
from Virginia should be required to
carry bridge tag costing $25 annually.
Other automobiles should pay bridge
tax or toll on crossing.
The District appropriates about SAT-
million annually for capital outlay upon
streets and bridges. Washington spends
about $40 million every year for new
automobiles.
Railroads have is per cent Of their
capital invested in rolling stock and IS
per cent invested in their road beds
rails and bridges.
Owners of automobiles must pay
larger road and street taxes at their
filling stations instead of offering mil
lions of dollars in obeisance to ostenta-
ton, FOB. Detroit.
What excuse have the traffic direc-
tor and the Street Cleaning Department
for this mess? Any efficient organi-
cation could have at least cleaned up
F and G streets to prevent pedestrians
being splashed by passing autos. Why
were not the cross walks cleared SO that
people would not have to step into a
foot of snow and water at every curb?
Better send these heads to some
other city to learn something. II this is
impossible, replace them with others
who could not do any worse. -
~. G. II. L.
want to quote Bible verse to begin
with: The sabbath was made for man,
not man for the sabbath" So trees and
parks were madeafor man, not man for
trees and parks 81 Washington With its
trees and parks vas laid out in the
horse and buggy days. Many Of the
trees still standing. but old and decayed.
were used as hitching posts and shade
for the horses.
Man has moved mountains and leveled
valleys 10 facilitate the movement of
fast trafic. This includes elimination OF
thousands Of trees and some beautiful
natural scenery. Yet we allow trees and
parks to become some Of our major
causes of traffic jams and disorders.
Let me call your attention to just
few useless and deplorable situations
here in Washington congested areas.
First, New York avenue from Ninth to
Thirteenth NV. At least one-third Of
that busy avenue Is taken up in parkway
space. I paced 1t OF and it measures
just Is PAGES. or about IS feet. in width.
Why all this waste space? For safety
purposes, q 3-foot zone in the middle
Of the avenue would suffice. AS an al
tentative to this, the whole parkway
space could be leveled and used as
parking zone with meters. As for the
trees, they should come down. They are
old and feeble and are gradually being
blown apart by strong winds. Second.
Maryland avenue NE. from Sixth street
to Fifteenth and II streets. There is
15-foot park In the middle of that busy
avenue serving no useful purpose. Most
Of it Is bare and In times Of snow is
! hidden. That motorists don't know 1t is
there can be seen from wheel tracks all
through 1t. AS for Stanton Park, it
should be rounded out to perhaps 100
feet in diameter. such as Thomas Circle
or Logan Circle. Mcpherson Square at
Fifteenth and Isstreets NV. is another
major problem. 4
Until we are willing to alter these
and other 4bottlenecks, there VIII always
be trouble solving our traffic jams
BENJAMIN r. Hall.
For 80 years drove the roads Of the
great Northwest, including Minnesota.
and after watching District motorists
try to make the grade I believe some OBJ
servations are in order:
Rely on your engine, not your horn
and brakes. If you must play with the
horn. take it into your cellar and blow
TL:.@ I t.