davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-04-30
ID. {. Heads Reverse
Board Denial Of ;
Hacker Licenses

The District Commissioners yes
terday reversed three of six de-
cisions by the Hacker and Driving
License Boards.
The cases came to the city
heads attention on appeal from
the agencies presided over by Mrs
Mary A. Silver.
These were the reversals:
Meredith B. Dawes, of the 710t
block of Webster street NV.
hackers license suspended two
years ago because he was charged
but never prosecuted, in an at
tempted robbery in Maryland.
Otis Ray Baker, of the 700 block
Of Sixth street Sc. license sus-
pended last December because hi
became involved in two fights, al
though neither was connected with
his cab service.
Edward c. Fox of the $500 block
Of Ontario road NV, denied a
license as a taxicab driver. Prior
gambling convictions were cited
but the city heads held they
should not preclude his permit tC
drive a cab. Gambling is legally
but not morally wrong, said Com
missioner F. Joseph Donohue.
The actions affirmed by the
Commissioners involved a cabbit
arrested for drunken driving. 6
private motorist convicted o1
negligent homicide and another
driver described by health au'
thorities as being an alcoholic.
Evening star., 1952-04-30
Winchester Prepares for Apple Festivo
By Mary Lou Werner
Sfur Staff CORRESPONDENT

WINCHESTER, Va, April 3d.
A week of rain and clouds gave
way to sunshine today as Win
chester prepared to begin the 25th
annual Shenandoah Apple Bios
som Festival.
The weatherman promised more
sunshine for tomorrow. when the
two days Of festivities officially
begin. Most of the famCas apple
orchards surrounding the city
should be in full bloom by the
time thousands of tourists start
arriving.
Miss Nina (Honey Bear) War
Iren, 18-year-old daughter of the
California Governor, arrived at
Washington National Airport last
night on her way to become queen
of the festival.
Mrs. Warren accompanied her
pretty blond daughter. The
Governor. who is busy campaign
ing for the G. o. P. presidential
nomination, will not attend.
At 2::30 pm. tomorrow, Miss
Warren officially begins her reign
when she is crowned by Bernard
Baruch. The coronation i'm
mediately precedes the pageant
Harvest of the Years." at the
Handley Bowl. The pageant will
be repeated at 10 am. Friday.
Howard Keel, stage and screen
actor, arrives in Winchester Fri
day to be grand marshal of the
feature parade.
This years festival is a joint
celebration. Besides heraldine
the pink and white blooms of the
Virginia valleys apple crop, il
commentaries Winchester's bi-
centennial year. The pageant
takes its theme from the city's
history.
All events are on Eastern Stand
ard Time. Admission to all events
except dances and luncheons is
free. Reserved seats are avail
able for the pageant and parade
Evening star., 1952-04-30

ton and library boards. The
Commissioners reconsidered. On
January 7, 1947, they approved
use of the school as a combined
library branch and recreation GEN.
ter and followed up this approval
with appropriation requests. The
center was opened and dedicated
on November II, 1948.
Storm clouds, whipped up by
| frustrated financial interests, were
gathering, but nobody noticed
There was some jockeying for
position. The Connecticut ave-
nue. frontage below the subdivision
Livingston to MorriSon-was
zoned first commercial in June
1949. Mr.. Keane said several resi-
dents of the block asked him to
seek the rezoning. and he did.
There were other things. An
agent of Mr.. Zarin approached a
Saint Lo officer to inquire if the
property was for sale. He was
told it wasn't. Across the street
the Chevy Chase Land Co. finally
freed the northwest corner OF
Northampton street and Connecti-
cut avenue of the last of the re-
strictions imposed by the old Poole
case. And Budget Officer Walter
Fowler was quoted last summer as
saying E. v. Brown Scf1oo,
wouldn't occupy such valuable
land forever.
Here's how matters stood along
the east side of Connecticut ave-
nue. when the White House ano
Mr.. Bates were impelled to make
inquiries:
The block from Northampton tc
Oliver-owned by the Saint Lo
Construction Co., with Morris Ca
fritz as principal stockholder
zoned first commercial but barred
by permanent injunction from
being commercially developed.
The block from Mckinley tt
Northampton-owned by the Dis
trict and occupied by the thriving
Chevy Chase Community Center
land branch library. which attract:
Thousands of readers and enter
tanning the areas teen-agers.
Fowler Reports.
The block from Morrison to Nc
Kinley-owned by Jacob Zarin
still zoned residential and un-
touched by any development plans
The block from Livingstone to
Morrison-owned by individual
families, zoned commercial, free
of covenants but still undeveloped
commercially.
AS of that point, there was nc
change in the character Of the
lneighborhood. since the last cove
lnant-breaking attempt to- warrant
Evening star., 1952-04-30
Planning Commission
To Celebrate 18th Year

The Maryland-National Capital
Park and Planning Commission
will celebrate its 45th year tomor-
row.
A party for past and present
commission members and work.
ers is scheduled for pm. in
Calvert Mansion, 4811 Riverdale
road, Riverdale. Chairman Rob-
|ert M. Watkins will cut the cake.
The commission was created
by act of the Maryland General
Assembly in 1927. 1t has respon-
lsibility for planning and guiding
residential. commercial and in
dustrial development of the 800
square miles of urban Montgom-
Iery and Prince Georges Counties.
Evening star., 1952-04-30
Apple Festival High|ights

Highlights of the Apple Blossom
Festival in Winchester tomorrow
and Friday:
Cali Events Eastern Standard
Time.)
Tomorrow.
9 a.m.-Beginning of all day
public visits to apple blossom
orchards.
$50 a.m.-Visit to apple Or
chards by Queen Nina Warren.
IL noon-Ladies dutch treat
luncheon, George Washington
Hotel, Betty Crocker featured
speaker.
2::30 p.m.-Coronation of Miss
Warren as Queen Shenandoah
XIV at Handley Bowl.
$50 p.m.-Firemen's parade,
Bailey Goss of WMAR-TV, Balti-
more, parade marshal.
8p.m.-Fireworks display, Hand
ley School grounds.
8 pm. - Teen-agers dance,
George Washington Hotel.
Evening star., 1952-04-30

into court to break the covenant
that prevented the construction
of an apartment house on her
land. She was opposed by Jacob
zarin and others.
Mr.. Zarin owns a large chunk
OF the store property across the
street. Also, in 1910, he had
bought all but one piece of the
Connecticut avenue frontage on
the east side from Morrison to
McKinley-the block south of
E. v. Brown School. He bought
the remaining piece in 1916.
Before the McReynolds case was
decided. Mrs. McReynolds had lost
her home. The National Metro
politan Bank had acquired the
property at public sale after
foreclosure. On June IA, 1914,
District Court Judge Jennings
Bailey dismissed the complaint.
The covenant, in effect. was
upheld.
Keane Enters Picture.
Mr.. Keane, who figures impor-
family in the rest Of the story,
now entered the picture. With
Jacob Feldman. he formed the
Saint Lo Construction Co., in
corporated in Delaware on April
4. 1945. On April Is, 1945. the
Saint Lo company opened nego-
tiations with the National Metro
politan Bank to buy the old Nc
Reynolds property.
Saint Los next move was to get
the block rezoned commercial.
The Zoning Advisory Council
recommended the rezoning. al
though commenting that it was
aware that deed restrictions or
covenants prohibited both COM
mercial and apartment develop
ment. The council said it had
advocated expansion Of CONNER
cial services in the area for years
but that "home owners in the
area have resisted successfully all
attempts to provide more con-
venient neighborhood service, pre-
lferring to maintain fully the
Restricted character of the neigh
borhood ;"
On December IL, 1945, the Zon-
ing Commission approved the
Icommercial zoning of the North
ampton to Oliver frontage.
i At about that time, Saint Lc
completed its purchase of the
property. paying $1,000 down and
giving a note for SGT 900. A set OF
plans was drawn for an eight
story apartment building with
stores. and building permit was
acquired.
The company had started to
ldemolish the old McReynolds
home when-on May 8. 1947-Mr
land Mrs. Lawrence Koenigsberger
Evening star., 1952-04-30

pm.-Square Dance, Lupton's
Orchard Service auditorium.
10 p.m.-Queen's ball, Nationa.
Guard Armory.
Friday.
10 am.-Beginning of all day
public visits to apple blossom
orchards.
1890 a.m.-Historical pageant
'"The Harvest of the Years." Hand.
ley Bowl.
II noon-Visiting mayors lunch
con, George Washington Hotel.
1890 p.m.-Luncheon in honol
of Miss Warren and her princesses
2 p.m.-Grand Feature Parad'
along "the trial of the pinl
petals" led by Howard Keel
grand marshal.
9p.m.-Teen-ager dance, Georg
Washington Hotel.
9 p.m.-Square dance, Lupton'
Orchard Service auditorium.
10 p.m.-Princesses' Blossom
Ball, National Guard Armory.
Evening star., 1952-04-30
Episcopal Rector Says
Christian Unity Gains
In Church Difference

Church denominationalism con-
tributes to Christian unity, an
Episcopal minister asserted last
night at the 32d annual meeting
of the Washington Federation of
Churches.
Approximately 1000 persons,
representating % denominations,
attended the meeting at New York
Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1913
New York avenue NV.
DIR. Theodore P. Ferris, rector
of Trinity Episcopal Church, Bos-
ton. declared that no one person
or church "can grasp the whole
reality or entire gospel of God"
Conflict comes, DR.. Ferris said,
when one church believes that "it
is the only church and is proud
of the difference"
DR.. Edward L. r. Elson. minister
Iof National Presbyterian Church,
was elected president of the Fed
Grafton. He succeeds DR.. Clarence
w. Crawford, of Calvary Baptist
Church.
Other officers elected were: DR..
Carl Heath Kopf, First Congre-
Igational Church; DR.. E. B. Willing
ham. National Baptist Memorial
Church; DR.. Frank M. Snowden,
Ijr., st. Luke's Episcopal Church:
and Mrs. Clarence T. Nelson,
Augustana Lutheran Church, as
vice presidents.
T Also elected were: DR.. Robert
w. Olewiler, Grace Evangelical
and Reformed Church, secretary;
George Ward, Foundry Methodist
Church, treasurer; and Walter w.
Britt, First Congregational
Church, assistant treasurer.
Evening star., 1952-04-30
By Miriom Ottenberq

The old E. v. Brown School has
become the pawn in real estate
fight over the future of upper
Connecticut avenue.
In one corner are the real IS
tate interests with a block of
property they can't develop be-
cause of a covenant against COM
mercial use.
In another corner are the prop
erty holders who don't want the
east side of Connecticut avenue
just below Chevy Chase Circle
turned into a shopping area.
And in the middle are the citi-
gems who want to preserve E. v.
Brown School as the Chevy Chase
Community Center.
Somewhere in the same picture
Is Rufus Lusk of the Washington
Taxpayers Association. Mr.. Lusk
says he went to Chairman Bates
of the House Appropriations sub
committee on the District to get
the school sold and put back on
the tax rolls.
White House Comment.
The White House got into II
briefly, too. White House Secre-
tary Matthew j. Connolly says he
wrote Commissioner John Russell
Young, possibly last fall, asking
about the E. v. Brown situation
He thought the matter was
brought to him by Michael j
Keane, jr.. former assistant Cor
poration Counsel lined up with
the pro-commercial interests.
What it all amounts to is simply
this:
If the Commissioners should de.
eide to sell the school. the prop.
erty would be zoned commercial
The owners of the property in the
next block could then go to court
to argue that this changes the
character of the neighborhood anC
they should be released from tn,
permanent Injunction that bar.
them from building an apartment
and stores.
The story behind that perma.
nent Injunction and the key roll
of the old school goes back 70 tn,
beginnings Of Chevy Chase, D. C
The Chevy Chase Land CO
acquired a large tract of land nea,
the Maryland-District boundar,
in 1890. Seven years later, tn,
company conveyed the Connect
cut avenue frontage between Nc
Kinley and Northampton street
to the District. There the E. v
Brown School was built.
In 1907, the company created +.
new subdivision and called i
Chevy Chase. D. c. It wasn't tn,
Chevy Chase Of today but q four,
Evening star., 1952-04-30
Washington Ranks. Third
In CARE Package Gifts

Washington ranks third among
the Nations cities for contribu-
tions toward CARE packages, the
agency announced in an anniver-
sary report yesterday.
Since the agency began deliv-
cries in May, 1916, the District
has contributed 10000 packages
out of national total of II mil
lion. Among the Nations cities
only New York and Chicago have
'contributed more.
In dollars and cents, the Dis
trict's efforts through the six
year-old CARE organization
totaled over SIS million. Thi.
mark was boosted by 1926, ,00(
resulting from a recent CARE.
for Korea campaign of the Gen.
eral Federation of Women.
Clubs.
With contents ranging from
food to books, the gifts have sem
to needy people in Europe. the
Near East and Asia. The Wash.
ington Office address of CARE i.
the Dupont Circle Building, Room
1913. Washington &. d. C..
Evening star., 1952-04-30
Rail Work Car Knocked.
From Tracks in Collision

Three railroad workers narrowly
escaped serious injury today wher
their work car was tossed from the
tracks on Shirley highway in 8
collision with a tractor-trailer.
The collision occurred about
o'clock at the Washington & Ole
Dominion Railroad crossing neal
Shirlington. The section hands
were riding toward Alexandria on
their gas-operated work car.
The Clarendon ambulance took
the men to Arlington Hospital
where they were treated for shock
and released.
The men were JOHNNY Dimsey
So, of Route 3, Herndon; Silas
Thornton. 26. colored, and Brady
Bowes, 43, colored, both of Ash
burn, Va.
Evening star., 1952-04-30

another trip to court to break the
covenant.
Then Budget Officer Fowler
made a report, never made public
in which he says he recommended
that the Connecticut avenue 'front.'
age of E. v. Brown School be sold
for commercial use. Under his
plan, the back of the lot would be
used to build a comparatively
small structure housing the library
branch and some recreational ac-
tivities.
Some District Building sources
said he made the report because
of a White House request for in
formation. Mr.. Connolly recalled
however, that his letter was last
Ifall-not as long ago as December
1850, when the Fowler report ap-
Iparently was written. Mr.. Con-
nelly said he did not go into the
merits or urge any action.
Commissioner John Russell
Young vaguely remembered get
ting some material from the White
House which, he says, he passed
along to Representative Bates.
In any case, Mr.. Bates. at Dis.
trict appropriations hearings or
March IL, told the Commissioner.
that "any number of public.
spirited citizens" had been ap.
preaching his subcommittee about
the Fowler report. He die
not identify the citizens. The
only one who has acknowl-
edged talking to Mr.. Bates about
the school is Mr.. LuSk of the tax
payers association.
Mr.. Bates said he understood
the property could be sold fol
about 81 million and would be
worth from $4,000 to 100000
annually in tax income for the
District.
Figures Questioned.
When the hearings were made
public and Mr.. Bates figures were
questioned, the subcommittee
chairman said he didn't recall
who had given him the figures
and, far as he knew, his inform
ants may have just pulled them
out of the air"
With the school threatened
aroused Chevy Chase citizens set
up a fact-f1nding committee
headed by James E. Schwab, real
estate man and Recreation Board
member at the time the school be-
came a community center. The
Chevy Chase Community Council
and the Chevy Chase Citizens
Association decided to spend $500
to get an objective appraisal OF
the property by three professional
appraisers.
The appraisal, said Mr.. Schwab,
will show what the frontage is
Evening star., 1952-04-30
Mr.. President Volume
is Presented 10 Truman

President Truman today re-
ceived a leather bound volume
containing condensations in IL
languages of "Mr. President" the
William Hillman book, as repro
duced in Readers Digest for April
An accompanying gift was the
complete II Digest editions which
carried "Mr. PreSident"-a COM
pilation of Truman papers and
interviews.
Barclay Acheson, director of
the magazines international edi-
tions, made the presentation, in
which the books publishers also
Joined. At the ceremony also were
Andre Visson, a Digest editor;
John Farrar and Roger Straus, jr.,
the publishers. and Mr.. Hillman
Evening star., 1952-04-30
Robinson Acts
ToSet Up Study
On zoniing Code
Commissioner Calls
For Modernizution of
25-Yeor-OId Rules

District zoning authorities today
were setting about determining
whether zoning regulations here
should be given a full-f1edged
study and overhauling.
Brig. Gen. Bernard L. Robin
son, Engineer Commissioner, act
ing as chairman of the Zoning
Commission, gave the instruction
yesterday. The subject arose dur
ing routine closed session of the
commission.
Private and public development
interests have suggested general
revision of the 25-year-old code a
number of times in recent years.
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission frequently
has urged the move. Gen. Robin
son is a member Of that body, too.
Would MOdernize Code.
What he has in mind, the gen.
eral said, is the possible modern
izing Of the code in more realistic
consonance with modern Wash
ington."
But the first step, he said, is to
find out the scope and cost of such
study. The city's zoning experts
also were charged with estimat-
ing the manner in which the study
would be made and with getting
the views of the Zoning Advisory
Council. They are to. report to
the commission in June.
Gen. Robinson indicated he
feels a study is in order.
"The city has grown tremen-
dously. while the code regulations
are substantially as they were in
the 1920s," he said. The modifi-
cations that have been effected
the general added, have been on a
piecemeal basis.
Points to Two Cases.
11C pOlIlLCu OuG CIldC, even IlOW
Congress has before it proposals
to make special zoning exceptions
for two gasoline station dealers
located in "non-conforming use''
zones. Their stations were eStab-
lished before the regulations were
drawn. Since the surrounding
areas were Immediately zoned
residential, the dealers find they
may not improve their stations.
Gen. Robinson said there are
similar "sore points" in the zoning
code. including the population
density in Office buildings. That
is an issue in a pending commits
sion case involving the number of
stories allowed under present
height restrictions.
The Commissioner was en-
phatic on one point, whether or
not a Zoning code study is recon-
mended: He opposes turning
Washington into city of sky
Scrapers.
Evening star., 1952-04-30

went into court for an injunction,
as property owners in the subdi-
vision. The Koenigsbergers pointed
to the covenant. Mr.. Keane ar
gued that the character of the
neighborhood had changed.
Covenant Upheld.
Judge F. Dickinson Let's upheld
the covenant. On April 26, 1913
he permanently enjoined Saint Lo
or it's successors from building an
apartment, stores or anything but
residences on the property. The
decision was upheld in the Court
of Appeals by a 2-to-1 decision or
February 81, 1949.
Evening star., 1952-04-30
Chevy Chase the Middle

block subdivision, bounded on the
north by the circle, on the south
by Morrison street, on the east by
Chevy Chase parkway and on the
west by Connecticut avenue.
Covenant in Deed.
Since this was to be a strictly
residential subdivision, the COM
pany included in each deed a
covenant against the use of these
lots for apartments or stores or
in fact. anything but private
homes. That is the covenant that
still stands today.
There was no covenant on the
original E. v. Brown lot, but when
the District added to it, the deed
on the addition carried a clause
against apartments.
Two years after the subdivision
was created, DR.. Thomas A. Poole
built a home at 5611 Connecticut
avenue NV. in the Northampton
to Oliver block.
DR.. Poole was the first to &C
into court to protect the residen.
tial neighborhood from CONNER.
cial encroachment. He protested
against the building of a store
across Connecticut avenue ant
won, in 1919. There was no cove.
nant on the lot involved in tn.
Poole case. but the court held thai
the Chevy Chase Land Co. hat
promised this would be a delight.
full residential area when it sole
lots in the subdivision. Therefore
the court ruled, the company coule
not build a. store across from tn,
subdivision.
Subsequent decisions-the mos
recent one only last June-hav,
released the land tied up by tn
decree in the Poole case. Blu
that was all on the west sid,
of Connecticut avenue.
I The east side of the street, in
volving the E. v. Brown Schoo
and its neighbors, figured in tw,
cases in the '40s and the covenant
survive.
Center Of Attack.
Both Of the covenant-breakin,
attempts have centered on tn
land around DIR. Poole's old home
In the early '20s. DIR. Poole sol,
his home to the McReynolds fam
lily. Joseph McReynolds ha,
amassed a fortune in the auto
mobile business. and 56I1 Con
lnecticut avenue became a show
place. It occupied the entir
frontage from Northampton t
Oliver-the block north of E. v
Brown School.
But the McReynolds fortun
dwindled away. and in April, l941
Joseph McReynoldS died.
i A few months after Mr.. Nc
Reynolds death. his widow wen
Evening star., 1952-04-30

worth without the back portion.
what the whole lot would be
worth rezoned commercial and
what it would be worth if the
front were zoned commercial and
the back used for parking.
Mr.. Zarin, who the Saint Lo
people claim has blocked efforts
to commercialize the east side Of
the street, has been out of town
for months and could not be
reached for comment. His at
torney says he has taken no part
in the current dispute.
Viewpoints of Principles.
Here are the viewpoints Of
other key figures:
Mr.. Keane-If the Brown School
is sold. it would warrant release
of all the covenants. It would
prove the covenants antiquated
and loosen up our property. Free
of covenants. our property would
be worth 100000. We have in
formed the District Building that
We are joining the taxpayers as
sociation to urge sale of the
school.
Mr.. Cafritz-I don't own the
Saint Lo. There are several own
erS. I'm just president. The
E. " Brown property is being
subsidized by Washington tax
payers. I think it can be sold for
$3.50, 900 to $500,000. The people
across the street have done every
thing in their power to keep it
from going commercial. Saint Lo
isn't worth anything until the
covenant is lifted. But I don't
know of anybody doing anything
actively for the sale of E. v.
Brown.
s. F. Higger, druggist. leader in
founding the community center
and president of the Chevy Chase
Community Council-"Once and
for all. we've got to do something
to stop being harassed. In order
to help the Commissioners dis
miss this thing for the future,
we're going ahead with this ap-
|praisal. Mr.. Schwab has been
vehement in thinking the Bates
figures are unrealistic and impos-
sible of attainment. If the pic
ture is as We think it is and the
values are exaggerated, the Com
will have this informa-
tion to prevent future pressure.
The Commissioners have taken
no action at all. Commissioner F.
Joseph Donohue says, however, the
property would not be sold with
out a court review to determine
the covenant situation.
In any case, he adds, nothing
could be done without full public
notice and full public opportunity
Ito accept or reject"