Evening star. [volume], June 02, 1937, Page B-1, Image 19

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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Washington News | f(k fatf I Society and General I B
____ 3_V, > WITH SUNDAY MORNING IDITION ^ ^
PAGE B—1
NEW CODE WOULD
STRENGTHEN D. C.
LIFT REGULATION
Committee Reports Plan
Designed to Prevent
Accidents.
CITY HEADS TO HOLD
HEARING ON JUNE 22
Old Problem of Control Over Fed
eral Elevators Is Again
Brought Up.
Strengthening of the District eleva
tor regulations, designed to prevent
any recurrence of an accident such as
occurred in March. 1936, causing the
death of 13-year-old Harvey Crowell,
was proposed to the Commissioners to
day by a committee of officials who
have worked for more than a year on
a revision of the elevator code.
In its report, the committee also
raised again the old problem of who
ahould have control and inspection of
elevators in Federal buildings, but left
the question unanswered. Instead, the
committee advised the city heads that,
unless the President by executive order
gave the District power to make Fed
eral elevators conform to the District
code, the District building inspector
ahould be relieved of all responsibility
for Federal lifts.
Difficulties Explained.
Attached to the report was a lengthy
statement by John A. Dickinson of
the Bureau of Standards, explaining
difficulties involved in any proposal to
permit the District to require that
Federal elevators conform to the Dis
trict Code.
The Crowell boy was crushed to
death in an automatic elevator in an
apartment building in the 7600 block
of Georgia avenue. The elevator had
landing doors at the various floors
which swung out into the halls. These
doors automatically swung shut when
b person entered the elevator and
pushed the button, starting the car in
movement. While officials never were
able to determine exactly what hap
pened, it was assumed by some that
the boy was caught between the hall
way landing door and the car door
and was crushed when the cage was
put in motion.
Conformed to Regulation.
District elevator inspectors reported
during the ensu*ig investigation that
the elevator had been installed in
conformity with regulations. They
classed the elevator as "semi-auto
matic,” although other officials could
find no such provision in the present
code for passenger elevators.
Among other things, the huge docu
ment containing the proposed revised
code makes definite and clear what
• re automatic elevators, fciserting new
definitions describing what is meant
by the control of an elevator.
The new code also makes more strin
gent the rules about the limit of space
which may exist between the elevator
cage and the hoistway edge of the
landing threshold, limiting it to 4
inches where the the elevators are
operated by a licensed attendant and
•olely from within the car.
This new section also provides that
for elevators having swing-doors on
the hall-landing, the doors shall be
as nearly flush as practicable, but in
no case shall the distance exceed one
half inch between the edge of the
cage and the hoistway edge of the
landing threshold. For sliding doors
• t, the hallway landing, the new code
would provide that the distance not
exceed 2\ inches.
* ion i uinii' nrarmi’s.
Public hearings on the proposed
code will be held by the Commissioners
June 22 al 2 p.m., in the board room
of the District Building. The docu
ment is so long and the available
District funds for printing legal no
tices so limited, the Commissioners de
cided they could not advertise the
document. Instead, it was released
to newspapers and interested parties
are advised they may obtain mimeo
graphed copies by calling at the Dis
trict Building.
Toe code was prepared by a com
mittee composed of Capt. H. S. Bishop,
)r , Assistant Engineer Commissioner,
chairman; Col. John W. Oehmann,
Inspector of buildings; Edward W.
Thomas, assistant corporation counsel,
■ nd Dickinson, who is elevator code
expert of the Bureau of Standards.
The committee report revealed that
the building inspector has reported
his inability to issue periodic certifi
cates of inspection showing that ele
vators in buildings owned by the Fed
eral oGvernment comply with the Dis
trict regulations, when the plans for
auch elevators have not been submit
ted for approval and when elevators,
lr> many instances, do not comply with
the District regulations.
Last August 21, the report shows,
the corporation counsel ruled that the
District cannot enforce compliance,
■ince the elevator code, passed by
Congress, cannot be construed to take
from the United States "any preroga
tive, right, title or interest to construct
or operate buildings on its own prop
erty in the manner it desires.”
Should Ask Order.
At that time the corporation counsel
told the Commissioners that if they
desired to assume jurisdiction over
Federal elevators they should attempt
to secure from the President an execu
tive order requiring that plans for all
Federal buildings comply with building
■ nd other regulations of the District.
Passing this problem back to the
Commissioners, the committee said:
"This recommendation was ap
proved by the Board of Commissioners
on September 4, 1936, but no action
to secure the executive order has been
taken to date.”
Dickinson, in his appended report,
•aid that the National Park Service
Installs elevators in accordance with
the national code if it is physically
possible to comply with it. He added
that inspection by the District has
been requested by the Park Service as
a further check on inspections made
by the Federal forces. Where eleva
tors in Government buildings do not
comply strictly with the code, the Park
8ervice endeavors to secure funds to
make them comply if that is possible,
he said.
But an the question of Jurisdiction,
Graduating Midshipmen Pass in Last Review at Annapolis
— " *■ - 1 — 1 ■ —.. - - --
Members of the 1937 graduating class of the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, as they pass in review before their
commandant, Rear Admiral David Foote Sellers and Miss Janet Cunneen of this city, color girl.
❖
Rink for Hockey Games and
Skaters Asked at
Hearing.
In Secretary Ickes’ new air-condi
tioned Interior Department Building,
while the hot June sun beat down
outside, C. Marshall Finnan's Audi
torium Advisory Committee yesterday
afternoon listened to pleas that pro
visions be made in the projected audi
torium for ice skating, ice hockey,
carnivals, concerts, theatrical produc
tions, opera, banquets and even cafe
terias, so patrons might enjoy a leis
urely dinner before the events. Sched
uled as the last public meeting before
the committee gets down to writing
its report, the gathering drew five
witnesses, who discoursed principally
on the possibilities for ice skating and
hockey.
Finnan anticipates the report will
be in the hands of Secretary Ickes’
National Capital Auditorium Commis
sion around the middle of the month.
The advisory group meanwhile will
hold a number of executive sessions
and will receive further suggestions in
writing from interested persons.
Echo of Row.
An echo of the Thomas Jefferson
Memorial row, which provoked such
criticism because of the Tidal Basin
site and the fact that the architect,
John Russell Hope of New York, was
chosen without competition, was in
jected into yesterday's meeting. Al
fred Kastner. architect, who gave his
address as 1820 Massachusetts ave
nue, declaring that he formerly
worked for the Soviet government,
urged that the design for the audito
rium here be obtained by competition,
to be held under the American Insti
tute of Architects. Kastner said he
won the Russian government's first
prize for an auditorium at Khartov
and second prize for the design of the
Palace of the Soviets in Moscow.
Kastner told the committee the
auditorium should contain provision
for exhibits and displays, and that it
should be flexible as to uses and possi
ble to convert into a banquet hall, if
necessary.
Plead for Ice Sports.
Russell Arundel and Prew Savoy of
Washington and L. M. Church of
Philadelphia, an engineer in ice skat
ing and ice hockey equipment, advo
cated that the Advisory Committee
recommend that the auditorium con
tain adequate provision for skating
and hockey. Savoy emphasized that
an ice rink would not only be self
liquidating, but aid in defraying the
cost of the auditorium itself. He
pointed to the desirability of combin
ing refrigeration for air conditioning
and for ice skating and hockey.
Arundel, he said, has an option for
an international ice hockey league,
which would give 24 home games here
and play for 36 nights in all. This,
he said, would require an arena 215
by 100 feet and take up two hours of
playing time each game. He pro
posed that the committee consider the
organization of an $100,000 corpora
tion by Arundel and his friends, who
would pay a rental of $250,000 over
10 years for lease of the proposed
auditorium facilities on the required
nights. The organization would be
known as the Washington Ice Hockey
Club.
Pleads for Skaters.
The committee heard E. Christo
pher Meyer, chairman of the Wash
ington Committee of Ice Skaters, plead
for “the average ice skater, young
and old." He said that Washingto
nians now go to Baltimore, 40 miles
away, to skate. He pleaded for 18,000
square feet of refrigerated surface,
an eight-lap track on which Olympic
contests might be held, an ice area
some 375 feet long and 250 feet wide,
a hockey rink to cost $36,000. and
skating area to cost $188,000. He
declared that ice carnival spectacles,
ice races and other events here would
draw great throngs.
Meyer, who is a brother of Inter
state Commerce Commission Member
Balthasar H. Meyer, placed the num
ber who regularly would patronize a
rink at 2.500 to 3,000. and said that
6.000 skaters voluntarily signed a pe
tition for adequate facilities here.
Finnan remarked that from 8,000 to
9.000 have been on the reflecting pool
of the Lincoln Memorial at one time.
Meyer said that 40 cents would seem
a fair charge, although he conceded
to John Nolen, jr„ director of plan
ning of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, a member
of the committee, that cheaper prices,
down to 25 cents admission, would
increase the patronage. Meyer point
ed out that at Bear Mountain, N. Y„
a graduated admission charge prevails
on different days, enabling children to
skate for 10 cents.
Dickinson said nowhere in the United
States are Federal buildings under the
jurisdiction of State or municipal of
ficials, and “to attempt to subordinate
the Federal buildings to District ap
proval will only result in tremendous
complications for the District govern
ment.”
V
Annapolis June Week Visitors
! Watch Middies Give Show
Day’s Program Also Includes Rehears-1
al for Graduation Tomorrow—D. C.
Girl Acclaimed at Colors Ceremony.
B> the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, June 2.—The white
sails of knockabouts and half-raters
dotted the Severn River today as the
midshipmen at the Naval Academy
gave a seamanship demonstration for
the June week visitors.
Crowds formed along the sea wall
as 20 knockabouts and 12 half-raters,
in charge of midshipman crews, ma
neuvered on the river. Another group
of midshipmen staged a lifeboat drill.
Four patrol boats, manned by mem
bers of the graduating class, went
through a drill as ships in division
formation.
Tire aquatic events took up the en
tire morning. They were followed by
a band concert, while members of the
graduating class rehearsed the pro
cedure to be followed at the com
mencement exercises tomorrow.
Tonight there will be another band
concert and the midshipmen of all
classes will attend the farewell ball
in the academy armory.
New York Due Tomorrow.
The battleship New York, which
recently participated in the corona
tion review of King George VI of
England, is scheduled to arrive at
the academy tomorrow. She will join
the battleships Wyoming and Arkan
sas, which have been here since
May 25.
The three warships will leave on
Friday with members of the new
senior and sophomore classes on a
three-month practice cruise to Euro
pean ports. The members of the new
junior class will remain at the
academy, taking up aviation and mak
ing short cruises on the gunboat Erie
and a group of destroyers.
Charles Edison. Assistant Secretary
of the Navy, will receive a salute of
17 guns when he arrives at the
academy tomorrow to attend the grad
uation exercises. Gov. Harry W. Nice
will be received with a 19-gun salute.
| The full Marine guard and band will
be paraded for both officials.
Will Wear Whites.
All officers at the academy and
members of the graduating class will
! appear in white uniforms tomorrow.
Midshipmen of the three junior classes
will wear their blues until after the
commencement exercises.
Rear Admiral David Foote Sellers,
superintendent of the arademy, will ;
confer the degree of bachelor of
science on about 319 members of the |
graduating class who will receive '
diplomas. Rear Admiral Adolphus |
Andrews, chief of the Bureau of Nav
igation. will make the graduation ad
dress and present diplomas.
I^tte today Capt. Chester W. Ni
mitz, U. S. N , will present 44 prizes
and awards to 32 midshipmen at a
regimental dress parade. Capt. Nimitz,
assistant chief. Bureau of Navigation, I
will take the place of Admiral An- i
drews, who was detained in Washing- *
ton by official business.
Midshipman Jack Arthur Ober
meyer, New York City, won seven of
the prize awards.
D. C. Girl Presents Colors.
Miss Janet Cunneen of Washington
w-as acclaimed by the midshipmen and
took a review of the regiment yester- !
day after she had carried out the tra
ditional presentation of colors cere
mony.
While approximately 6.000 specta
tors gathered on Worden Field strained
to watch every move, she placed the
national and academy colors in the
keeping of the 4th Company, com
manded by Midshipman Harry B.
Hahn of Brooklyn, N Y, who selected
her as the "color girl.”
The field was gay with color during
the ceremony. The regiment of blue
and white uniformed midshipmen
formed against the blue background
of the Severn River. Bayonets and
band instruments glinted in the sun
as the companies swept pass the re
viewing stand.
Simmon, at Increased Pay,
to Leave Police Court for
District Building.
The Commissioners today appointed
Oliver M. Gasch, member of the legal
staff of the Capital Transit Co., as
an assistant corporation counsel, and
at the same time increased the salary
of F. Glenn Simmon, an assistant cor
poration counsel at Police Court, from
$2,600 to $3,200 a year.
Gasch will be assigned to Police
Court to replace Simmon, who will
be transferred to work at the District
Building, the Commissioners said.
Meanwhile Commissioner Allen an
nounced Assistant Corporation Coun
sel Rice Hooe will be given a hearing
before the Commissioners before any
action is taken on his reported im
pending “resignation.”
Announcement was made last week
that Hooe would resign, but it de
veloped later that he was fighting to
keep from being dropped. His resig
nation has been requested by Cor
poration Counsel Elwood H. Seal.
Hooe has been in charge of the
staff of the District at Police Court.
Previously he served as counsel to the
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
The new appointment and the pro
motion were recommended by Seal in
connection with the resignation of
Raymond Sparks, who has served as
a member of the legal staff for seven
years and who has just accepted
appointment as a member of the staff
of the firm of Hewes, Prettyman Si
Await.
Gasch, a native of Washington, Is
a graduate of Princeton University
and of George Washington Law School.
He was admitted to the bar in 1931.
The appointment and the promotion
will become effective June 21.
Gasch resides at 1753 P street and
has a home in Fairfax County, Va.
FERRELL RITES SET
Commander Will Be Buried in Ar
lington Tomorrow.
Comdr. Robert W. Ferrell, produc
tion officer of the Charleston (S. C.)
Navy Yard, who died at Naval Hos
pital there Monday after being found
lying on the bottom of the yard’s
swimming pool, will be buried in
Arlington National Cemetery tomor
row morning.
Comdr. Ferrell was born in Rich
mond 43 years ago and entered naval
service in 1917. Surviving are his
widow and two daughters.
TOMLINSON MUST
REMAIN IN JAIL
Justice Letts Orders Him
Committed Pending Ver
dict Appeal.
Disregarding requests by attorneys
for J. William Tomlinson that he be
allowed to remain at liberty on bail
pending his appeal from the verdict
of a District Court jury last Friday,
which found him guilty of robbery,
Justice F. Dickinson Letts today or
dered the lawyer defendant, committed
to jail.
Tomlinson, himself a well-known
attorney, and Philip John Pratt, col
ored. were convicted of robbing Sam
Siratonis, proprietor of a Fourteenth
street tailor shop, last August 18, of
$785. Tomlinson was pictured by the
prosecution as the "master mind"
planning and directing the robbery,
which allegedly was performed by
Pratt and another colored man,
Charles Henry Bass, who pleaded
guilty.
Justice Letts, before whom the case
was tried, was absent from the city
when the jury reported late Friday
night. Justice Joseph W. Cox, who
received the verdict, allowed Tomlin
son to remain at liberty on ball
pending a ruling today.
Assistant United States Attorneys
Samuel F. Beach and Charles B. Mur
ray asked for his commitment. De
fense Attorneys James O'Shea, John
H. Burnett and Alfred Goldstein
argued that a substantial question of
law was involved in Tomlinson's ap
peal and he should be allowed to
remain at liberty. After Judge Letts
denied their request they announced
a motion for new trial would be filed
later today.
Should Justice Letts deny the new
trial motion, Tomlinson probably will
be brought into court for sentence a
week from Friday.
-—1-4->
BOY’S BODY RECOVERED
OFF GLEN ISLE, MD.
Six-Year-Old Harry E. Murphy,
Jr., Drowned While Bathing
In South River.
The body of 6-year-old Harry E.
Murphy, Jr., 1440 W stre t, who dis
appeared Monday while in bathing
with his parents in South River off
Glen Isle, Md., was recovered yester
day afternoon.
The boy is believed to have stepped
into a hole while wading. His father,
an A. & P. meat store manager, said
he was unable to swim.
Funeral services will be held at his
home tomorrow at 2 p.m. Burial will
be in Manassas, Va.
Babcock Supports Moore’s
Bill—Limits Held Merely
Rules.
Elimination of arbitrary age limits In |
civil service examinations was urged |
by E. Claude Babcock, national presi
dent of United States Civil Ser^
Employes, and several other witnesses
before the Senate Civil Service Com
mittee today.
The committee had up the bill of t
Senator Moore, Democrat, of New Jrr- \
spy. under which no person otherwise
dully qualified for examination or ap
pointment could be held ineligible
solely because of age.
Among others who testified for the
bill were Maurice J. Cronin, president,
and Charles P. Messick, secretary of
the New Jersey Civil Service Commis
sion. New Jersey has a somewhat
similar law. Peter Smith of the Amer
ican Citizens' League also indorsed the
bill.
The committee was told that in the
Federal civil service age limits are mere
ly commission rules, agreed on with
the Government departments, and that
they vary for different types of exam
ination. The committee was informed
the limit has been 25 years in some
rases, and up to 53 in other examina
tions.
Babcock emphasized that setting
aside age limits would not necessarily
mean the right of appointment, but
would give persons above the pre
scribed age limits the right to com
pete and show their qualifications for
appointment.
The Moore bill provides that the
civil service retirement law would not
apply to any person admitted to the
classified service under the terms of
the measure. While the law fixes 70
as the retirement age in the depart
mental service, it also requires 15 years
of sendee as a condition to retirement.
The committee, presided over by
Chairman Bulow, took the question
under advisement.
-•
WAGNER IN CONFERENCE
ON HOUSING PROGRAM
Treasury Says $1,000,000,000 Bill
Would Upset Budget—Financ
ing Is Theme.
Senator Wagner. Democrat, of New
York conferred with Secretary Mor- i
genthau and other Treasury officials
today on plans for a new low-cost
housing program.
Wagner has introduced a bill pro
viding for a $1,000,000,000 program,
to which the Treasury has objected on
the ground it would upset the budget.
Treasury officials said after the
conference it was agreed generally
there should be some such program,
but the questions of how it could be
financed and how much money should
be spent still remained unsettled.
-•
ACTION POSTPONED
ON DAYLIGHT BILL
Standard Time League Protests
Change in Name of 10,000
Here.
The House District Committee to
day postponed consideration of the
daylight-saving bill until next Wed
nesday, due to the absence of a quo
rum.
In anticipation of action today, the
Standard Time League presented a
petition bearing 10 000 names of per
sons opposed to changing the time
for the District.
It was necessary also to postpone
the formality of discharging the Crime
Subcommittee headed by Representa
tive Palmlsano, Democrat, of Mary
land, which has laid before the Jus
tice Department data collected in its
investigation when it voted to inter
cede on behalf of Thomas Jordon,
convicted slayer of Mrs. Lizzie S.
Jaynes.
Ten members of the District Com
mittee were attending the subcom
mittee hearings on the tax program,
preventing a full attendance.
REED HELD IN BOND
Grand Jury to Act on Charge of
Housebreaking.
George Reed, 41, of Capitol Heights,
Md., was ordered held for the grand
jury under $2,000 bond when ar
raigned before- Police Court Judge
Robert E. Mattingly today on a charge
of housebreaking.
The court was told Reed was found
in a delicatessen store in the 700 block
of H street northeast after it had
closed last Saturday night. Several
dollars were missing from a cash
register, it was testified, and the dial
had been knocked of! • aafa.
A close-up of Miss Cunneen. who olso presented the colors
to the winning company at the academy, and Admiral Sellers.
__ —Underwood & Underwood Photos.
C. Boy9 II9 Finds Snakes
Dislike Having Tails Yanked
- •*. —
David Bolte, Taken to
Hospital After a Try,
Is Out of Danger.
David Bolte, 11-year-old son of Maj.
and Mrs. Charles L. Bolte of the Army
War College, resolved today to be
mighty careful the next time he has a
yen to pull a snake's tall.
As a matter of fact. David is pretty
certain he will find something else to
do the next time he meets up with any
kind of a snake.
Young Bolte, on an outing in Gam
brill State Park, in the Catoctin Moun
tains west of Frederick. Md., ran down
a copperhead under a rock, according
to an Associated Press dispatch. Tlr
snake's tail was the only thing show
ing. The youngster pulled, the snake
coiled and bit the boy on the right
forefinger.
His father applied first aid and
rushed him to the Frederick City Hos
pital. Later, he was transferred tc
Walter Reed Hospital, where he was
reported out of danger today.
Maj. Bolte and his family were week
end guests of Lieut. Col. John W
Leonard of Frederick.
Copperheads and rattlesnakes are
the only two poisonous snakes in Fred
erick County. Baxter Biggs, superin
tendent of the State park, said the 18
inch copperhead which bit young Bolte
DAVID BOLTE.
was one of the “very few" snakes o1
that species on the government res
ervation.
The Boltes live here at 4433 Q street
Maj. Bolte has been a student at tht
> Army War Collegp for the past year.
NEW CHAIN BRIDGE
TO COST $338,029
Old Span Probably Will Not
Be Closed Before
August 1.
Chain Bridge probably will not be
closed to traffic until about August 1,
although a contract for the new span
was awarded yesterday by the Com
missioners.
District Bridge Engineer Clifford R.
Whyte estimated that about two
months would be required for the
manufacture and delivery of materials
for the new structure.
Low Bid for $338,029.
The contract went to the Tuller
Construction Co. of Red Bank. N. J.,
which submitted the lowest bid, of
$338,029. The Commissioners are
seeking an additional appropriation
of about $40,000 to cover the cost of
construction of a new approach from
the District side and for engineering
and testing inspections.
The bridge is to be completed with
in 275 calendar days after the closing
of the old span. This would indi
cate the new bridge is to be ready
for use about May 1.
The bridge is to be of three lanes
and have a pedestrian walk on either
side. The present piers of the old
bridge will be used in the reconstruc
tion of the bridge, but the level of
the span will be raised about 11 feet
on the Virginia side.
Arlington suo-roniraei.
A sub-contract for the construction
of two 20-inch water mains across the
bridge to supply Arlington County will
be considered by the Arlington County
Commissioners at a special meeting
to be called within the next few days,
Frank C. Hanrahan, county manager,
said today.
Bids for the water main were called
for in the general contract, but the
county must accept the bid. The esti
mated cost of the water main work
is $45,000.
-•
Soy Beans Potential Crop.
Agricultural Commissioner J. C.
Holton of Mississippi regards soy beans
as potentially the most valuable new
crop for American farms.
June Marriage
Time Sets Record
At License Office
54 Couples, Young, Mid
dle Aged and Elderly,
Applicants.
A parade unequaled in recent year!
passed through the marriage license
bureau at District Court yesterday at
June—the marrying month—arrived
Fifty-four young, middle-aged ant
elderly prospective brides and. natur
ally, a similar number of young, mid
dle-aged and elderly prospective bride
grooms took out licenses.
As usual, many of the couples came
from afar. Statistically, it was aboul
twice as busy a day for the marriage
license clerks as most days. This was
due largely, though, to the fact the
bureau had been closed Monday.
Since 1930. the previous busiest
June 1 at the license bureau was last
year, when 48 couples were giver
licenses.
FIDELITY INTEREST
‘CUT OFF’ON MAY 31
But Action Was Merely a Book'
keeping Move to Figure
Assets for Sale.
May 31 has been fixed as the "cut
off" date for Interest on accounts In
the closed Fidelity Building & Loan
Association, it was learned today.
This action was decided on by the
Treasury Department as a matter ol
bookkeeping, it was explained, so de
tailed accounts can be set up for both
borrowing and investing shareholders
Figuring interest payable and due
on accounts to May 31, Receiver James
Nolan is setting up a schedule to show
the exact status of the old Fidelity
for submission to the court as part
of the proposal to sell the assets to the
new First Federal Savings & Loan
Association of Washington. The new
institution will pick up interest on
June 1.
Earlier predictions were that the
new First Federal might open about
June 1, but today there were nc
promisee as to the opening date.
BY QUORUM LACK
Mrs. Norton Puts Off Get
ting Date to Weigh “Nui
sance” Law.
10 MEMBERS ATTEND
TAX BILL DISCUSSION
Hopes to Have Full Committee
Hold Sessions on Zoning
Measure June 15.
Unable to assemble a quorum of the
House District Committee. Chairman
Norton today postponed setting a date
for hearings on proposed legislation
prohibiting the operation of slaughter
houses and various other so-called
“nuisance industries" in Washington.
Ten members of the committee were
attending hearings on the District tax
bill.
Mrs. Norton later said she hoped to
be able to have the full District Com
mittee hold hearings on the revised
zoning bill on June 15 and to report
it out in time for consideration in the
House on District day, June 28
Meanwhile public hearings were be
gun by the District Zoning Commis
sion on 47 requested changes in prop
erty classifications, one of which would
restrict to residential use a 65-acre
tract in the Benning area, lying within
300 yards of the site of the slaughter
house planned by Adolf Gobel, Inc.
This cause will be heard tomorrow
| morning.
New York Firm Applies.
The applicant for the Benning re
striction is the National Insured
i Homes Corp. of New York, which
| plans to erect a private low-cost hous
; ing development there. The tract is
! bounded on the north by Benning
| road, on the east by the line of Ken
! nilworth avenue and on the south by
; Anacostia Park. The owner deferred
; his housing plans last Fall when he
learned the Gobel Co. had applied for
the slaughter house permit
Mrs. Norton said she intends to re
introduce the anti-nuisance bill, a
revised draft of which was submitted
by Corporation Counsel Elwood H.
Seal. This new measure was drawn
up at the direction of Mrs. Norton
following action last week in with
drawing the original anti-nusiance
measure from the House calendar.
Only two days will be devoted to
the hearing, she said, one day for pro
ponents of the measure and another
I day for those opposed to it.
She expressed determination to press
for action on the bill at the earliest
opportunity, stating that unless
legislation passes both Houses before
Congress adjourns, nothing could pre
i vent opening of the Gobel plant in
the Benning area.
Only three other members of the
committee in addition to Chairman
Norton were able to be present today
After a brief conference, they decided
to postpone consideration of other
committee matters until the next reg
ular meeting day. The other members
attending w ?re Representatives Palmi
sano of Ma.-viand, Randolph of West
i Virginia ard Quinn of Pennsylvania.
■senate mil ai aiancmin.
No date has been set as yet for the
resumption of hearings on the anti
I nuisance bill before the Senate Dis
j trict Subcommittee, which has had
' the matter under consideration for
several weeks.
One of the first cases discussed at
the zoning hearing was an applica
tion for the granting of commercial
use to property at lfi09 T street where
a grocery now is housed in a non
conforming store. The request, urged
by W. Gwynn Gardiner, as counsel for
the owners, was opposed by several
property owners. It was supported
by several other witnesses.
Request for raising the legal height
from 90 to 110 feet for property on the
north side of I street, between Eight
eenth and Nineteenth streets, was
made by Michael J. Keane, represent
■ ing the Doctors’ Hospital. Inc. No
one arose to voice opposition.
The commission initiated the pro
posal to bar commercial development
from the area bounded by O. Q and
Twenty-eighth street and Rock Creek
and Potomac Parkway as a means of
protecting the parkway drive from
nearby commercial building.
Speaking in favor of the change
w'as John Nolen. jr„ for the National
Capital Park and Planning Commis
sion. Opposition was registered by S.
R. Bowen, attorney for the Capital
Transit Co. and by Harold E. Doyle,
real estate agent. One of the old
street car barns formerly stood on this
tract.
Cruelty Following
Victory at Cards
Charged by Wife
Charging her husband. Nelson F.
Steele, was cruel to her because she
teased him after she beat him in a
number of successive card games,
Mrs. Gladys Virginia Steele, 3311
Thirteenth street, filed suit for limited
divorce today in District Court.
Through Attorney Jean M. Board
man, Mrs. Steele told the court she and
her husband visited her sister in the
latter part of January. She said he
"became infuriated because my sister
and I beat him and my brother-in
law a number of successive games at
cards and because I good-naturedly
teased him about it.”
She told the court the alleged cruelty
occurred after they had retired te
their room.
According to the suit, the coupli
was married January 4, 1936. Then
are no children. They lived at 132!
Belmont street.
BAND CONCERTS.
By the Navy band at the bandstand
in the Navy Yard at 7:30 o'clock to
night. Lieut. Charles Benter, leader;
Alexander Morris, assistant.
By the Marine band at the Capita
at 7:30 o'clock tonight. Capt. Tayloi
Branson, leader; William T. Santeh
mann. assistant.