Evening star. [volume], November 23, 1939, Page B-1, Image 15

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

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_WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1939. ** _ B—l*’
Auto Mishaps
Kill One and
Hurt Several
Driver Killed in
Maryland When
Auto Hits Culvert
Thanksgiving Day saw one dead
and several injured from traffic mis
haps in the Washington area.
. Harry M. Newberry, 34, of 911 M
street N.W., was killed instantly last
night near Clarksburg, Md. Mary
land police said his automobile ap
parently swerved from the highway
on a curve, striking a culvert.
Philip F. Reifkin, 53, of 1629 Co
lumbia road N.W., was in a critical
condition at Casualty Hospital from
* injuries received in a collision with
a truck while crossing in the 1000
block of Fifth street N.W. He re
ceived a skull injury and a frac
ture of the right arm.
Another pedestrian seriously in
jured was Miss Esther A. Roberts,
33. of 1335 Lawrence street N.W.
Police said she was struck by a
street car in the 700 block of Four
teenth street N.W. last night. She
was admitted to Emergency Hos
pital *with a skull injury.
Woman Hit by Auto.
Alice H. Phillips, 56, of the 400
block of Third street N.W. was
struck by an automobile while cross
ing the street near her home. She
was treated by a private physician
for injuries to her right leg and
bruises.
William H. Elliott, 77, of Stafford,
Va., suffered an injured leg and
shock in a collision at Thirty-fourth
and M streets N.W. He was treated
at Georgetown Hospital.
John Mahoney, 50, of 415 Third
street N.W., received slight injuries
to his leg when struck by a taxicab,
. police said, in the first block of E
street N.W. The driver of the cab
carried Mr. Mahoney to Sibley Hos
pital, where he was treated and re
leased.
Miss Helen H. Young, 31. of the
1300 block of Fifteenth street N.W.,
was in Emergency Hospital with
head and back injuries. Police re
ported she tripped and fell after
alighting from a taxicab, striking
her head on the curbing.
Child Is Struck.
A 10-year-old child. Lillian Adams
of IOOV2 C street S.E., was treated
at Providence Hospital for injuries
received when struck by an automo
bile in the 300 block of Second
street S E.
Four employes of the Maryland
State Roads Commission escaped
with nothing more serious than a
ducking when a truck in which they
were riding struck a culvert at
Broad Creek, in Prince Georges
County, yesterday. Two others,
John A. Fisher, 45. of Greenock, and
Cleveland Buck, 46, of Upper Marl
boro were treated for bruises and
lacerations.
Taskell Ryan, 27, of Kensington,
Md„ suffered lacerations and in
juries to his shoulder and forehead
early today when, police said, his
automobile ran into a parked truck
on the Jefferson Davis Highway in
Arlington County. He was taken to
Emergency Hospital by the Claren
don Rescue Squad for treatment.
44 Pet. of Utility Stocks
Behind in Dividends
By the Associated Press.
A survey showed 44 per cent of
the preferred stock of utility hold
ing companies and their operating
subsidiaries held by the public be
hind in dividends, according to the
public utilities division of the Se
curities and Exchange Commission.
The arrears amounted to $372.
487.414 at the end of 1938. the di
vision said, on stock held by 595,697
Investors.
It recommended that at least 20
Utility holding companies with as
sets aggregating $6,500,000,000 be
recapitalized. The financial recon
struction of utilities with unsound
capital was “one of the most press
ing problems” facing it, the division
said.
“There are a number of operat
ing companies and some hold
ing companies which undoubtedly
should be able to clear up their ar
rearages without recapitalization,”
the report said. “However, there are
some operating companies and, to
a greater extent, holding compan
ies where the arrearages are so
great in relation to earnings avail
able for preferred stock dividends
that recapitalization is inevitable.”
Exfra Christmas Vehicles
Sought by Post Office
The Washington post office today
asked for bids on the use of extra
vehicles to help carry the heavy
load of Christmas mail from De
cember 18 to 26.
Postmaster Vincent C. Burke will
receive proposals until 2 p.m.. De
cember 11, for the hire of trucks on
an hourly basis. Approximately 125
will be needed, and each will be
aoonirflcl fen. oirrVtt . J__
longer during the approximately
eight days. The owner of the ve
hicle must keep it in order, pay
the expense of operation and drive
It or furnish a satisfactory substi
tute. The driver will be "expected
to assist in handling and delivering
- . mail. These temporary substitute
letter carriers will be paid 65 cents
an hour, in addition to the contract
price paid for use of the trucks.
Forms on which to submit pro
posals are available at the motor
vehicle service, room 3077, city post
office.
Gasoline Consumption Up
RICHMOND. Va.. Nov. 23 t>P>.—
Virginia motorists consumed 22,
086,463 more gallons of gasoline dur
ing the first 10 months of 1939
than they did during the same
period in 1938. The state division of
motor vehicles reported yesterday
that total gallonage for the 10
months was 318,470,413 and the
State revenue $15,924,435.22, an In
crease of $1,149,243.80 over last
year.
f ■ 'mil
HE'LL EAT TURKEY, TOO—William Cook of 1729 Bay street
S.E., who was stricken with infantile paralysis 10 days ago,
smiles from his iron lung as he waits for his Thanksgiving
dinner at Gallinger Hospital. With him is his nurse, Mrs.
Mabel Sherman. —Star Staff Photo.
__
Lack of Funds Soon
To Half Work at
Anacostia Park
Job Will Take TO Years
To Finish at Present
Rate of Appropriations
Lack of funds next month will
bring work on the Anacostia Park
sea walls to a close for the year.
During the past summer sea wall
construction work has been in prog
ress in section G of the park, be
tween Berming road and the District
line.
The final work now is being com
pleted on a stretch of Shore line just
below the Potomac Electric Power
Co. powerhouse on the eastern bank
of the Anacostia.
At the current rate of congres
sional appropriations for develop
ment of Anacostia Park, regarded
as one of the most unusual city parks
in the country, the work will not be
completed for a least 10 yeaTs, it is
estimated.
Although appropriations began at
the rate of $250,000 a year, they have
fallen off to a $50,000 average and a
total of more than $500,000 is required
for work necessary to permit public
pni nvmon t nf f i c nnnenal avaa
much of which now can be reached
only by boat.
18 Miles of Sea Wall.
Approximately 18 miles of sea wall
will be required before the park can
be fully developed for public use.
The Anacostia River has been de
veloped with a channel 24 feet deep
and 400 feet wide from its mouth to
the Anacostia Bridge, with a turning
basin 400 by 2,500 feet in size at the
Washington Navy Yard. Above the
yard there is a channel 24 feet deep
and 200 feet wide to the foot of Fif
teenth street S.E., with a turning
basin 400 by 400 feet at this point.
The present project calls for im
provement of the river and reclama
tion and development of adjacent
flats from the mouth to the District
line, a distance of 6 Vi miles, with a
channel depth of 15 feet between
Fifteenth street and Massachusetts
avenue, 9 feet from there to Benning
road and 6 feet from Benning road
to the District line.
Variety of Terrain.
The masonry sea walls being com
structed along the tidal channel of
the river throughout its length are
on riprap stone foundations and are
of concrete with a dressed stone
facing to a height of 6 feet above
mean low water.
The completed parkway will make
available to the public an area rich
in a variety of terrain, ranging from
wild rice marshes similar to those
of Louisiana and channel-threaded
islands resembling the savannas
of Georgia to the wooded heights
of the National Arboretum on Mount
Hamilton. It will provide a tfide
range of conditions for water sports
and recreation, according to Army
engineers in charge of the project.
The new parkway eventually is
to provide the National Capital with
a motor parkway approach from
Baltimore and New York which is
expected in time to become one of
the most beautiful approaches to
any American city.
Professor Is Named
To Neutrality Body
Charles G. Fenwick, professor of
political science at Bryn Mawr Col
lege, has been designated by Presi
dent Roosevelt as this country’s rep
resentative on the Inter-American
Neutrality Committee, Acting Sec
retary of State Sumner Welles an
nounced yesterday.
The committee, set up by the re
cent Manama conierence or the
American republics for the duration
of the European war to study prob
lems of neutrality and make recom
mendations to the American gov
ernments, will begin sessions in Rio
de Janeiro soon.
Besides the United States, Mexico,
Costa Rica, Venezuela, Brazil, Ar
gentina and Chile will be represent
ed on the committee.
Prof. Fenwick, recognized as an
expert on international law, attend
ed the 1936 inter-American confer
ence for the maintenance of peace
at Buenos Aires.
Garden Club to Meet
The Sligo Park Hills Garden Club
will meet at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Clarence Smith, 8601 Carrol
lane, at 8 p.m. Monday, Stuart M.
Armstrong, corresponding secretary,
announced today.
M
Victim of Paralysis
Rallies After Iron
Lung Is Secured
Father of Two Children,
Once Near Death, Plans
To Eat Turkey Today
William Cook has more reason
than most people for counting his
blessings today. He’s going to live.
Just a week ago last Tuesday the
28-year-old bus driver and father of
two children came to Galllnger Hos
pital suffering from a backache,
headache and fever. His legs grew
shaky and the strength was rapidly
ebbing from his arms.
There wasn’t much doubt in the
mind of Dr. Cecil E. Miller as he ex
amined his patient. Infantile pa
ralysis—in its progressive stages.
The next morning the dreaded di
sease had spread to Mr. Cook's
lungs. Breathing came hard, and
the young man knew that he had a
pretty stiff fight on his hands.
Something had to be done—and
done quickly. The sole iron lung
at the hospital was being used by
12-year-old William Taylor in the
next room. Dr. Miller told Mr. Cook
how his youthful nevtdoor neigh
bor had spent almost three months
in the life-giving machine. The bus
driver was impressed—even though
the shadows of unconsciousness
hovered near—and he was deter
mined to stay alive until another
lung could be found.
Meanwhile, Dr. Edgar A. Bocock,
the hospital's superintendent, im
presed with the young man’s grit,
had taken a hand. He, too, knew
it was only a matter of hours now. \
After hunting throughout the city, i
Dr. Bocock finally found the needed
iron lung through the Navy Depart
ment and rushed it to the hospital.
Mr. Cook was placed in the ma
chine. The fever dropped down to
normal and the young man im
proved to a point where Dr. Bocock
feels his chances are “excellent.”
Today Mr. Cook, still in the iron
lung, planned to have turkey and
cranberry sauce. It was a real day
for Thanksgiving.
Bar Backs Probe
Of Collection Practices
Support of the inquiry which the
District Bar Association has launched
into questionable sales and collection
practices of certain credit and in
stallment houses was expressed in
a letter, made public today, from
Harry S. Wender, first vice president
and chairman of the Law and Legis
lative Committee of the Federation
of Citizens’ Associations, to Sefton
Darr, president of the Bar Associa
tion.
“The repossession ‘racket” is a
matter that deserves particular at
tention,” Mr. Wender said, “and is
one which is now under investigation
by a committee of the American
Automobile Association in this city.”
Mr. Wender added: "A vicious
practice of certain finance com
panies wh'ich has recently been
called to my attention has to do
with the ‘kiting’ of promissory notes
whereby the purchaser’s original
contract is transferred from one
agency to another, so that it is im
possible for him to know where or
when he is to pay the installments
on his indebtedness. Nevertheless,
his failure to pay an installment
when it is due brings about the
immediate ‘snatching’ of his car,
whir.h i.c nnt. reftimcH tn Viim until
he has paid the necessary ‘ransom’
charges, including the balance due,
repossession and storage fees, etc.'’
Pointing out that the Federation
of Citizens’ Associations long has
been interested in stopping such
practices, Mr. Wender offered the
co-operation of its Committee on
Law and Legislation to the special
inquiry committee of the Bar Asso
ciation, headed by George D.
Horsing.
Anacostia High P.-T. A.
Holds Demonstration
The Parent-Teacher Association
of the Anacostia High School, at a
meeting Tuesday night, put on a
demonstration by the English and
social studies departments. Pupils
who took part included Gus Curley,
announcer; Tom Yhaves, Leon
Horowitz, James Flaherty, John
Wilkerson, Patsy Gragan, Alma
Linn, Mildred Edler, Alice Reed,
Gladys Reed, Doris Sullivan and
Peggy Duncan.
i
Post-Campaign
'Crusade' Begun
For Chest Quota
Volunteers Have
Five Days in Which
To Get $223,194
Volunteer workers of the Commu
nity Chest embarked today on a
post-campaign “crusade” to garner
the $223,194.35 still needed to meet
the city’s minimum human wants.
The solicitors—and the contribu
tors—have five days in which to
raise the $2,000,000 goal. On Tues
day the workers will turn in their
final pledges at a report meeting in
the Willard Hotel.
Determination to go over the top
rather than premonition of failure
was evidenced by campaign leaders,
as well as the oapacity crowd of
volunteers, at the report meeting in
the Willard yesterday.
Unit leaders to a man promised
that their groups would bring in
100 per cent reports on Tuesday,
although they all admitted that
the task ahead of them was a dif
ficult one.
*1 a non’f et/Nn nnn- »» PUniKtvinn
Chauncey G. Parker, jr., told the
workers when a total of $1,776,805.65,
or 88.84 per cent of quota, was re
ported. “Our work isn’t finished.”
15,000 Yet to Be Heard From.
He pointed out that while 175,766
pledges have come, some 15,000 givers
from last year are yet to be heard
from.
“That means we haven't been able
during the campaign to do a com
plete task,” he declared. “Every
chairman, every captain must start
now to work out a plan so that a
thorough job of solicitation may be
done. These 15.000 people are will
ing to give, but they must be seen.
That money must come in.”
Coleman Jennings, Chest presi
dent, suggested that people who
have not been reached by a solicitor
send in their gifts. At the same
time, he urged that others follow
the example of those who, though
they have already given, send in
additional pledges because they
sense the urgency of the situation.
He cited the case of one woman
who called to say, “I can't bear to
read these reports. I guess I can
go without some new clothes this
winter so I’d like to add $150 to my
contribution.”
Can’t Let Them Down.
“We all have our tense moments,”
he said, “and this is one of them.
But if you will keep before you the
people standing out on a ledge and
calling to you, the suffering people
of Washington, you will not fail.
"We will not let those people
down. We're in this fight to the
finish.”
He told the workers they must
be “ambassadors,” spreading the
desire to help to all the people of
Washington.
“You must feel so burningly that
the campaign must go over that the
contagion will spread to every one.
The fact that we care so much
surely will influence people to give.”
Warning that misery and desti
tution would be the price of failure,
he pointed out the people for whom
the agencies of the Chest are the
sole haven are not like others who
can get along on a decreased divi
dend. Their whole capital is at
siane. ne assenea.
Each of the unit chairmen spoke
briefly, thanking the workers for
their co-operation, urging them to
double their efforts to reach their
quotas by Tuesday and paying trib
ute to Mr. Parker for his work as
campaign chairman.
Units Report.
Donal Chamberlin, Suburban Unit
chairman, reported that Mont
gomery County has gone over its
quota and that he expected Prince
Georges County would follow shortly.
His unit turned in a total of 3,863
pledges for $31,783.10, or 61.12 per
cent of its $52,000 quota.
Thomas P. Morgan. jr„ chairman
of Advance Gifts, reported that Am
bassador and Mrs. Joseph Davies had
pledged $10,000. Totals for his unit
came to $446,143 from 488 contribu
tors, for 85.63 per cent of the unit's
$521,000 quota.
Employes of the Acacia Life In
surance Co., which has passed its
quota every year since the Chest
was organized, have contributed
$10,434 to this campaign, Charles B.
Dulcan, sr„ Group Solicitation Unit
chairman, reported. His unit brought
in a total of 46,583 pledges for $394.
580.40, or 87.10 per cent of its quota
of $453,000.
The Metropolitan Unit, headed by
W. W. Wheeler, reported total gifts
amounting to $183,019.78 from 10,
567 contributors for 91 per cent of
its $201,000 quota.
Government Unit Leads.
The Governmental Unit, for which
Brig. Gen. Frank T. Hines is chair
man, led the units with pledges
from 112,906 contributors for $715,
250.38 or 93.5 per cent of the unit's
quota of $765,000.
The Capital Unit, headed by
Nathan A. Dobbins, turned in a
total of 1,359 pledges for $6,030.99
or 75.38 per cent of its $8,000 quota.
Chest Director Herbert L. Wil
lett, jr„ presented the flower gift
to the newspaper reporters who have
covered the campaign.
Seated on the speakers’ platform
were Mr. and Mrs. Elwood Street.
Former chairman of the Board of
Public Welfare here, Mr. Street is
now director of the Richmond, Va.,
Community Chest which this week
went over its goal.
Others at the speakers’ table be
sides chairmen of solicitation units
were Earl A. Nash, chairman of the
Public Relations Unit; James, A.
Councilor, jr„ chairman of the Audit
Unit; C. Chester Caywood, Meet
ings Committee chairman, and the
Rev. A. P. Wilson, pastor of the
Columbia Heights Christian Church,
who offered the invocation.
Stephens City Bond Voted
STEPHENS CITY, Va., Nov. 23
OP).—Voters of this Northern Vir
ginia community having approved
by a vote of three to one a bond
issue to finance a municipal water
supply system, the Town Council pre
pared today to provide better facili
ties for fire protection. Wells will
be drilled, a reservoir constructed
and pipe lines and fire hydrants in
stalled.
4
——1—————————— i m —gagas ^ • •• . 1
I DOLLS FOR THE SICK—To bring Thanksgiving cheer to invalids at Children’s Hospital, Alma
Bradford, 15, is shown presenting to Jean Cline, 5, some of the many dolls given by Central
Union Mission to hospital patients. —Star Staff Photo.
Ritchie Highway
Building Regulated
By Commissioners
Rule Roadside Stands
Must Be 50 Feet From
Right of Way
By the Associated Press.
ANNAPOLIS, Md.. Nov. 23.—Anne
Arundel County commissioners
cracked down against prospective
commercialization of the new
Ritchie Highway yesterday with a
sweeping extension of building regu
lations to give them wide control
over development of the rights-of
way.
By new amendments to the build
ing code, adopted to further “public
safety, health and welfare,” the
commissioners proclaimed the right
to regulate:
The location, use and structural
design of all roadside stands pro
posed along a dual highway.
The construction of gasoline, oil or
other filling stations, public garages, 1
tourist cabins, inns, restaurants or
dance halls on any highway.
Further, the commissioners ruled
that all roadside stands already I
constructed would have to be moved
50 feet from the dual highway. Any
new ones, which must first be ap
proved. must be 50 feet back.
All private garages built hereafter
on private property facing a dual
mgnway must onserve tne ou-ioot
rule, the commissioners announced,
and oil, gasoline and other tanks
containing inflammable fluid must
be 1.000 feet from the right of way
of any public highway.
Only by a permit from the com
mission will construction of tourist
camps, dance floors, dog kennels,
stables, chicken houses or bams be
allowed along the dual highway
right-of-way.
Beer gardens and taverns must be
set 200 feet from the right-of-way
along a dual highway. And junked,
wrecked or second-hand automo
biles must not be stored nor kept
for sale closer than 1,000 feet to the
dual highway.
The regulations were adopted at
the suggestion of a grand jury,
which acted at Judge Ridgeley P.
Melvin’s direction. Gov. O’Conor
also has urged new regulations to
prevent the new highway from
becoming a second ‘‘Washington
boulevard,” cluttered from Balti
more to the Nation's Capital with
hotdog stands, tourist camps, ken
nels and other commercial estab
lishments.
Property owners, too, have joined
the move to preserve the new high
way’s beauty.
Cow Kicks Away $15,000
MIDLAND, Md., Nov. 23 (A5).—A
cow kicked a lantern from C. Edgar
Llewellyn’s hands as he completed
chores in preparation for Thanks
giving Day. Flames ignited a pile
of straw, spread through the bam
and sheds where his year’s harvest
was stored. He estimated damage
&t $15,000. The cow was rescued.
104 Years Needed
To Pay for New
State Building
By the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE. Nov. 23 —The way
armchair statisticians figured it out
today, Maryland's new State Office
Building won’t begin to pay for it
self until along about 2044 A.D.
A survey showed the rent-saving
plans involved when 11 State de
partments were ordered to quarters
in the structure at Annapolis went
awry somewhere.
They were paying *20,000 yearly
in rent. Because maintenance of
the office building will cost about
$10,000 annually, the net saving will
run about $10,000.
If that much were set aside by
the State each year, it would take
about 104 years to pay off the
$1,038,000 cost of the office build
ing. Nor do the figures include de
preciation on the property.
Members of the Legislature which
approved erection of the building
had figured on savings of *100,000
annually in rents.
Telephone Robber
Asks Change for $20,
Holds Up Delivery Boy
Same Ruse Used on
Previous Occasions; Gem
Theft Is Reported
Investigation of several minor rob
beries broke the quiet of Thanksgiv
ing Day for Washington police.
For the second time recently in
the same section, a colored man
dressed, according to information
given police, in woman's clothing,
last night held up and robbed a
delivery boy in the 100 block of
Randolph place N.W. The victim
was Thomas Ross, colored, who is
employed by a market in the 200
block of Florida avenue N.W.
Police said the procedure followed
by the robber is-to place an order
and request change. Last night he
relieved the delivery boy of $20 in
change and the order as well. Previ
ously a liquor store delivery boy was
robbed.
Two purse snatchings on Eight
eenth street N.W. were reported
within half an hour last night. A
purse containing $10 was snatched
from Hildur Main, 20191 street N.W.,
at Eighteenth and I streets N.W.
The second victim was Mrs. Dee L.
Dobson of the 1900 block of F street
N.W. Her purse containing $3 was
snatched by a gray-haired man in
the 800 block of Eighteenth street
N.W. Mr. Dobson chased the thief
but could not catch him.
Hans Strenitz, 1722 Nineteenth
street N.W., reported to police a
watch valued at $100 and a pearl
necklace valued at $1,000 had' been
stolen from his apartment within
the last few days.
Agriculture Aides
Hope to End Milk
Hearings Tomorrow
Dairies' Attorney Urges
Lower Rate to Farmers
So as to Cut Retail Price
Agriculture Department officials
hoped today that the hearings on
the proposed milk marketing agree
ment and order for the Washington
milkshed would be concluded to
morrow.
Long debate between farmers and
J. Edward Burroughs, jr„ attorney
for the 10 dairies supplying the city,
and a speech by Representative
Schulte, Democrat, of Indiana so
prolonged the hearings yesterday
that they could not be completed as
scheduled. They resume at 9:30 a.m.
tomorrow in the Agriculture De
partment Auditorium.
Mr. Burroughs devoted the day
to reading a brief supporting the
dairies’ contention that a much
lower minimum price schedule
should be put into effect than the
farmers in the Maryland and Vir
ginia Producers’ Association pro
pose. He urged the lower pav to
the farmers, he said, because the
dairies wished to cut the retail
price of milk in Washington by 1
cent a quart,
David Montgomery, consumers’
counsel of the A. A. A„ observed
to Mr. Burroughs that the Sheffield
Farms Dairy in New' York City has
reduced the milk price by 3 cents
for two quarts through improvements
in distribution methods without
cutting the farmer price. One of
the chief features of Sheffield op
eration, Mr. Montgomery said, is
the sale of milk in 2-quart bottles.
Mr. Schulte, a member of the
District Committee, condemned the
proposed order, which would make
the Federal Government the over
seer of minimum price scales gov
erning the dairies' milk purchases
from farmers. He said he cared
only for the consumer, who, in his
mind, should get milk at 11 cents a
quart, retail. He had no interest,
he said, in the producers or the
dairies. He was the author of a
bill in Congress last summer which
would have opened up the Wash
ington market to the producers in
Mr. Schulte’s Middle Western dis
trict.
The dairies for whom Mr. Bur
roughs appeared are the Arlington
County, Chestnut Farms-Chevy
Chase, Embassy-Fairfax, Harvey's,
Highland Farms, Holbrook Farms,
Model Farms, Richfield, Thompson's
and Wakefield.
Chinese Envoy to Speak
Chinese Ambassador Hu Shih will
speak at a meeting at the Friends’
Meeting House, 2111 Florida ave
nue N.W., on November 28. The
meeting is sponsored by the .Joint
Peace Society of Friends’ Meetings
of Washington. Dr. Hu Shih will
speak on “Recent Cultural Devel
opments in China.”
CALLING ALL CONTRIBUTORS—Joe Johnson, Willard Hotel page, demonstrates one way of
letting Washington know the Community Chest needs funds to reach its quota. He is shown at
the report meeting in the Willard ballroom yesterday when volunteers reported gifts amounting
to 88.84 per cent of their $2,000,000 goal. —Star Staff Photo.
m a a
Filling Station
Foes Lose in
Zoning Fight
Board Refuses to
Reopen Case; Convent
Laundry Weighed
Members of the Board of Zoning
Adjustment late yesterday disposed
of two hotly contested cases, heard
at recent hearings, and took under
advisement a number of other cases,
one of which provoked a spirited
fight at yesterday’s public hearing.
The board ruled against a reopen
ing of its decision to grant to the
Blue Bell Realty Co. the right to
erect a gasoline filling station on the
west side of Connecticut avenu*
N.W., near Idaho avenue, demanded
by spokesmen for the Northwest
Citizens’ Council. .
In another action, the board
granted to William Montgomery,
who is head of the Acacia Mutual
Life Insurance Co., permission to
build a new stable for horses on his
estate at 6200 Nebraska avenue N.W.,
subject to approval of plans. At a
recent hearing, nearby residents
protested the new stable would be
too close to their front doors. A
new ane iui tne new siauie. 11 was
announced, would be closer to Mr.
Montgomery’s own residence and
located in a depression in the ground.
Laundry Under Advisement.
The board took under advisement,
among other cases considered at
yesterday’s hearing, a petition by the
Convent of Good Shepherd for the
erection of a two-story addition to
the convent, at Thirty-sixth and R
streets N.W., for use as a laundry.
A long list of property owmers nearby
protested against “enlargement" of
the laundry plant.
It was by a tie vote of 2 to 2
that the board refused to grant a
rehearing on the Blue Bell gasoline
station. A letter had been filed from
Dr Lyman J. Briggs, head of the
Bureau of Standards, stating that
he had filed a verbal protest against
the gasoline station Board mem
bers said they, personally, had re
ceiver no protest.
When the issue came to decision,
E. O Seaquist. assistant director of
the bureau, appeared to protest the
past action, on the grounds that
some time in the future the bureau
might obtain funds for construction
of a monumental building near the
site of the proposed gasoline station.
Nolan Calls for Rehearing.
John Nolen, jr.. city planner of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission moved for rehearing of
the case, and a second came from
Capt. Hugh P Oram, executive
officer of the District Zoning Com
mission. However, Theodore I. Coe,
chairman of the Adjustment Board,
voted against the plan, stating that
officials of the Bureau of Standards
had had full opportunity to protest
flf. fhp first hpnrincr onH a cprnnri
jection came from Harry Blake,
another member of the board. The
fifth member of the board died re
cently.
Pleas for an exception to zoning
rules to permit the construction of a
new laundry for the Good Shepherd
Convent were made by George Ham
ilton. jr., attorney; Frederick V,
Murphy, architect, and Paul A.
Goettelmann, designer. It was ex
plained the house was incorporated
in 1884 and was established on the
present site in 1889. It takes care of
125 or more wayward girls ranging
up to ages of 18 and 20 years. It
was contended that smoke nuisance
probably would be less under the
new plan than under present
arrangements.
Fear Further Commercialization.
Vigorous protests came from
officials of the Burleith Citizens’
Association and numerous nearby
residents, who argued that the laun
dry operation was not conducted
only for the institution, but for other
institutions; that it was in the
nature of a commercial enterprise.
They voiced fears the new laundry
plant later would serve as an “enter
ing wedge” for further commercial
ization of the property, to the detri
ment of nearby residential property
owners. Some objectors also argued
the new higher pressure steam boiler
plant would constitute a hazard to
pupils of nearby Western High
School. Nearby homeowners argued
there would be an increase in soot
and dirt blown on their properties.
Among objectors were Norman W.
Fields, chairman of a special com
mittee of the Burleith Citizens’ As
sociation; Henry Gilligan, former
member of the Board of Education,
who appeared as counsel for two
Burleith property owners; Oliver B.
Lerch of 3527 S street, who declared
the plant would constitute an “eye
sore” in the community and pro
tested that the noise caused by the
blowing of steam from the present
boiler plant could be heard three
block away; and Herbert T. Shan
non. one of the builders of the sub
division. who insisted that the laun
dry constituted a commercial op
eration. Mr. Shannon praised the
ability of Architect Murphy and said
if he had free choice he would de
sign a plan for the whole develop
ment which likely would meet with
approval of Burleith residents.
The board is scheduled to meet at
2 p.m tomorrow to act on this and
other pending cases.
Only 26 Days
For Shopping
Before Christmas
Don't be fooled by the early
Thanksgiving—there are but 26
shopping days until Christmas, Ed
ward D. Shaw, secretary of the
Merchants and Manufacturers today
told the Washington buying public.
Mr. Shaw pointed out that while
Thanksgiving is a week ahead of
when it was supposed to be. it sUll
is only a day earlier than last
year—which gives the general idea.
The merchants of the city, with
an eye to the calendar, are plan
ning for the most part to have their
formal Christmas opening tomor
row morning, when complete gift
lines will be ready for the shoppers.
And, says Mr. Shaw, the prices
are at levels that the average
Washingtonian can afford.