National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-07-19
THE GROWTH OF THE CITY
GLANCE At WEST END IMPROVEMENTS.

TEE Real Estate Aseuss-Advance Of Prep.
srsy % q street-Imprsvementse on
ssyees-sIichler Place Row - General
Basopch's New Hsu.e-The Hsmes Of
esae Of sur wealthy Citizens.
the change from municipal to territorial
form Of government has been scarcely less chsr-
actcristic In the stimulus which has been given
70 enterprise and capital than II has been In the
development Of the real estate business IN our
midst.
A few years since real estate, as distinct and |
separate feature Of business, had no prominence,
n II could claim an existence IN our city.
Transfers Of property were OF course made from
time TO time hut these operations were confined |
almost exclusively to the legal profession, or 70
some semi professional claim, collection, or gen |
ernl business agency which TOOK charge OF any
thing that involved fee.
NOW. our real estate agencies, specially known |
and advertised as such, ere among the most /
prominent aud important Of our business nrins, |
having orices which rival 10 elegance OF furnl- |
ture and completeness OF arrangement the best
counting or banking houses In the city, and
doing business which justiies the most expen- |
siye rentals for locations In the choice centres
Of trade. These real estate agencies are
operated by some OF tbs most respected and
influential Of our citizens.
This extensive and animated branch Of busi-
ness has been the direct and legitimate offspring
Of the unparalleled growth OF our city, and II Ia
keeping alive, a well As being supported by, the
growth and progress Of the improvements de-
signed under the administration OF our terri
tortal form Of government.
Some OF these improvements have been the
subjectof particular comment In previous Issues
Of the REPUBLICAN. and VIC propose now to
glance ut others Of them located In what Is
known to washingtonlans as the
WEST yNp,
by which term Ia meant that portion Of the city
lying west OF Fifteenth street. It Is divided into
northern and southern portions by Pennsyiva-
MA avenue. The southern portion consists
mainly Of Y, @ and II streets, and the numbered
streets which intersect these at right angles.
To this portion let us connue our notice tempo
rarity.
In our notes on improvements, published In
the REPUBLICAN Of the 9TH OF July, we referred
TO certain streets which mad been redeemed"
by the labor OF the Board OF Public Works, and
which mast date their adaptation for convenient
and pleasant residences to the collapse Of our
old municipality.
Among such streets, the portions Of T, @ and
II lying west Of the War Department must be
regarded As prominent instances. Devoid Of
sewerage and deficient even In surface drainage,
this now beautiful section Of our city laid for
years In torpid state, sparcely settled, because
the ghosts OF Its fever and ague victims, with a
vindictive certainty, accosted every one who
went prospecting within Its precincts.
Its appropriately was caused not only by Ia
dearth OF sanitary improvements, but by II,
topography, which was that Of q hill. whose
Internationally which we mean an inclination
In two opposite directons-one towards the
river, and the other towards Pennsylvania ave.
nue.. The competent civil engineers VINO com
pose the corps under our present form Of gov,
eminent perceived at once the necessity fol
making the descent all Incline towards the river
that the surface drainage may be made thorough
and sewerage simplined. To do this deep cut
through the brow Of the hill were necessary Il
make the streets conform to the purposes O.
beauty and utility, and make the descent to tho
river front uniform and gradual. This work wa,
accomplished amid an uproar Of complaint and
opposition, which sought Its way into court IN
the g1ise Of petitioner for inJunctions, and
failing there, entered the halls Of Congress In
the hitting society Of Crane, Roosevelt and com.
pany, and demanded audience.
To enter this section Of the city to-day and
view 1t In the garb Of gentility and neatness In
sn,vh ~ nus oeen a.tayeu oy tne energetic and
sAiii,.i manu- oi me boatu Oh fuohc works, one
HVuiu s.Aioey lcalAe Una. tnis the same 10
oaty wncie, th,ee years since, real estate wa
s.ashan. auu 'aiues ucpreelAteu oeiow tneir cos
price To the owners ten years ago. And yet sucl
,a,. 'n 's,'.a es ,no"n " We naa oulidinl
20 ps oa VI. s.aue, ahu sluateo On IN
m Ton sius " 49,. oesmeen fMen.y-nfst an
- ,''' s.,es, on.ieu W 'uem lure
,nsn ,sa -. ~, se sa WI STUART 100
,nsr.,n Thn 80 - ~. mn oe,er yeMs prio
.an,s r. ,an, ,.s,s, oao ~ nelo " slAt
,vNr.a oants S" WV 'eiu'e' 'ne" ''"en
psrprrr
west of Elphteen,h street forno,iv a., ,n,o.t,
able for dwellings, ia now one of tns mo-, asna
mental and pleasant streets n live On IN ,ho c,,
Provided with an elegant carria,ewsv Of nm
form grade. with terraces Of green On aim
side, between which and the footvaIt IL a ha,
of seneca stone. also steps of s,mIIar ms,e,,a
at tho entrance of each residenco-rbis stree
stretches It's inviting length from the Nav, M
partment 10 the river edge Ia ,annoa .ac,
morning and evening nv the winds fro,, M
blue Nils on virginia. AZ thew coma With moi.
tened breath across the watsra n, ths po,nro.
n refresh Tho merry ch,Idren ana w..rv A.,
zens who sect the measured NJ ,,s twn,ar