The Evening critic., 1884-08-30
A GREAT IMPROVEMENT,
which the Washington .S George
town Railroad VIII Make In the
Vicinity OF the Capitol.

town Railroad Will Make In the
vicinity OF the Capitol.
The low-lying flats southwest of the
Capitol have been for years an eyesorc to
the citizens, q source of astonishment to
visitors and the refuge of filth, garbage and
fugitives from justice. Efforts have been
made to reclaim these lands contiguous to the
National Capitol. Delaware avenue has been
graded in part and step taken in the right
direction, but the flats are still neglected
and give room for tumble down shanties
and refuse piles.
The Washington & Georgetown Railroad
Company have just purchased large tract
of land lying on B street south and First
street west, which, when it is improved as
is contemplated, will be another step in
the direction of the reclamation of these
bad lands"
On B street, near First, lot 60 feet
front has been purchased, on which will be
erected the entrance to the carhouse and
fine pressed brick residence of two stories.
There will be two openings to the car
house. one on each side Of the office, which
will be one story in height. East of the
eastern opening it is designed to erect
residence, the second story of which will
extend over the openings through which
the cars enter and will have frontage of
GO feet, the entire width of the lot.
The carhouse will extend back 322 feet to
a 30.foot alley. AS it will clip off the rear
portion of the lots on First street, IL was
decided to buy those lots and erect dwell
lings on them for employees of the company.
This has been done, and eighteen neat two
story tive-room houses, with pressed brick
fronts, will be built and rented at low
price to the company's employees. The
eagerness with which the company's houses
out Fourteenth street have been rented
promises that these houses will not be al
lowed to remain vacant long after they are
completed. There are now several shantes
on the ground They will be sold at auc-
tion soon and removed. Work will begin
shortly.
The carhouse will be we'll finished in
Georgia pine, will have an iron truss, slate
roof, and will be built according to the
most approved methods and from plans
drawn by President Hurt himself. 1t will
contain five tracks and will accommodate
large number of cars. Its front elevation
will resemble a residence front and will be
an ornament to the street.
The stable will be far removed from the
street, and SO situated that 1t can never
become nuisance to neighboring property
owners. In fact, the company expect that
i'Nht viz biuhlu6 bhu iihptoNohiShpo "uuO
land will increase in value 100 per cent. in
the neighborhood Of the stable. The stable
will be reached by 30.foot alley leading
east from First street, and will not be vs-
ible from either b street or Delaware ave-
nue. when the surrounding property has
been built up. 1t will be 1876 feet by 13l,
forming with the carhouse an l. turned to
the east. blacksmith shop on the corner
| OF First street and the alley just spoken of,
having entrance on the alley, will complete
the proposed work of Improvement.
In conversation with President Hurt,
Of the Washington & Georgetown Railroad
Company, CRITIC reporter learned some
OF the benefits that would accrue to the
citizens from the contemplated work. ln-
cldentally, it would improve much ne
elected part of the city, but its main pur'
pose would be to allow of greater frequency
in the running of the street-cars. 1t is pro
| posed to add number of new cars to thu
road and thus increase the frequency Will
which they will be run. Every progressive
step on the part of a street railroad com
pany is significant of the city's growth
Every car added to the road shows an in
crease in the travelling public. The com
pany has been endeavoring to keep pace, /
not ahead, of the demands of the public
but at times circumstances have been suct
that lack of accommodations could not b
Iemedied. In transporting excursionist
from the wharves to their homes Mr.. Har
said that the company now labors unde
Disadvantages. The boats are irregular ii
their time of returning and provision can
not be made. But when the carhou3e n
First and b streets is built tse superinterd
ent at the Seventh street stables, near tn
wharyes, can telephone to the stable a
First and b streets when steamboat i
about to arrive. Cars can then be sen
along the Avenue to the Seyenth-stree
crossing where they can accommodate tn
passengers coming from the wharyes ant
take them east or west, as they desire
at present.
Wolk will begin soon, and it is expecte,
that in the spring 1t may be completed
The plans have been drawn with great car
by President Hurt who is greatly Inter
ested in the Improvements.