Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-31

To the Editor of The EVENING STAR:
Any effort looking To the extension of the
city plan the District of Columbia should
be guided by realizing of the splendid
achievement of the designer of the original
plan OF the Federal City. This plan itself indi
Gates that. except for the circumstance of its
shore outline and the selection of elevated
points tor certain public editces but little or
no attention was given TO the natural coniigu-
ration OF the ground. The great broad avenues
were caused To- sweep over the surface Connect
ing distant points by straight lines. nothwith-
standing the occasionally impossible character
or condition of the InterSening surface. These
grand avenues Were grouped with singular Sys-
tenn Mr. EilIcott records the fact in these
words: The positions Tor the different edifices.
and Tor the several SQUARES or areas U different
shapes a. they are iaId down, We're iirst deter
mined on the most advantageous ground, COM
Inandins the most extensive prospects and the
better susceptible Oi such improvements u
either use or ornament may hereafter call for.
Lines or avenues of direct communication
have been devised L. connect the separate and
most distant objects with the principal. and 10
preserve through the whole reciprocity OF
sight at the same time Attention has been
Paid To tue passing oi those leading avenues
over the most favorable ground tor prospect
and convenience.
North and south lines intersected by others
running due east and west make the di>trihu-
ton oI the city into streets, squares, &c. and
those lines have been so combined ;s To- meet
at certain given points with those divergent
avenues 30 n 20 form the spaces urst Il ter
mined the different squares or areas.
Presidents House were extended two noble
avenues-North capitol and 10th streets-each
supported by two slightly dlverging avenues.
These TWO independent groups stand Hre-ein-
1neDt in the plan. Prom the Eastern river. and
parallel To il, To the West end, are seven ave-
nues spanning the city from side 20 side pracii-
cally parallel To each other Again we find
Virginia Pennsylvania and Massachusetts
three grand avenues-wiIh the boundary street
dividing the city into parallel belts, ON its
longest or Potomac river diameter ON this
system of parallel and divcTsns lines of ave-
all and IRA To- at
Our city ; plan. And while many of these ave-
nues may be satisfactorily extended tn the Dis
tIict boundary Indefinitely at Will, there are
others which, having fuIfiIied their destiny, are
under no circumstances susceptible of being
extended. All the other avenues. SO named,
appear 10 be merely aiterthOughts brought into
play only ior the purpose OF adding the names
Ol new states.
The most perfect conception of plan OF ex-
tension of the city includes several absolute
auIremenIs- The entire area OF the District
should be comprehended in any plan, even
though IL were admitted that "a century might
elapse before the extreme limits would be
needed tor occupation tor only by so doing can
breadth and harmony III ali the parts 6e Sc
cured, and the risk oil continued chaage-the
penalty Tor nestectlnG To provide a pian-be
avoided. In extending tine lines of great ave-
pues OF the city, no deviation from straight
lines should be allowed, certainly not Tor any
consideration of mere topography or present
existing condition OF the surface of the land.
But II, TO preserve parallellsm with the present
group OF large avenues and the Potomac river,
II should become necessary 10 defect the line OF
any avenne, then the point OF detection should
be selected where u public square or archltec-
tuTal pile can be placed To interrupt the view,
as at the Capitol Oh Pennsylvania avenue.
Zach feature OF the plan OF extension should
be in harmony with the prese NJ plan OF the city,
though not necessarily patterned from II, and
TO insure the growth vi liberal and elegant iIu-
provement In the way oi buildings and embel-
lishment, 49, well IS 10 invite constant and in
creaslng Investment, no allurements OF curved
lines or other devices 10 cheaper the gradual
ton OF street or avenue should DO permitted
however strongly marked or uneven the con-
tour OF the land The idea OF permanence
should be made paramount, and all other con-
stderslLions, except that OF breadth and gran
0eur, should be held strictly subordinate, Tor if
the skill and forethoGSnL OF Washing ton could
devise SO broad and comprehensive a plan for
the Federal CITY ~ that early day, anu without
the benefit OF any previously existing example
should IL not now be urged and expected that
We with the forces of our civilization, ought AT
least To undertake equally bold and far-re;sch u
lng enterprises VI improvements j. Z. l.