Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-01
UP THE METROPOLITAN ROAD.
The Remarkable Growth I'm that Direc-
ton.

ton.
CONTINUOUS CHAIN OF HANDSOME SETTLE
MESTs sPRISoING Up ALL ALONG THE LINE
The DEVELOPMENTS AT LEXINGTON, BROOK
LAND, TERRA GOTTA, ETC, ETC.
The vast extent of the speculative operations
In real estate in the suburban district north
west of the city has diverted public attention
somewhat from the remarkable movement
quietly going on to the north and northeast
especially up the line of the Metropolitan rail-
road This stretch of elevated rolling country.
afording fine building sites, with abundant
shade and excellent water. has long been a
favorite region for those seeking healthful resi-
dences within easy reach of the city; and the
gradually improved facilities afforded by the
railroad have been responded to by a rapidly
accelerated growth all along the line. OF late
this growth has assumed wonderful proper
lions, and, from appearances, the day is not
far distant when there will be an almost con-
tinuous chain OF attractive settlements from
Washington to the Point of Rocks.
LEXINGTON.
The first link in this chain is lexington,
where Mr.. George Truesdell, with his electric
railroad. his steam excayatOrs and other appli-
ances, is revolutonizng affairs in that hereto
fore quiet neighborhood, and is building up
an important extension TO the city. The novel
plan adopted by Mr.. Truesdell is doing its
work we'll Instead Of persuading people to go
out there and live and make improvements and
be comfortable, he went ahead and made and is
making the improvements that those who
purchase sites or residences will ind the Access
series of civilized life waiting for them. Those
who have never been to lexington since the
hand of man disturbed its primeval stiffness a
gf1l1 NOT trr1tZ 1 fn-1a he
old mansion, once the home of Joseph Gales. of
the National Iteiiigencer. is undisturbed. but it
is about the only feature of the landscape that
has not been changed. The electric road
winds its way through the prop
erty until it almost connects with
the Baltimore and Ohio tracks. The
Glenwood spur passes between the Gales
mansion and the Glenwood road. The hills
have huge pieces chopped out of them. and
their slopes and SUBMITS have been fattened
to accommodate the houses to be built on
them The abundance of fine old shade trees
in this neighbOrhOod lends attractiveness to
the building sites. Material improvements
have been very heavy. More than S32 900
worth OF residences have already gone up. to
say nothing of the large buildings used by the
Electric Road company. Three-quarters of a
mile OF asphalt have been laid in the streets,
and before winter sets In there will be fully a
mile and half of it. As fast as the streets are
graded the smooth surface will be put down.
OF curbing there have been three miles set
Five miles of sewer. ready for use, are in place,
and five miles of water-pipe will be down in a
little while; most OF IL Is already underground
The streets are extended in exact accordance
with the plan of the city, but the rule at Eek
ingtOn provides that every house must be at
least fifteen feet back from the building line;
this gives twice as much front parking as city
houses have. No building can be erected
which vii! cost less than $1,000. Those
who want absolute quiet will prob
aoly De aDie 10 get 1t for
slams Is the ukase which prohibits the sale of
intoxicating liquors III lexington. and equally
severe Is the regulation which saws that there
shall be no manufacturing establishments any,
where within the limits OF this addition to the
city.
The water supply is one of the strong points
OF hle place. both IN quantity and quality. One
well alone has a capacity of Is. 600 gallons a
day. and when the contracts for driven wells
have all been filled EckingtOn's water supply
will be equal TO a daily demand of about 27O. 600
gallons per day. line pump-house. fitted with
aWorthIngtOn duplex pump. throws 100 gallons
a minute. The water will be piped into the
houses and everybody will have more than
enough. A large standpipe is being erected
near the extreme northwest corner of the
Gales mansion. and the pressure will be suffi-
clent 10 throw large stream twenty feet
higher than the roof of the highest house that
will be erected i'll lexington.
There will be but little if anv necessity for
the use of either coal-Oll or candles. Ilumina-
ton-interlOr and exterior-will be by electric
light. The subtle fluid will be conveyed into
each house and run through a meter lust like
gas. and Its cost VIII be the same that of gas
In the city. Contracts have been made for
neat iron poles which will be set. $50 feet apart
IN the curb, and from the top of each pole will
depend a 25-candie-power incandescent light
The sewerage system IL of the best. and the
work was done by the day and not by contract
About ten houses will be erected in Ecking-
ton this season. SIX of them by Mr. Truesdell
the others by those who will live in them after
they are built.
THE EXTENSIONS OF THE ELECTRIC ROAD
one to GlenwoOd Cemetery, the other to the
Catholic university-will open up a great deal
OF what has heretofore been regarded as I'M
available property. The Glenwood branch
switches off Sd street at L, goes west on street
TO I'd. north OH ID TO V. and west on V to the
cemetery. The ith-street extension to the Sol
diers' home and the Catholic university
Is a mile and one-tenth from 4th and L streets
The contract calls for the completion of this
road by July l. but the grading has not vet
been completed II will probably be about July
10 before the cars running. The wooden
poles which have supported the running wires
IN EcklnGtOn have been replaced BY iron
poles of the latest and most ornamental char
acter. such as were erected short time
since on the Cambridge division OF the West
end road .. Boston. The university extension
will also have iron poles. that the main line
will be an lrOn-pole system throughout with
heavy grOOved rails the entire distance The
drive from the city can soon be made over con-
crete. for Mr.. Truesdell has cOncreted street
from Lincoln avenue To the Brentwood road
The connecting asphalt link from Lincoln ay-
enue TO LIST street west. will be forged by the
Beale heirs under an order of the courts. This
will give streak OF concrete from the Brent
wood road TO Rock creek.
Among those who own property at lexington
are the following: DIR. Byrne. u. S. A.; Capt
Mills. I. :. A.; Prof. c. V. Riley, S. W. Wood
ward. Jas. Il. Winner. John III. Lane Alden NJ.
Lathrop. DIR. G. VI. Il. Harris, W. S. Chase A.
H. Noodall, Frederick ii. Saunders. Thos. NJ.
Walsh. Grenvllle Lewis, John Rideout d. Brit
well, l. y. ChapPell, Mrs. Gait, and C. j. Ort-
lep.
BEYOND LEXINGTON.
Immediately north of lexington and near the
line Of the survey on the Catholic university
extension Is the old Sprague mansion occupied
by Mrs. hate Chase Sprague: a beautiful home
situated on site superior In point of altitude
even To that of the Gales mansion. The prop
erty has not been chopped up as yet, but the
great American subdIylder expects, sooner or
Later, 10 get III hls work there. A large portion
Of the land. especially the high ground lying be-
tween lexington and Brooks station has been
purchased by real estate dealers. To the east
OF the track Is a continuation of gradualy-ris-