Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-05
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.
REGULATING NEW SUBDIVISIONS.

REGULATING NEW SUBDIVISIONS.
The orders made by the Commissioners pur-
suant to the authority of the subdivision law
enacted last August were published in The
STAR December 10, and will become operative
as law next Thursday. These orders are framed
with a view to securing, 30 far as practicable.
exact alignment with streets and avenues
within the city limits, and to maintain the width
that the streets have in the city. In the regions
directly along Rock creek and elsewhere
where the topography is such as to render the
adoption Of the rectangular system of streets
mpracticable, special subdivisions will be per-
mitted, the streets of which must, however,
conform as far as practicable and join on to
the rectangular streets and diagonel avenues
o the general plan of the city extended into
the county. The Commissioners require that
streets not in alignment with the streets
of Washington shall be not less than ninety
feet in width. and distant from each other not
less than 300 nor more than 600 feet. No
minor street in square shall be less than 60
feet in width. The orders require that the
existing avenues OF the city of Washington
shall be extended, as nearly as practicable, in
continuation of their direction within the CITY,
and of equal width, and all subdivisions must
provide therefor. Existing avenues may be
detected beyond the city limits wherever the
Commissioners deem advisable. Beside exist
ing avenues and their extensions. other ave-
nues will be provided for in all subdivisions
wherever the Commissioners may deem it
necessary to make the subdivision conform to
the general plan of the city. No new avenue
will be less than 120 feet in width. If deemed
necessary or desirable, greater width, up to
l60 feet, may be required by the Commits
sioners. Circles and public spaces will be re-
CURED to be laid out and dedicated to the pub
lie wherever the Commissioners may deem the
same necessary to make a subdivision conform
to the general plan OF the city of Washington.
The Commissioners have made some regula-
tions, too, on the subject of alleys. They di-
bat oil tbn c,f
shall be less than ten feet in width, and re-
serve the right to require that public alleys of
proper width be provided in the square Of all
subdivisions without the city limits. No SUBJ
division Of land into lots fronting on alleys
only will be approved.
NAMING NEW STREETS
In connection with the execution of this law,
the Commissioners have prepared scheme of
nomenclature for the new streets and avenues:
The broad diagonal highways will be desig-
mated as avenues and will be named after the
states of the union. Streets running north and
south will be numbered each way from the
meridian OF the capitol. If the streets are not
direct combinations of the city streets their
names will correspond with the city streets
most nearly due north or south of them.
Streets running east and west will be named
from the letters of the alphabet until these let
tiers are exhausted. Beyond this they will be
named after the principal cities of America. the
names of which commence with the letters of
the alphabet in their proper order of ro-
tation, as Albany street, Baltimore street,
Chicago street, Detroit street, &C.,
&c. When the alphabet is thus exhausted the
succeeding streets will be named for the prin-
cipal rivers aud lakes of America the names Of
which commence with the letters Of the alpha
bet in proper rotation, as Albemarle street.
Brazos street, Champlain street. Des Moines
street, &c. Streets not in exact alignment with
those to the east or west of them will take the
names Of those streets most nearly in the line
of their direct continuation. Small streets
which do not form an essential part of the
rectangular system of streets will be designated
as ''places" and will receive such names as
maybe approved by the Commissioners. Cir
cles and other public spaces will be named
after distinguished Americans who have been
prominent in the service Of their country.
In accordance with this plan, Capt. Symons
is already preparing a list Of names. He adj
heres to rule something like the civil-service
rule Of apportionment in selecting the names
80 that no one locality or state shall be dispro-
portionately honored- When he reached x
and 2 he had to take both names from Ohio
Xenia and Zanesvilie-as other states did not
furnish names for selection.