Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-12

The Current Gossip Of the Week Abou
Property Transactions.

PRovEMENTs-vARIoUs VIEWS OF VARIOUS MEX
AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST.
The project Of celebrating Rock creek be-
tween Lyons mill dam and the Pennsylvsnia
avenue bridge is again receiving considerable
attention, because the House District committee
is considering and some Of the members Of the
committee are said to be favorably inclined
toward the proposed improvement. The plans
and estimates made by Capt. symons have been
placed before the committee. This project
has been urged ON account of the unsanitary con-
dition Of Rock creek. Commissioner Wheat
ley, speaking of it to STAR reporter,
said it would do more to bring about
the unifcation Of the two cities Of Warrington
and Georgetown by destroying the present bar
rier than any measure he could think Of. The
i project has an Importance from q real-estate
point Of view. As Capt. Symons figures it il
would make available million feet Of ground
Immediately adjoining q section Of the city
where improvements have been both rapid and
| substantial. This is ground on the slopes and
| in the bed of the creek, at present compare
| lively worthless. One looking at the map Of
the city will see that Rock creek makes horse
shot bend to the eastward from Lyons mill.
| Capt Symons' plan is to take the creek by Q
| short cut through a tunnel or q pair of tunnels
in a straight line across the base of this horse
shoe. These tunnels would extend from Lyons
/
| to the south line of Pennsylvania avenue he
proposes to arch the creek over as
| Tiber creek was arched some years ago.
The tunnel would be under the line Of
18th street extended into Georgetown, and the
| condemnation of land necessary for the street
extension would provide the right Of way for
the tunnel When the tunnel and archway are
| completed the old creek bed, Capt Symons
says, could be filed in and the streets extended
across in embankment, and ultimately the
whole valley could be filed in and brought up
to the grade of the surrounding country. The
plan, too, would require an extension Of some
| OF the sewers now emptying into Rock creek.
Capt. Symons estimates the cost of this project,
! including the condemnation for the extension
| OF 26th street, at 100000 At present the
| aud Georgetown are inadequate. Against the
cost OF the proposed Improvement Capt.
Symons places large aggregate saving which
| he says will be made in avoiding the building
and maintenance of bridges The reclama-
ton of large amount of land of little value
and the enhancement in the value of neighbor-
| ing property are points urged in favor
of the project. The entire valley of Rock creek
from Lyon's mill to Pennsylvania avenue will
become available dumping ground This is no
small consideration, for it has become matter
of embarrassment to contractors and others to
| find dumping grounds within the city limits
| Captain Symons says there will probably be
enough grading done in the next few years to
\
running both east and west and north and south
will then be extended and joined, and thus
Washington and Georgetown be united. Some
objection to having this work done at public
| expense has been raised on the ground that the
property that would be Immediately raised in
value should bear at least portion Of the ex-
pense. Captain Symons has suggested that
such objection be Obviated by having the
portion Of the Rock creek valley
affected condemned for park purposes and
mn has NV fha ant H.
provement is commenced and while the land is
cheap. Georgetown, he says, has no park. and
| this would provide for park between the two
cities. Commissioner Wheatley, who origi-
mated the project, at least far as official no
tice is considered, when asked abont the matter
of private benefits to be conferred, said that 80
| far as he knew the land was owned in small
parcels by comparatively poor people. There
were no syndicates or large owners to be en-
| riched.
| HANDSOME CHURCH EDIFICE.
The erection of the beautiful church edifice
which the congregation of the Thirteenth
Street Baptist church propose to build at the
southwest corner of 10th and o streets was be-
gun during the past week. 1t is expected that
| it will be completed by the end of the present
year. The cost of this improvement, including
the ground. will be about $4,000 and it viii
| be one. Of the most effective specimens Of
church architecture in this city. The plans
prepared by w. Bruce Gray, architect, received
! at a recent meeting the unanimous approval
| Of the congregation. In the construction of
the building many features will be introduced
| that have been suggested by the needs of the
modern church, and the details Of the interior
arrangements are believed to be entirely suited
| to the requirements of large congregation
With an ample frontage Of GA feet on 10th
| street the building will extend back 1875 feet.
The principal front will be on 18th street.
| while there will be two entrances on o street.
Brick and stone are to be used in the construc-
ton of the exterior, although the superstruct-
ure will be mainly of brick resting upon SUBJ
stantial foundation of stone. The main
feature of the exterior is graceful
| campanile, which is to rise to a height Of 14O
feet The square brick walls OF the campani,e
will be perfectly plain. Al intervals the sides
will be pierced with narrow windows to give
| light to the interior. The upper portion Is to
be enriched with frieZe Of carved brick and
| above this will be the belfry, which will be
| covered with hipped roof Of tiles. With the
exception of the tower of the Church of the
Covenant this feature Of church architecture
| is unknown in this city. There will be no stone
used In the tower, and the architect will de-
pend entirely upon brick to give adequate ex-
| preston to this characteristic Of the Roman
style Of architecture. The campanile rising to
the proposed height will be a prominent Tea
ture in that section of the city, where there are
| 80 many beautiful examples Of modern house
| architecture.
Inc main entrance Will be through q series
of three doors from 10th street. Above this
| entrance will be the great window with its
mullions and ornamental perforations in the
stone work. From the main vestibule there is
to be an entrance to the lecture room and TO
| the stairs on each side leading to the auditor
| ium. This room will be constructed in the
amphitheater form, with the seats radiatinz
| from the platform, which will be in the center
| OF the south wall Of the building. The ceiling
| Is an innovation in church architecture as Il
| will be constructed Of wood, with an arcade
| following the line of the amphitheater. The
arrangements for the baptistry will be on an
improved plan. The water receptacle will be
built of marble on the platform, and will be
screened from the passages to the dressing
room by an oaken screen.
Above the platform will be the choir gallery
The organ will be divided into two parts, SO
that the gilded pipes will be shown in arched
openings on each side of the platform There
will be galleries on the east and west ends of
| the building. The seating capacity of the
church will be 1900. The decorations of the
walls and the stained-glass windows will be in
| harmony with the general design Of the inte-
rior.
Mr.. John McGregor has been awarded the
| contract The committee appointed to repre-
| sent the congregation during the erection of
the church building is composed of Rev. Chas.
| A: Stakely, chairman; E. N. Chaplin, ]. w.
Clarke, r. G. Fox, E. T. FristOe, John q. Judd.
U. i. Mason, r. H. Martin, w. L. Speiden, and
| DIR. j. c. Yelling; treasurer, X. H. Martin.
REMARKABLE WINTER ACTIVITY.
Edward ]. Stellwagen, of the firm Of Thomas
Il II ahaP4 w toll O.