Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-23

eoNohESs LIkELr TO BE CALLED ON FOR SOME
LEoIsLArIoS RELATIVE TO SUBURBAN STREETS
FINE HOUSES ERECTED IN VARIOUS PARTS OF
THE crrY-oTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST.
Congress at its next session will no doubt be
called upon to consider some plan for the con-
tinuation Of the city streets beyond the present
urban limits. It is not q new topic for con-
gressional consideration, by any means, but it
will be q new Congress and to q majority Of
the members perhaps the subject will be
quite fresh and novel For the past
six or seven years there has been more or less
discussion about su burban streets and the Dis
trict committees have been presented with ar
guments, oral and written, without number.
advocating the adoption Of some system Of
street extension, SO that the plan of the new
city that is growing up outside of the limits of
the city which was designed by direction of
Washington more than one hundred years ago
will show something Of the same foresight
which the father of his country displayed when
he placed his sign manual. to the design of
l. Enfant There are no new arguments to be
added to what has already been said in
favor Of taking some action in the direc-
ton Of securing a definite and uniform
plan. The growth Of the city has, however.
verified the predictions made by those who
advocated this policy several years ago. The
city has gone beyond its present limits. People
have erected houses in the suburbs and rail-
roads have been constructed and others are in
contemplation to connect the distant points with
the center of the city. Land has increased
amazingly in value. A few years ago $500 per
mere was considered high price for land near
the bounds of the city, and in some cases nd
joining the city. In 1886 that was all that was
paid for the country place of Mr.. Gales.
then as now known as lexington. Yet
only recently an option was given on
tract Of about twenty-five acres ad-
joining lexington on the north, and the
over 5000 per acre. In the same vicinity, but
farther to the west, syndicate has Just COM
pleted negotiations for the Moore tract con-
tanning about forty-fve acres for which they
will pay about 81, 800 per acre.
This land has frontage of about 500 feet on
Boundary street ana extends back for about a
mile. 1t, however, adjoins LIE Droit Park
and lies between that fourishing subdi-
vision and the more recent one Of Bloom
ingdale. One of the notable features
about this transaction is the fact that it is
the only land lying between lie Drot
Park and the Brentwood road bordering on the
city bounds that has not been subdivided. With
the exception of few small tracts all the land
adjoining the city from the Brentwood road to
Rock creek has now been divided up into
building lots.
SUBURBAN PROPERTY PRICES.
Values have been on an ascending scale all
through the suburbs. Twenty-Five cents per
foot for lots outside Of the city limits few
years ago was regarded as the high-water
mark for suburban property. Now 81 and
even S2 per foot Is asked and obtained
As this movement which has thus been
merely outlined, has not been simply
speculative, but has resulted in fine improve
ments and in the expenditure of large sums of
money, it is thought that the necessity for
uniform plan OF street extension will appear
to Congress to demand consideration. 1t will
undoubtedly cost more money than would have
been the case if an effort had been made to
secure the land needed for streets some
years ago. But the growth of Washing
ton has surpassed the expectations of the
great majority of the residents here
and it is, therefore, not surprising that
Congress has been caught mapping and
has failed to keep up with the progress of
events. great many dollars we're saved when
the law was enacted in 1888 which required
that all subdivisions must be in accordance
with the plan OF the city. BY that act Congress
deprived property owners of the right to say how
their land shoull be subdivided. Justice to
those who have complied with this law as well
as proper regard for the future of the suburbs
1t is claimed, now requires that the old subdi-
visions of land or those laid out prior to the
passage Of the law of 1888 should be made to
conform to the plan of the city and to the plan
followed in the more recent subdivisions.
THE CONNECTICUT AVENUE EXTENSION.
The present situation is rather anomalous
and ia productive Of such questions as were
recently brought before the Commissioners by
the owners Of the Phelps property at the head
OF Connecticut avenue. They wanted the Com
missiopers to decide that the extension of Con-
necticut avenue through their property was
not necessary. Congress has never said
expressly that the streets and avenues
of the city should be extended, but
it has enacted a law which requires that all sub
divisions must be in accordance with the plan
Of the city. The Commissioners therefore are
unable to approve Of any subdivision which
does not contain the extension of the streets
and avenues on line with the city streets and
avenues. The owners Of the Phelps prop
erty, In order to secure the legal record
ing Of subdivision, must extend Con-
necticut avenue through this tract. They
are of the opinion that such extension
is not necessary, and naturally they prefer not
to donate tract of land 100 feet wide to the
public when if the avenue was not extended,
they could probably get % or 50 per foot for
will probably be delayed, and this incident
serves to show the importance Of some early
action on the part OF Congress relative to the
entire question of suburban streets.
TWO NEW HOMES.
Good types of comfortable homes are shown
in the residences which are being built on 10Th
street between and Q streets by DR.. ]. c.
Mcclure and Mr. Rudolph Kaufman. These
houses are separated by q space. which
gives an opportunity for the side light
which is such an important feature Of
city house. The dimly lighted inner
room which is always an incident to an ex-
tended suite OF apartments in houses built in
the center of block is avoided in these two
houses. DR.. McGuires house, which was
designed by Mr.. Glenn Brown, architect,
has q front of brick, relieved by stone
Of o hight red shade. There is a cir
cular projection which extends to the top
Of the house and is finished above the
roof line with a conical roof. The projection is
enriched with stone columns with carved caps.
The main entrance is marked by an open vesti-
bule faced with red brick.
From the entrance hall there is a long vista
through the staircase hall. ending with large
old-fashioned fireplace, with mantel of gener-
Gus proportions. The staircase hall separates
the library, which adjoins the parlor, from the
dining room. The interior wood finish is cy-
press, which gives the tone color to tho entire
system of the decoration of the walls
The design Of the front Of Mr.. Kauffmann's
house has been worked out very effectively by
the use of serpentine stone in connection with
blue stone for the stills and courses The archi-
tect, Mr.. W. Bruce Gray, has made one of the
features Of the front the bay window, which is
finished in the third story with q stone balus-
trade. The face Of the gable is relieved by
pilasters with carved caps marking the window
openings. The roof is covered with tile BY
the platform steps entrance is gained to
the hall, which opens into the staircase
hall beyond. The arrangement is such