Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-11-07


Even n drummer for o Chicago house went 30
far the other day to admit that Washington
was the finest city he had ever seen. He did
not even pause in his enthusiasm to note an
exception in favor Of Chicago. which gives
even greater weight to his commentator.
Residents are SO accustomed to hearing similar
comments that they are now taken rather as
a matter Of course. In fact the claims of
Washington as o beautiful residence city are
so well established that they need no argu-
ments 1t was formerly the case and not very
long ago either. that necessary stock in trade
for the average real estate dealer was q we'll
assorted array of reasons showing WHY WASH
lngton was desirable place of residence.
They had to make themselves familiar with the
medical aspects of malaria as to convince
doubters that the residents here were not
Obliged to subsist on malaria. Nowadays very
little ia heard about this unwelcome visitor,
and since members Of Congress have fallen into
the habit OF bringing their families to the city
for the session there has in truth been very
little malaria in Washington. 1t was also urged
that the city covered too much ground and
would never be built up, but nowadays in
vestors are finding that land ten and fifteen
miles distant from the bounds OF the city
is good thing to buy. 1t 10 not an
infrequent thing to hear that there is too
the question Is asked where are the people
coming from to occupy all these building sites.
As one year passes into another this query is
being answered. During the decade Just
ended an average Of 5, 600 souls was each year
added 10 the population Of the city Lines of
railroads have been constructed and others are
being constructed to connect distant points in
the suburbs with the business center of the
city. Fine residences are going up in the sur
rounding country where men of wealth can spend
the heated term in tho ont of f1,ao
and quiet of their own homes. Great educational
institutions have selected sites in the suburb
which are becoming the centers of population
and improvements Of all kinds. The Catholic
University ia already located, the Methodist
University is taking shape and now comes the
Lutherans with proposition to remove to this
city their theological seminary and the Epis-
copalians with well-considered plan OF build.
ing @ cathedral which shall be the center of en-
dowed schools of learning. The national uni
versity to be founded by the governments at its
capitai IS by no means abandoned. All these
institutions, scattered through the suburbs,
with their handsome buildings located in the
midst OF hne grounds, will, it is confidently ex-
pected, give wonderful impetus to the growth
and development of the suburbs. The progress
during the past few years has been rapid
with continued prosperity and the fulfllment
OF the hopes that are conferred upon these edu-
catlonai enterprises, it is hardly possible to
predict what will be the result in the next ten
years. The location of the universities are
however, incidents, welcome incidents, Of
course. In the development of the city, which in
the fulfliment OF its manifest destiny is going
beyond Its bounds and continuing the streets
and avenues over the adjacent farm lands in
order that its teeming population may find
sites for homes
THE UNIFORM EXTENSION OF STREETS.
The practical importance as question Of
the day of this movement to find more room
to grow in is illustrated in the coming up at
each session of Congress of the bill to provide
for the uniform extension of the streets beyond
the city limits. Three years ago Congress took
the first step in this direction when it enacted
a law providing that all subdivisions Of land
should be in accordance with the plan of the
city. The original plan Of the city, which is
the plan OF today and which was SO much de-
rlded because OF what was termed the unne-
cessary width Of the streets, was considered by
congress three years ago Of SO much vital and
practical Is value that provision was made for
the extension OF the plan to such land
as might be laid out in building lots
80 that today when a piece of ground located
perhaps two or three miles from the bounds Of
the city is subdivided the streets must be on
an average 80 feet in width and the avenues
from 12O to l60 feet. 1t is now the design to
correct the older subdivisions lying for the
most part near the borders of the city and have
all the streets and avenues of the city extended
on the same lines as those in the city and Of
the same width; Five years ago the first bill
to accomplish this object was introduced in
Congress and it has been before that body pretty
much ever since. Capt. Rossell the Engineer
Commissioner, will, it is understood, make q
special report to Congress on the street ex-
tension project As is well known he is heartily
in favor of the scheme and will no doubt make
strong plea in its favor.
CITY HOUSES IN THE SUBURBS
There is considerable building activity lust
now on Columbia Heights. Capt. O'Farrell is
building row Of thirteen brown stone houses
at the corner Of 14th and Clifton streets. A
house which he intends for his own home is
being erected on Roanoke street. Mr. w. A.
Jones Is erecting block of eleven brick houses
at the corner Of Kenesaw and l4th streets
while NJ. A. l.. Pitney is building q residence
on Princeton street between 18th and l4th
streets. These houses will be city houses, like
those on the west side of l4th street and along
Stoughton, Chaplin and other streets in that
locality. The city has literally gone be-
yond the boundary in this section. Water,
by the residents and now some of the
ST. eets are paved. The building OF the cable
road along l4th street az far north as the en-
trance to Mount Pleasant will no doubt give an
additionai impetus to this movement and some
OF the residents who originally went out there
to be in the country will be obliged to move
farther away ifthey still prefer to live in the
country. This same tendency may be observed
along the line Of the new Rock Creek rail-
road. On the crest of the hill between
loth street extended and Columbia road
two brick residences are now being erected with
party walls and in other respects like houses in
the city. These localities are 80 close to the
city and have all the conveniences of the CITY
that 1t Is reasonable to expect they will be
built up with compact rows Of houses. The
line OF separation between the city and the
suburbs has been moved some distance to the
north of the old boundary lines. The same
tendency is noticed in the locality further east.
LIE Drolt Park is now part of the city and
Is being closely built up. West lexington is
subdlvided into lots of twenty and TWENTY-FIVE
feet front and similar conditions may be noted
III other sections of the suburbs.
MISS LITCHFIELDs HOUSE.
In the course of few weeks Miss Grace
DEMO Litchtield the well-known authoress. will
take possession Of the fine new residence on
Massachusetts avenue just west Of the Blaine
house. This house is one of the handsome
homes which has recently been erected in that
locality. 1t is constructed Of brick from plans
made by Messrs Hornblcwer Marshall. archi-
tects, ard IL q line example OF the Quiet ele-
gance which is SO characteristic of their syle.
The front has no projections and the plainness
OF the brick walls is enriched by simple but
effective frieze OF bricks and bv the
moidings marking the stories and the arches
over the openings. The generous size of the
lot has allowed for openings on all sides an6the
substantial style Of construction contributes
to the solid home-like character which marks