Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-18

THEORETICAL KSowLEpaE on PRACTICAL
ToPIc-MR. FRED. LAW oLMsTED AND TIE
METHODIST UNIVERSITY GEoUNDs-oTEER MAT
TIERS OF INTEREST.
GONE MEN WHO THINK THEY KNOW
~ say that it is possible to buy lot within
easy distance of the city along the line Of some
railway, build a house and at the same time
keep the expenditure of money-eithor yours
or some ones clse--down 70 $500 or $4,000.
An analysis of the facts. however. docs not
show that an enervating degree of luxury can
be obtained for these figures The value OF the
lot is placed ut about $500 in this scheme. which
leaves between $1,000 and Il. 500 for the house.
1t is estimated that if is willing to curb
the natural ambition which the prospect OF
building suburban house creates and will re-
press the longings to have baronial halls and
mullioned windows he can build n house within
the amounts named. 1t will not be large
house-in fact it will contain only some five
rooms-but then it would do for a shelter
from the summer showers and will afford
protection 20 his family while they
are enjoying the cool breeze which is supposed
to always prevail in the country. Now. take
such a house and furnish it plainly and simply
with maitiugs and ightfurniturc. and then you
will have your Summer resort The babies can
play all day i'll the dirt about your front door
and when you have succeeded i'll causing grass
to grow they will play on the grass. only not
with the satisfaction to themselves.
Then you will spend the summer with your
wife and children and in the fall. with sun
burnt faces ana healthy glow, you will all
come back to the city for the winter Your
country house can DO closed Cor the season and
early in the spring you can all go to the coun-
try again. This is the idea of IL man who never
tried suburban Fife. 1t sounds well aud posi-
bly, 1t may be pr#ctica ecially if there Is 10
hitch IL the financial end. A man who has
S2,OOO to lock up III Il country home is in n
position to make the experiment. although
II 1t Is a genuine substitute for lie
annual "trip TO the seashUre or mountain
1t car be shown to be a paying investment.
Such plan Will cost ANNUALLY onlT about what
the interest ON the investment amounts t.,
For Il $1,000 investment the annual interest
charge at Il per cent would only be $40. and
1t IL pretty certain that sum would only 60 IL
short way toward paving tie bill when the
family are at some resort In the case OF the
great majority of suburban residents OF his
lily the home in the country is the home all
the year around. They give up their city
house, for rs ii rule 1t il onlv a rented one. and
they go to the country. where they begin buy
ing a home. Ground Is chca'e r in the country
building is cheaper, for houses can be built of
wood and II man with Il small capital is able to
get IA better start than he could with city
property. This Is one of the causes Of the
growth of the suburban population. and as he
city increases III size it Is likely to continue to
be the aninating cause of the building up of
the suburbs.
THE METHODIST UNIVERSITY.
The distinguished landscape designer. Mr..
Fred Law Olmsted. who has had charge Of the
Capitol grounds for MANY years, is expected
mere i'll few days. lie will visit the site of the
proposed Methodist University and will mahea
study Of the topography of the ground with the
view of making plan for its adornment and
Improvement. A number Of walks and drives
are to be laid out through the one hundred
acres included III the property, bat perhaps
the most important feature of his design will
be the location Of the sites of the university
buildings which are to be erected. Actual
building operations will not be begun for some
time yet, effort has been made to obtain
the funds needed. The efforts of Bishop Hurst
and his assistant. Rev. Mr.. baldwin. have been
mainly directed toward securing the money to
pay for the ground With the money already
subscribed. i'll addition to some promised
subscriptions and also some yet to be secured,
the directors are now able to say with conf
dence that the people of Washington will pay
for the site. This gift, when completed. vii,
amount to over 100000, and then an appeal
will be made to Methodlsts and CHEERS inter
esteG throughout the country to contribute an
endowment and building fund. The directors
intend to make this fund $40, 600, 600, and they
feel confident of success.
The selection of this site for the university
has been followed by activity in property in
that vicinity. large tract of land has been
subdivided and is known as Wesley Height
Provision has been made for the survey and
opening of Massachusetts, avenue extended
from the Tenleytown road to the grounds of
the university. and now it is proposed to open
a new avenue, to be known as Nebraska ave-
nue., from the university grounds in north
east direction to the Tonleytown road. Just this
side of Tenleytown Many OF the property
owners have agreed to dedicate the land needed
for this street.
IN THE NORTHEAST SUBURB.
During the past week deed was placed on
record transferring what is known as the Moore
tract to syndicate. This property containing
some forty-fve acres. adjoins lie Droit Park on
the east. and it is the intention of the new own
ers to make u subdivision which will be in fact
an addition to lie Droit Park. with the import
ant difference, however. that the new streets
will be OF the came width those in the city,
The opening up of this property is a rather
notable event from the fact that it will COM
plete a continuous subdivision of the land adj
joining the city from 18th street road. practi-
cally. all the way to the Brentwood road. From
the eastern line of the Moore tract to the Glen
wood road and iron the bounds of the city to
the Soldiers Home grounds there are now
some ISL acres subdivided and the addition of
the Moore tract makes total of 2O2
acres. All this property is laid out
in accordance with the plan of the
city. East of the Glcnwood road begins the
subdivision of lexington and West lexington
which carries the city plan all the way to the
brentwood road. Il street has been extended
for some time. so that there is now practically
Il continuous pavement of asphalt from Rock
creek to the Brentwood road. The land neces-
sary for the opening of 4 street has recently
been secured and another thoroughfare will be
available through that section of the suburbs
from west to east. The line OF subdivisions
following the steam railroad and the electric
railroad continues north of lexington to the
Catholic University and then beyond into the
region of the Metropolitan branch. 1t is evil
dent that the northeastern sec ton of tie sub
urbs is not being neglected.
THE NUISANCE OF STABLES.
The revised building regulations contain a
number OF important changes, which will add
very much to the value as well as the security of
buildings to be erected. Nc change, however, is
made in the regulation which permits the cree
ton OF stables in unpleasant proximity to houses
on djoining lots. good many people who own
lots with alley at the side which is also the
alley of the tier of lots on bisecting
street, ARE decidedly of opinion that it is not
right to allow a stable to be erected SO that the
parlor and dining room windows will command
full view of the stable operations as well as
get the be nefit of the smells which belong to
every stable, however we'll regulated. A stable