Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-15

Nhocu uusibHaN
termination of the
splendid boulevard Of 10th street, and alto
gether its record is not specially glorious one.
As a municipal annoyance, however, 1t has
played its part, and citizens generally will be
glad that It is at last yielding to the attack
OF the shovel brigade Of the District
government. The stand pipe, however, will
remain for some time vet, at least until the
high service In Georgetown 10 completed, and
then 1t will cease TO form o conspicuous feature
of the landscape. Instead Of 10 or II per cent
grade the hill at the head Of 18th street Just
beyond Florida avenue will be reduced to
grade Of 6 per cent Probably equally as i'm
| portant will be the fact that the lines Of the
street from Florida avenue up and over the hill
to Morris street are being Strengthened out 1t
Will be genuine extension Of q city street, per-
haps the first ever attempted solely by tho Dis
trict authorities. There are other streets Of
the city which have been extended on the same
limos and Of the same width a. those in the city,
but In all these cases the ground has been do
mated by the owners and the grading has been
done asa rule at private expense. This is
notably the case with LIST street west, North
Capitol street, Massachusetts avenue and sew
eral other streets. Fourteenth street beyond
| Florida avenue 10 not exactly on Q line with the
street In the city and the width 10 not the same.
The extension Of 18th street will be on exact
lines with the street in the city. The roadway
"AA w eho sonS Al WiNtu uu0 pg du eSTceueut
made with the property owners the same build
| ing line will be maintained on tho extension as
In the city portion, so that there will be l60
feet from house to house each side Of the
| street. This entire width in the city il owned
by the government, but on the extension the
| government owns only seventy-two feet and
the balance Of the street devoted to parking
| will be the property Of individuals. II
was found impossible to acquire sufficient
land 80 that the entire width of the street could
| be the property Of the government. Some
| SIS, 900 was spent in Strengthening the street
out and an equal amount will be used In grad
ing the street from Florida avenue to Morris
street Every one who Is interested in extend
ing the city system Of wide streets into the
suburbs will be glad to learn that the present
extension will be in harmony with this policy.
The splendid proportions OF 18th street.
| which sweeps out from Lafayette Square to
Florida avenue leo feet wide, will be maintained
| in the present extension. The reduction in the
grade will make the hill easy Of ascent SO that
the extension will accomplish another impor-
tant result in providing an additional and at
| tractive means Of communication between the
city and the suburbs.
THE EXTENSION OF CITY STREETS.
1t is expected that this work will be contin-
ued along the line of 10th street. Farther to
the north, as is well known, 10th street extended
forms the eastern boundary Of Rock Creek Park
duu IL etcfus W NC Tue Stucral eAptCIttlOn tuat
this street will become one of the leading drive
| ways to the park. When the bounds Of the
latter were announced this expectation led to
quite good deal Of activity in property all
along the proposed line. 1t is possible that
so%s action o1s wi" be taken by Congress
street extension bill, and in the
event that any measure Of this kind becomes q
law then the lines of the streets will be def
nitely settled. Already under the subdivision
| law streets are being laid out in the suburbs in
conformity with the plan of the city, but IN
less some provision is made for making the
connection between the newer streets and those
| in the city improvements in the suburbs will be
much delayed. For example, New Hampshire
avenue is being graded and paved in the sub
division Of Petworth. This new avenue is ex-
sctly on the line of the avenue within the
limits Of the city and of the same
width. But it extends no farther south than
the 7th street road, thus leaving a gap in the
| continuation Of the avenue from Florida avenue
all the way out to the It'll street road. This is
only one instance of a number which might =
cited.
The extension Of LIST street west has already
| reached its natural limit in the bounds of the
Soldiers Home grounds. The authorities Of the
home have made a gateway in the fence at this
point. which supplies another and convenient
source Of communication between these beau
tiful grounds and the city. Provision has been
made in the subdivision Of the ground lying
between the Glenwood road and 7th street west
Tor wide avenue, to be known
Wisconsin avenue, which will skirt tho
southern bounds Of the Soldiers Home
cles the reservoir to the east Of Howard Uni
versity. However, the reservoir Is without
that very essential feature of q reservoir.
namely, water, and as it is part Of the system
Of the abandoned tunnel there seems to be no
Immediate prospect that the deficiency will be
supplied.
From LIE Droit Park east to the Glenwood
road and beyond, including lexington, there is
now practically . continuous subdivision. 1t
is not uncommon to find streets curbed and
paved and here and there, houses erected or in
course Of erection, all Of which shows that this
portion Of the suburbs is receiving due share of
the improvements which mark the growth OF
the city and the outlying suburbe
THE NEW STYLE OF SUBURBAN SUBDIVISION.
Tho property owners in Belair Heights have
under consideration . plan Of completing the
grading Of the ground and making such other
improvements as will tend to encourage the
erection Of houses. Massachusetts, avenue ex-
tended passes through this property, which
adjoins Kalorsma and Washington Heights on
the west. Some extensive work in grading was
done there several years ago, but since then
the work has stopped The advance of improve
ments, however, il steadily going that way,
hence the action of the property owners. Some
progress has been made by tho District authori-
ties in grading the extension of Massachusetts
avenue, and the Commissioners have asked for
an appropriation to carry on this work during
| the coming year. In that part Of Kalorams
near the city number Of houses have
been built on @ street, 22d street, R
street and Massachusetts avenue and no
doubt the improvements will be continued
However, tho history Of this section of the sub
urbs az we'll a. others demonstrates the wisdom
| Of the policy Of giving impr ovemsnts in sub
urban subdivision . wider scope than merely in
dicating tho lines Of the street or even grading