Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-18
SUBURBAN PROPERTY,
Why the Plans of Certain Subdi visions Were
Approved by the Commissioners

Why the Plans of Certain bdivisions Were
Approved by the Commissioners.
The Commissioners have made the following
response to the resolution of the Senate dated
May 81, 1892. directing them to report the rea-
sons for their approval of certain plans of sub
division Of suburban property in the District
Of Columbia not in accordance with the act of
August q, 1883, and other legislation on the
subject.
They say they have endeavored to comply as
nearly practicable with the spirit of the law
Of 1888 they have interpreted it.
With reference to the observance of the re-
quirement Of that law that subdivisions should
the city of Washington, they have been con-
fronted first by the fact that the plan of said
city materially deviates in many instances from
. rigid and uniform system, and second that
many suburban subdivisions had been made
and recorded prior to the passage of that law
and added further embarrassment in the appli-
cation Of the law to subsequent subdivision
The Commissioners do not refer to the ir-
Irregularities in the city plan authority or JUS
tihcation for any radical deviation from the
general city street design, but rather as indi-
eating that a departure from a street rectilinear
extension, where rigid adherence thereto would
have been unreasonably announcement or op-
pressiye. was not inconsistent with the purpose
OF the law, whose makers must be presumed to
have been informed O. the irregularities exist
ing in the plan they indicated as the model.
DIFFICULTIES KScouSTERED.
With reference to the difficulties interposed
In the way of an ideal system by the suburban
Subdivisions which existed prio- to the passage
Of the law Of 1855. they have to state that the
streets Of the city of Georgetown in most in
stances do not harmonic with the streets of
Washington; that there are number of sub
urban villages, including the two large and
thriving villages Of AnacOstia and Mount Pleas
ant. and great number Of suburban subdvi-
rions, some Of which are built upon and others
not. in the same category
The various suburban reservations and the
property Of some educational institutions fur
ther complicated the matter. Among these are
the Naval Observatory grounds, the boys re-
form school. the various water supply reser-
vOirs, the Soldiers Home. the Catholic Univer-
sity, Georgetown College and the proposed site
Of the Methodist University.
The Commissioners had neither authority nor
means TO change the street plans of any Of
these subdivisions. and guided by the evidence
In the map Of the city of Washington, that its
plan had in numerous instances been modified
o. demanded by Typographical or other ext
gencies met IN its preparation, they in some in
stances allowed deyiations where il Is necessary
to render existing subdivisions accessible, and
could be done without violating the spirit of
the Law, or without prejudice to the public in
terests.
ADxrNrsrRArrvE DISCRETION.
Ths existence Of the public reservations and
the grounds Of the educational institutions
mentioned In some instances imposed a like
necessity for the exercise of administrative dis
cretion in the application Of the law.
Many suburban subdivisions, when made
were not contiguous to any other subdivisions
consequently the isolated and fragmentary ma
sure OF the work OF laying them out resulted in
unavoidable errors.
The subdivision of Petworth contains q typi-
cal example Of these errors. The north and
south streets In that subdivision conform
nsithsr In position nor direction with the streets
Of Washington, yet the Commissioners think
That II would be unjust 10 annul tina. subdi-
viisa. even II they bad tbs authority to do 20.