Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-30

slG7.e00; southwest, IL permits. cost IS. 500;
northeast, 10 permits, cost al. 500: southeast,
IA permits. cost go, 100. and county, Is per-
mits, cost S31.700. With the exception Of n
very few Cases the permits were for small
houses.
AN ALLEY HOUSE PRoBLEM.
The alley spectators havo not ceased in
their endeavors 10 get around the Commission
ers ruling relating to the erection OF houses in
alleys. Some Of the schemes tried really
ingenious. One applicant recently applied for
Ia permit to buiid a stable in an alloy less than
forty feet wide, his Intention being to turn it
into dwelling. The Commissioners suspected
his motive and refused the permit
An interesting case came up in the board
room yesterday. Mr.. George F. Emmons hav-
ing been refused permit for the erection Of
three houses on lot Is, square "a. that is, 25th
street between VI and N streets northwest, ap-
psaisd to the Commissioners. The lot is 208
feet deep by "a feet front. The idea of the
builder Is to erect two houses running back
about one-hah OF the depth Of the lot and
then by small two-story house open an en-
trance into large two-story house
In the rear having large hall through the
middle and opening into twenty-four rooms on
each floor. This last building, according to a
recent ruling, was illegal in view of the fact
that u was virtually series OF alley houses
having entrances from the twenty-nine-foot
alley ON the north The plans were then
The building inspector still refused the per-
NIT. Mr. EmmOns IN presenting the case to
the board held that his building occupied the
same position that hotel did and should be
permitted.
Commissioner Douglass entered q strong OBJ
lection. He held that the whole thing WAS
merely a russo to get around their recent regu-'
!ation and for one he was opposed to granting
the permit
While the question was not submitted to q
vote, the permit will be Issued upon the votes
OF COMMISSIONERS liors and ROsseiL
MR.. eALr's FINE IMPnovEMENT.
An important and handsome business i'm
provement is to be made on Pennsylvsnia ave-
nue.. The large store building which has been
occupied tor many years by NJ w. Gait.
Bro Il Co., the jewellers, is to be practically
torn down aud a new building is to be erected
Oil tina: site. The iron front which was built
some twcnty-fiv years ago by the Messrs. Gait,
and at that time was looked upon as great
is to be taken out and in its
place will be built front Of stone of hand
some and artistic design. The interior of the
building throughout the four stories
will be changed entirely, and with
the exception of the side walls the
structure when completed will be new
throughout. An elevator is one OF the tea-
lures of the new plan. which will enable the
nrm To utilize the upper stories. In fact, that
Is the main motive for these changes. The
present store Is entirely Inadequate to accom-
modate the business, and it is proposed to
occupy the second and third floors with some
OF the departments. The fourth floor will be
devoted to workshops. At present the upper
portion of the building IL used for work
shops and store rooms, bn. when the proposed
changes are made probably the entire
building will be utilized for the business and
Its various departments The new structure
will be entirely modern In its design and APP
pOintments and Will be IA handsome addition to
the business facilities of the avenue. While
the building is being erected the business of
the firm Will be carried on at the corner of
18th street and Pennsylvania avenue in the
store room IN the Corcoran building