Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-14
STREET NOMENCLATURE,
stili Another Plan Proposed by Prof.
Carr.


The street nomenclature of Washington
Is acknowledged to be enc of the finest in
the world. Outside Of the city limits. how
ever the condition Is chaotic Many
schemes have been devised, but nothing has
yet been done toward unraveling the tangIe
Prof. William B. Carr of this city has given
this subject considerable attention, and
writes thus to the Commissioners:
L take the liberty of inviting your at
tention to a few thoughts in relation to the
nomenclature of the streets of Washington.
Inc system of names for the streets of a
city is matter deserving a good measure
OF care and thought. Names once applied
are not easily and satisfactorily changed.
The question involves the convenience alike
OF young and old, of rich and poor, of the
learned and the unlearned, the permanent
d"eller and the occasional visitor The
national capital is pre-eminently fortunate
In having the simplest, and, for that rea-
son, the best, street nomenclature ever
devised. This remark is lot designed to
embrace its avenues, upon whose names,
however, no reflection shall be cast but 1t
Is intended to apply only and with all the
force and emphasis of which the words are
susceptible both to the numbered streets
that run from the river northward and to
and west. The ease and brevity with which
any point within the city's limits may be
uttered or written, whether In the interest
of business or of pleasure, of trade or of
society, Is simply Urapproachab1e by any
other system than that which thus far OBJ
tains In this city. To the position thus far
taken there will assuredly be no negative
1t nay be safely assumed that there is a
general and almost universal desire that
possible, this same simplicity in desig-
mating the citys thoroughfares may be OBJ
served and continued. Your correspondent
maintains, and hopes to be able to show in
Few words, that this same simple system
can be carried onward and outward to an
indefinite limit. There is. of course, no
trouble with the numerals; the system al
ready in use can and should go out to the
cftys utmost eastern and western limits
and no doubt 1t will. But how shall we
name the new streets running east and
west after the alphabet, with its twenty
hYe accepted characters, shall have be-
come exhausted? Let us. at this point,
pause a moment and learn a lesson from
organ builder, all OF whom use only the
first seven letters of the alphabet, though
they have to name many times that num-
Der Of notes. keys and pipes. The first
twenty-five sheets present no difficulty.
Let us name the second series of twenty
| five streets with n very slight departure
from the language of the music mem, A,
2 b, c, &c, to be read, not twice A, nor
simply two A. meaning a second A. the
first of a second series of twenty-five
streets; then, of course. the third series of
twenty-five streets will be called 3 A, 3 B,
10 c, &c. Subjoired find a brief table of
streets, running and TO run F. aud W.,with
their proposed designations: The first
] twenty-five are. as at present, A, b. c, .,
&c. The second twenty-five will become
"a. b. C, ID, &c. The third twenty
five will become a, B, c, 3 D, &C. The
fourth twenty-five will become A, B,
{. ID. &C, ad libitum and ad infinitum
"A moments thought, by the way, will
show that the house numbers will increase
| along the lettered streets of the second and
third series according to an exceedingly
simple law. given residence on NJ, for
| example, viii have number just $500
larger than the corresponding one on NJ
street, and one on NJ win bear a number
300 larger still than the corresponding
residence on . NJ. The writer feels that ne
canrot too confidently or too earnestly urge
upon the attention of the Commissioners
the nomenclature here recommended, in
consideration of its simplicity its brevity
its elegance, its easy acquisition and re-
tention. its thought and perspicuity and its
general ability; and he sincerely hopes that
they will give to 1t the consideration that
1T merits, and thus and for all time settle one
OF the numerous and perhaps perplexing
questions demanding their attention by it's
early adoption"