Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-24
The Letter Fence and the Party
Wall Question.
SOME SIGNS OF THE COMING SPRING
The Artistic Value of Flower Boxes
in Windows.
SOME ROvEMENTS

The controversy over the Letter fence has
been settled. 1t is in the nature Of n conn
promise. but as the parties i'm interest seem
to be satisfied the solution may he regarded
as happy one. The fence is not to To
taken down. although It is higher than the
law allows. 1t is that fact which gave
strength to the complaint made by Com.
mander Dickens that the erection OF Q
wall deprived him Of the right to a party
wall. The fence was erected entirely ON
Mr. Letters ground. and IN order that
there should be no more WORKS about it.
Mr. Letter decided to the owner of the ad-
joining lot the strip Of ground occupied by
the fence. SO that when the ground is inn
proved by the erection of a house there
Will be space for a party wall.
IL Is curious fact that the rights in
VOWED In a party wall are by no means
clearly defined. There is 10 question but
that the building regulations provide for
party walls. but not in such a way, it
seems. as TO make it obligatory upon a
person erecting house TO build a I,arty
wall III an individual sees lit to go ahead
and build his house entirely on his own
ground, not awaiting himself of the adj
vantages Of a party wall. he has a right to
do so. 1t seems that the owner of the
adjoining lot, although in this way robbed
OF the party wall privilege is without re-
course. 1t is true that he can appeal 10
the courts, but IL is stated that there has
been no decision on this particular point
Perhaps one reason why such a case has
never been tested is because of the rarity
or instances where persons prefer TO erect
| house having individual walls The sys-
| TEN of party walls is much more economi-
| cal, for the reason that the cost of tie walls
is divided between the owners Of the adj
| joining properties. so that in effect the
| builder of the house is put to the expense
| of only one side WALL the other wall te,ng
paid for by his neighbors>
Advantages of Thick Walls.
In spite Of this monetary consideration,
there are now and then a few people who
| prefer that the sides Of their houses should
be protected by a full thirteen inch wall
located on their own properly. the idea
| being that when the adjoining houses are
erected thickness CT some tweuty-six
inches of brick and mortar will separate
the occupants Of the house from the neigh.
bors on both sides. In cases where the
neighbors have musical proclivities or do
mestic disputes are conducted in a rather
demonstrative manner partition walls OF
this thickness have undoubtedly great adj
vantages. They are also look Cd upon az
something in the nature of TIRE walls. and
therefore as great protection in the event
of fire.
In the Letter case above referred to. II the
fence had not been above the regulation
height, Commander Dickens would not have
been able to make much headway, and Mr..
Letter could have Afforded to snap his
fingers at them. As IL is, however. MIR.
Letter loses a strip of ground several inches
wide running the depth of his lot. and Com
mander Dickens enjoys that peace of mind
which arises from the fact that he has all
the rights OF any prospective house builder.
Some signs Of Spring.
1t is hardly necessary to consult the ther-
mometer in order to be made aware, in this
city at least, of the approach of spring. nor
are the residents dependent upon that ia
miliar, though annoying. sensation which
In the advertisements of patent medicines
is called that tired feeling" and which
seems TO permeate the bones The approach
of the vernal period of the year is plainly
heralded in the changes which may be OBJ
served in the parks and in the trees along
the streets and by the more practical indi-
cations which are found in the efforts made
TO freshen and brighten the homes and the
business places of the city. Ii is a great
time for minor improvements of various
kinds. The lawns front and rear are clean
ed up, and a new coat Of paint is put on the
fronts Of houses. Nowadays, since il Is the
fashion to paint the entire exterior of build
ings, the painters are seen at work. and ex-
terlors all over the city take on a new shade
OF color. White and various shades of yei-
low seem to be the favorites in this revived
method of exterior decoration. and it must
De SAID that II gives an additional variety
to the scheme of color throughout the city.
which tended rather to an excess of dullery
red
The picturesQueness of our streets would
be very materially enhanced If the practice
that is more or less common in Other
cities was more general here of having
miniature gardens in the windows. 1t is
what is technically known as window
boxes which are filled with earth and in
the proper seasons glow with the wealth Of
color that enriches even a commonplace
exterior. 1t is said that the climate is
especially favorable to the cultivation OF
plants and flowers in window boxes. and an
nearly every household has a few flowers
which are cherished during the win Ter,
there seems TO be no reason why they
Shnnld % Th.a x,,El s1r
weather, transferred to the outer air. and
suspended from the windows where they
can delight the eyes of the inmates as wei
as the stranger who passes along the street,
and at the same time add to the artistic
beauty of the city. which is now so highly
commended.
Nearly Half n Million.
This has been a red-letter week in the
building inspectors Office. and when the
record was looked up today IL was found
that permits to erect thirty-seven new
dwellings had been issued, aggregating in
cost si65.eoo. The feature of the week was
the permit issued to T. F. Schneider TO
erect an apartment house at 162L Q street
northwest, at a cost of si25.0o0.
Some New Buildings.
r. S. Donaldson has begun the erection
of a row of five three-story and cellar brick
dwellings from 6ol to Ga 81 street north
east. ID. Stanley Simmons is the architect
and VIM. A. Vaughn the builder.
A row of thirteen two-story frame dwell
lings will shortly be erected from 1858 to
1852 LIST street southwest. by George A.
Provost; Forbs and Wilkinson are the
builders.
George A. Provost is also building a row
of seven two-story frame dwellings from
li15 to 1927 LIST street southwest.
A permit has been issued tand the build
ing will shortly be erected to Rev. j. r.
Matthews to erect a three-story ana cellar
brick dwelling at 12iS g street southeast;
Owen Donnelly is the builder.
The neiPhborhood Of the District building
will shortly be improved by row of five
one-story brick stores. Anna Geiger IL the
owner.
Ground has been broken for the erection
of a three-story and cellar brick dwelling
at sl5 NJ street northwest for Jno. NJ
Witherson. Il. Patrick is the architect
and John Houtz the builder.
Mrs. Margaret Bradley will shortly erect
two frame dwellings Of two stories each
on Clagett street. Isherwood. ID. j. bradley
is the builder.
Saturday E~curs:ou a., n.pss.-.