Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-16
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Progress in Preparing the Street E1-
tension Plan.
PARK ALONG THE EASTERN BRANCH
The Need for a Revision Of the
Building Regulations.
ROE OF INSP TO RS

There are few subjects that are more in
teresting to the people of Washington than
that of street extension. When the city
was originally laid out 1t is but natural to
suppose that the projectors had no idea
that it would grow to such dimensions
within the century. The result was that
| the scheme of development, an almost ideal
one in the minds Of many, stopped short
| of being as extensive as the Westinghouse
of today might wish it. With the eXpan-
| sion of the suburbs there has grown up a
| network of streets that would seem to be
| without rhyme or reason, and that killed
| all hope Of a continuous and consistent
| plan Through the persistent agitation of
| citizens Congress authorized the prepare
| ton of a plan of street extension. and the
| engineer department Of the District gov
| eminent has been busy preparing maps for
| the proposed plan. Mr.. VIM. P. Richards
was assigned to the work by Commissioner
| Powell and Frederick Law Olmstead, the
| famous landscape architect, has furnish
| ed suggestions. About month ago re-
| port was received from Mr.. Olmstead on
| the fourth portion of the first section. Only
! one other portion remains for him to re-
| port upon, and then the Commissioners VIII
| place the first section on record
The Next Section.
Mr. Richards told The Star man yester-
day that the first section, covering the area
| between Rock creek and North Capitol
| street. running to the District line, Is so
| nearly completed that a few days more
office work will put it in suitable shape for
| submission to the Commissioners. OF the
| thirty-six sheets which compose the map
| all but two or three have passed the last
| stage Of study and have been completed
| in form for record. Some minor points still
| hang fire on three of these maps. but these
will probably soon be disposed OF.
The second section of the work has en-
| gagged the attention of the office force since
the beginning of the year, and consider
able progress has been made upon it. This
will include all the suburbs OF the north
east that Is, all east of North Capitol street
extended. The upper part of the Eastern
branch is within this area, and 1t is pro-
posed to treat the marshes along Its banks
as future park. the land to be filled in,
as was done along the Potomac. Such
park would reclaim a thousand acres of
flats and add greatly to the sanitary con-
dtions of the eastern part of the District.
AS compared with the other suburbs of the
city the northeast is quite level, and some
good results of the law of 1883 will make
a plan of this section a compare lively easy
study. The principal avenues can be eX-
tended upon easy grades and at little cost
for condemnation or grading.
In the northwest 1t is proposed to have
Mr.. Olmstead submit plans for the very
rugged section of country lying between
the Rock Creek Park and Connecticut
avenue extended. For the section west of
the avenue a plan was formulated some
years ago. which will have to be followed
to great extent, as many improvements
have been made in conformity with it.
To Stop the Snow.
A new building regulation went into ef-
feet in this city on Thursday, which is
likely to prove of interest not only to
those who are considering the erection of
structures IN the future, but also to many
who now own buildings that come under
it's provisions. This is the regulation adopt
ed by the Commissioners which orders that
snow guards shall be put on all roofs that
have an altitude equal to one-Quarter or
more of the width of the span of their re-
spective buildings. The breaks guards
must be of incombustible material and of
sufficient height to stop the snow now from IN
raised slightly from the roof so as to allow
the passage under of water Or melting
snow. The regulation was adopted Janu-
arv H. ard provided that failure to comply
with it within thirty days after receiving
notification from the inspector OF buildings
would subject the delnouents TO penalties
that are expressed IN section ~ OF the reg
ulations. Yesterday the office Of the in
spector was kept busy sending out notf-
fications to those who come under the pro-
visions of the regulation.
This new rule was adopted as measure
of safety to pedestrians along the side
walks of the city. Consideration of the
subject was brought about through com
munication, which spoke OF these snow
slides from the roofs Of houses, from steep
slate roofs particularly, as real menace
to life and limb, and was considered or
sufficient importance to warrant ofi1cial &C
ton.
As to Building Regulations.
The adoption of an amendment to the
building regulations again calls attention
to the uncertain and unsatisfactory condi-
ton of the whole system of building regu-
lation in the city. They are anything but
stringent and in comparison with other
large cities Washington is sadly IN arrears.
In the opinion Of the inspector of buildings
himself far too much leeway is allowed IN
many particulars, and far too much is !eft
to technica! interpretations. In cities IKE
CHICAGO for instance, definite regulations
and restrictions are laid down for every
class of buildings, involving rules as 10
the quality of the material, dimensions ana
manner of construction.
vhan an architect designs structure ne
knows exactly what he must DO ana WITHIN
what lmita tons he must con1lne hinSef.
Furthermore, he knows th , ms 1'if frnr5
ia going to be actually inspected from
so,n6a tjon to ridge-pole and he is Kept
right I'D to the mark all the time; ae may
not sacrifice structural strength 10. III
chitectural effect, and so on to the emo.
More Inspectors Needed.
Tn Washington, however. the conditions
.ra far different to these The building
roo,lations are not only indefinite in many
cases. but they are not exhaustive or COM
n,ete Attention has often been called to
this. and shortly after Mr.. Truesdell was
amounted to the board of Commissioners
he started in to work reform He had
,,,,r,har of conferences with the late Build
49, Insnector EntWisle at his home on this
subject and some important changes were
made IT,, s,o, 49,
,,,oator can do little in the way Of en-
forcing the regulations, even if they were
nerfacf in every respect. In New York
City, with an area less than two.thirds
that Of the District of Columbia. and with |
loss than three times the number of build |
ings. there are eighty-five field inspectors.
The District has but two and the inspec-
tors force is hardly sufficient to handle