The Washington times., 1895-04-28
greater WASHINGTON
Major POWeIrs Report on First
Section Of Street Extension.
PLANNED FOR A CENTURY
Careful Research Was Necessary Mistakes
in Subdivisions Discovered and Corrected.
Short Line from the Capital to Rock Creek
Park-Some Avenues That Are Not Ex-
tensions Connections with Flats Park.

cnort Line from the CapltdI TO LOCK creek
Park-Some Avenues That Are Not Ex-
tensions Connections with Flats Park.
Engineer Commissioner Powell submitted
yesterday to the full board comprehensive
resume of the progress OF the preparation
OF the plates of the first section of the street
extension plans, together with explanations
OF the system and its connection with the
plans proposed for other sections. He said
that 1.-The general opinion appeared to be
that the plan offered for adoption should
not be hastily made; not considered for the
present time only but for a hundred years
or more; that individual interests should
be ignored and that in executing n highway
plan worthy of the National Capital com
mensurate expense should be expected and
could be provided for"
1.-THE general map" says Capt Powell,
''shows existing highways. streams and
contours of five feet elevations. The larger
scalemaps show existing highways property
lines and square and lot numbers and dimen-
sions
The compilation and surveys nccessi-
tated considerable research and field work.
Some mistakes in subdivisions were discov-
cred. In one case the subdivision over
Tapped asmmucha asforty feetby four hundred
feet; in two cases subdivisions supposed to
join orconnect with n highway boundary did
not join or connect; in otter cases subdivi-
sions encroached upon highways; in more
than a dozen cases recorded areas OF lots
were found incorrect by 900 square feet
md even 10000 square feet.
CONFORM TO THE ORIGINAL Ian.
1.-The highway act says the system OF
plan prepared by the Commissioners shall
be as nearly I'm conformity with the street
plan of Washington as they deem advisable
and practicable. The act also says that
existing highways may be wideued up TO
160 feet, but not be narrowed; that new
highways shall not be less than 80 feet, nor
asphalted streets shall not be altered, af-
fected or interfered with by the plans, and
that the map showing the plan adopted by
the Commissioner shall exhibit certain de-
tailed data.
The generatInap or a tracing OF it each
corrected from time to time, as changes
were made, has been displayed for public
inspection N my office or kept AT hand for
call during more than year. Many per-
sons examiuedH the copy or the original.
All persons who applied were freely al
lowed the accommodation of the draftsmen's
Foom, and the servicesaof myself or as
sistant for inspecting the detail maps,
or for explanations.
'.Of the streets aad avenues radiatiug from
-I.af taran p
Washington, North, Capitol street and Six
ieenth street have been extended with
their city widths h3o aud 100 feet, direct
to the District lice, New Jersey avenue
has been narrowed from 100 10 120 feet
width, DETECTED and made to terminate at
Sixteenth street, Vermont avenue, 130
feet wide, terminates at Brfghtwood road,
and Connecticut avenue, also 1870 feet
wide, is Slightly DETECTED through Wash
ington Heights.
SHORT LINE FROM THE CAPITOL.
1.-THE line OF New Jersey avenue as Sc
lected gives a good grade, interesects Thir-
tteeuth, Fourteenth and Sixteenth streets
at prominent points, makes use OF part
OF Fourteenth street road, defects from the
direction of Brightwood road, aud affords a
short liae from the Oapitol TO the probable
ma in entrance of Rock Creek Park.
The opening and widening Of Grant
and College streets will furnish q driving
way from Vermont avenue to the university
and reservoir grounds, and through or
around them to the Soldiers Home.
THE small DETECTION in Connecticut ave-
nue. is for better crossing of Rock Creek,
little better grade for the avenue, and
| especially as matter of economy. The
adopted location uses existing streets, and
need not damage any building.
Rhode Island avenue is extended direct
and its furtherextenSion of fun width, 80
feet, TO the District line, is provided in the
| proposed street plans for the second section
1T is out of the question to extend New
Hampshire avenue, on account of the very
| large expense which would result for dam
| ages and land. Columbia road has been
widened to 100 feet and extended TO the
meeting point with New Hampshire avenue
| OIL Thirteenth street.
| AVENUES THAT ARE NOT EXTEN
sIONS.
"An inspection of the general working
map will discover some reasons for tht
location OF avenues whic are not extensions
of Washington avenues The greater num-
Der and more important of these are di-
rected from the south and east, where the
larger population is, to points on Sixteenth
street at probable entrances to Rock Greek
Park.
The ruling width OF these avenues il
! 120 feet, though Alabama avenue is 160
! feet, il being intended as the grand driveway
flom the upper part of the National p ark tc
a proposed park on the eastern branch. Hi
noiS avenue will connect the middle part ol
the park with the Soldiers Home
The eastern part OF Colorado avenue, a,
planned, is on the plateau, and general.
follows the Piney Branch road, which has q
! splendid grade and is much Travelled.
"a street is laid out along the Districtline
ninety feet wide, in the expectation that 9
curb will mark the boundary, leaving the
! roadway aud one sidewalk and parking on
| the District side.
ssThirteeuth street has been extended di
rect, while Fourteenth street ard Bright
wood road provide oontinuouSth
Fifth and Seventh streets can find their out
let to tie south by driveways to the west oi
thenew reservoir into Four-and- a-halfstree
or through the southwestern corner of the
| Soldiers Homeillto First street.
The generandea was toleave thesquare
| in the upper halffof the section with thei
longer fronts ON the north and south sides
and OF ample size, SO that the squares
| can be subdiYided, according to future
| demand.
1.-The extension of the Adams Mill roa,
OH a curved line from the southeastern
lart of Geological Park is to provide a
park boundary. street of practicable grade
The application of part of a curved street
! plan to the larger area is on account o.
the rough configuration of the ground
and to graduate the straight line plan cas-
| of Sixteenth street to the roads and drive
of the park.
"A prominent feature of the plan is q
wide parking along Piney Branch and
Spring road from Rock Creek Park to th'
Soldiers Home, which is on a nearly
east and west line, and forms block cor
1ecting those grounds. The parkway i:
made up of two ninety-feet streets ant
| an Intermediate reseryat ion being 2bO fee