Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-25
His Views on the Future Of Wash
ington and Street Extension.
WOULD CREATE A COMMISSION
Suggests Issuing Bonds to Pay fo'
Property Taken.
SUBURBAN SU BDIVISION S

late Saturday night and will leave this even
ing for Sewanee, Tenn, to eat his Thanks
giving dinner with his daughter May, who
resides there. At the Arlington this morn
ing he conveIsed in his usual Interesting
manner with a Star reporter over the de-
velopment of Washington and the extension
of the streets
Il have been through the suburbs quite
extensively since my return from Europe
said the governor, land have been amazed
beyond expression at the number Of the
suburban subdivisions already laid out TO
my mind there is sufficient plating already
done outside the city proper to suffice for
fifty years to come, and in certain directions
l scarcely think the present subdivisions VIII
be populated to any great exteat even in that
period. Washington must depend for its fu-
ture population, first. upon the natural in
crease and then and substantially upon the
persons who will come here in search of
residence. The wealthy, for instance, who
have retired from active business and wish
to live where they will be surrounded by
everything that cultivation can desire or
riches command. The latter class will
scarcely go into the suburbs. AS they will
undoubtedly spend their summers elsewhere,
they will want to he inside the city during
the winter, where they nay entertain and
be entertained and enjoy all the social pleas
ures without the Inconvenience that an out
side residence would neceSSitaIe.
There is an abundance of room left with
In the city limits to accommodate this class
of newcomers for many years 20 come, and
consequently I believe the ideas that seem
to be generally held regarding the rapid
population of the suburbs will be eventual
ly found to be rather too exaggerated
1 do not wish to be understood 10 be pessi-
mistic In my view of the future of the
capital, but it is best to look at such
things in a practical way and consider
them accordingly.
The Street Extension Problem.
There is another thing that seems to me
possible of a vast amount of Improvement,
and that is the plan for the extension Of
the city Streets" he continued. "The great
trouble with the plan at present under
consideration is that no provision has
been made for remunerating The owners
of land whose property must be taken for
the necessary streets beyond the present
city limits. The consequence is that the
titles of all the land that will be affected
by such extension are clouded in IA degree
and will remain SO Indefinitely if the pres
ent plan is attempted to be carried cut.
No property owner. l imagine, is going to
allow his real estate to be taken by the
government unless he is paid for it. ard
there is no question of a Doubt that the
Supreme Court would declare the present
street extension act as unconstitutional
the moment a case brought to test 1t was
presented to that body for adjudication
Now, 1 think that the hes: thing that
could be dorc would he to provide for a
strong commission. composed OF the best
men procurable, which SHOULD he clothed
with the power to issue bonds for the car
ryfng out of street extension improvements.
Many years ago in New York city parking
commission was created. of which my old
friend. George ountard, was 4 member.
They proceeded to lay out parks and issue
bonds bearing small rate of interest TO
pay for the property taken for park pur
poses, and today the system of parks en-
braces about 1000 acres, and extends way
up to Westminster county. The improve
ment of property surrounding these parks
and the steadily increasing taxes assessed
against it have enabled all these bonds to
be paid, while the government derives an
Increased revenue from the taxes 1 have
mentioned.
Thinks 1t Would BE Easy Here.
THE same thing could be very easily
done in our case here in Washing ton. Let
a commission such as have suggested he
appointed with power to issue bonds bear
ing a low rate of interst-365 bonds would
be about the best th:ng-and to issue them
in such amounts per year as would be nee
esSary to pay for the Improvements made
during such a year. In this way one, or
two, or three or four streets could be
tended each year right through TO the Dis
trict limits. The property necessary for
such extension could be paid for at once.
and in ten or twelve years the entire sys-
tenn of street extension could be completed
under this plan, and long before the bonds
mature the increase in the taxes of the
property bordering on these streets and
avenues would be amply sufficient to meet
all the obligations incurred. Bonds to the
extent of a million and a half or two mill
lions a year, or whatever amount may be
necessary, would accomplish the object. 1
think. in the easiest, most satisfactory AZ