Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-24
STREET EXTENSIONS E'
The First Section Completed and
the Map Furnished.
FROM ROCK CREEK 10 SOLDIERS home
Streets. Avenues and Circles Laid
Gut IN PAPER.
SOME DIFFIC LITE S

After months Of arduous labor, the en-
gineer department., which was intrusted
with the preparation of the map for the
extension of streets and avenues, under
the act of April, 1898. establishing per-
manent system of highways, completed its
labors today and laid the whole of the first
section before the Commissioners.
The map was approved, and within the
week will be sent to the highway COM
mission, which consists of the Secretary
of War. the Attorney General and the
chef of engineers of the United States
army.
The maps are plated on thirty-eight
sheets, about "a by 81 inches in size. and
bound in volumes with index, explanations,
etc. The section thus covered includes the
District above Boundary street, and be-.
tween North Capitol street and Rock Creek.
This area, excluding Soldiers Home and
Rock Creek Park, amounts to little
more than 5000 acres, OR about fve-sixths
the size of Washington. Street area will
consume 30 per cent of the section, leaving
Go per cent for building purposes or
building area about equal to that of the
city proper.
General Plan.
The city pla has been followed very
closely, although the law allows such de-
parture as the authorities in this matter
may deem advisable. Streets have gener-
ally, as may be seen by the plan. been run
north and south and east and west. Ave
nues are selected in direction corresponding
to those of the city and upon lines of best
gradient. Two streets are selected running
north and south as a backbone of the en-
tire plan. These are 18th and 10th street.
which run directly north without break
from Boundary to the District line, Co.
lumbia road has been widened into an ave-
nue.. and by slight break connected with
New Hampshire avenue in Petworth, and
thence extended to its intersection with
North Capitol street extended. New Jersey
avenue has been DETECTED at Boundary and
run upon a natural grade until its intersec-
lion with 10th street upon the Piney branch
boulevard The Piney branch or 14th street
road leading from Blagden's to Takoma
Park has, on account OF its high elevation
and direction, been widened into an avenue.
From the north end of the Rock Creek
Park an avenue has been located parallel
to the District line. which is to connect with
the proposed park along the Eastern
branch m d5
Extensions IN the Blagden tract do not
conform to the lines of such streets in the
city except in direction, but are made to
connect with streets laid out in Inglcside
and approved under the act of 1883. The
plan of street extensions has been deviated
from in parts next to the Rock Creek Park,
in order that they may better conform to
the lay of the land and the natural park
boundaries. . o
Petworth and Brightwood Park have been
excepted in the present plans, and streets
north and west Of them have been laid out
according to the general city plan, with
such notifications as will allow direct con-
nection with all Petworth streets.
Parks and Reservations.
Circles, squares and trfangles have been
selected over the entire area and at loca-
tons corresponding to those in the city
plan. One of the features of the plan is
the line ola parkway connecting Rock
Creek Park with Soldiers Home, with
drives. walks, &C.. on either side. In the
boundaries of the Geological and Rock
Creek Parks marked changes are shown.
These new boundaries were examined and
approved by Mr.. Olmstead and contain sug
gestons made by him regarding the Blag-
den tract and the northernmcst boundary
of the Rock Creek Park.
Plans have been made in detail of the
parkway mentioned above. embodying sug
gestions made by Mr.. Olmstead, and it's
prevail
Difficulties In Detail Plans.
While the general idea of extensions
shown by these plans has met with ap-
prevail. certain localities were found exceed
ingly difficult of solution and have length
ened out the discussion for considerable
time.
One of the most difficult localities has
been the crooked streets just north CT
Boundary and west of 18th street, known
as Prospect and Crescent streets. The
great difficulty encountered here has been
the grade on 18th street, necessitating a
cut OF forty or fifty feet and the straighten-
ing out of the streets mentioned which has
cut the private lots in an awkward man.
ner.
A second locality is in Lanier Heights,
which had been laid out with entire dis
regard to surrounding subdivisions snd
which blocked off any direct connection
with the land lying to the north.
Extensions of streets south of Lanier
Heights have been determined upon, and if
cation to a large tract of land which vas
otherwise without convenient access to the
city.
Naming Streets.
In connection with the street extension
plan, the naming of and remaining of
streets is no small matter This question
has not yet been fully determined, but the
rule that will probably be followed is to
begin naming the streets above w after
the principal cities of America, running in
alphabetical order. according to the initial
letters. When the alphabet is thus eX-
harsted, the names of principal rivers and
iakes VIII be taken The names likely to
be used are as follows:
Cities-Albany, Baltimore, Cincinnati, De-
trolt, Empor1a, Frankfort, Galveston Hart
fcid, Indianapolis, Joliet, keokuk, Lowell,
Quincy. Richmond, Savannah, Trenton
Utica. Vallejo, Wilmington, Xenia, Yuma
and GAINESVILLE.
Rivers and lakes-Albemarle, Brandywine.
Chesapeake, Des Moines. Erie, Flint, Gene
see, Huron, ltaska, Juniata, Kennebec, Lee
Elgh- Mohawk, Niagara, Ontario, Penobscot.
Quinebaug. Rappahannock, susquehanna,
Tahoe, Umatilla, Vermillf6n and Wabash.
The avenues will be named, as at present.
after the states, and there are sufficient
number of avenues In prospect to use the
name of every state. 81
1t Is expected that the new plan will be
filed with the commission during the pres
ent week. After it has been recorded, the
work of the second section will be taken up
This includes the suburbs and parts Of the
northeast. Already some work has been
done on this section. and the solution of
: the problems presented is easy when COM
pared with the first section.
Transfers of Heal Estate.
Deeds in fee have been filed as follows.
Mildred H. Parker to George Truesdell,
lots IS to 81, SO. 4, West lexington; So
Eugene Carusi and CkasvW. Handy, trus-
tees, to Augustus Bufgdorf. lots 4, and