Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-27
THE DOORS AJAR
The District Commissioners Trust
the Public Little.
MATTERS THEY ACTED UPON TODAY
Proposed Amendment to the BuiIc-
ing Regulations.
NEW YORK AVENUE TREES

were opened trifle today, and there seems
to be sentiment on the part of the Com
mssiorers in favor of taking the public
bit more into their confidence, and it would
lot be such a great surprise to any one If
the obnoxious exclusion act of the Com
missioners, aimed at the press of the city,
should fail of its strictest enforcement in
the near future The hopes ergendered to-
day may prove fruitless, but still hope
is better than nothing at all.
The beautiful yellow calf-bound letter
book which records the official acts Of the
Mystic Order of Three again today present
ed barren and bleak appearance, and If
the reporters had been compelled to rely
solely on that for their information and
suggestions the public would have Jared
rather badly. AS it was, several matters
transpired today which were worthy Of
more than passing note.
A Building Question.
The Commissioners this morning gave au-
dience to Mr.. Chas. ]. Bell. the president,
and other representatives of the American
Security and Trust Company, with reference
to the granting of a permit for the con-
struction Of a handsome addition to the
company's building. The present home Of
the company Is the granite front building
on the north side of G street. just to the
being occupied by big red brick building.
The Security and Trust building has
frontage of thirty-two feet on G street and
runs back to depth of 100 feet. Although
rather high, the building has but one story.
The business has grown to such an extent
that the quarters are not sufficient and the
company, having possession of 25-foot
lot on 14th street, which runs back to the
rear of its present building, desires to make
an extension which will increase its office
room and give entrances on two Of the
most important streets of the city. 1t will
then be an L-shaped building. 1t is pro-
posed to repeat on the 14th street front the
design Of the present G street front, which
has an ornamental doorway with a pro-
lection of IS inches beyond the building
line. When the original building was erect
ed G street had not been declared a busi-
ness street, as 14th street is, and there was
nothing to forbid the projection. So it
came about that under the existing regula-
tions Building Inspector Brady has not
the authority to issue a permit for the
projection, notwithstanding the fact that
the sidewalk on 14th street is much wider
than that on G street, as the parking is
also utilized for pavement.
The matter was given careful consider
alton by the Commissioners, and while
single exception could not be made to .he
building regulations SO that improvements
of this sort can be made possible, and this
will undoubtedly be done. Mr.. Brady is in
favor of making the limit two feet where
much with the sidewalk space The ex-
cavation has already been begun for this
addition to the Security and Trust build
ing.
The New York Avenue Parking.
The work of clearing away the parking
in the middle of New York avenue between
9th and 10th streets has been begun under
the supervision Of the engineer branch of
the District government. This was called
for by the last session of Congress, which
made an appropriation for the work. The
appropriation act, however, made the pro-
viso that the trees in the center of the
street, which have always made such a
pretty vista down New York avenue. should
not be removed. They will probably be
protected by raised curbing around them,
and while free access will thus be given
in all directions the general appearance of
the street will not be SO greatly changed.
Two years ago the parking in the center of
the avenue was removed between 14th and
18th streets, and with the growth of busi-
ness interests along the street and the in
crease in traffic 1t Is only a question of
time before the parking will disappear en-
tirely between 9th and 18th streets.
The New Garbage Contract.
The Commissioners have received from
Health officer Woodward a draft which
he has prepared of the form of proposals
for the garbage service. While they have
the reduction plant, it is not at all unlike
ly that separate proposals will be invited
for crematory and other forms of plant.
Ward for Contn gious Diseases.
The Commissioners are having anything
but an easy time in their work of securing
wards in the local / ospitals for the treat
naent of cases of minor contagious. A new
impediment has been placed in the way of
their getting such ward on the grounds
of the Freedman's Hospital, President ].
E. Rankin of Howard University, from
which the grounds for the hospital are
rented, having raised the question before
the Secretary Of the Interior whether the
Commissioners have the legal right to es-
tablish such ward there. DR.. Rankin
says that there never has been building
there devoted to contagious diseases for
the use of the general public. The build
ing for which Congress appropriated $500
a few years ago. he says, was simply for
the treatment Of patients already in the
other wards of the hospital. The chief
terday detailed by the Secretary to investi-
gate the legal points in the case.
An Obstruction.
F. A Reed local manager of the Clyde
steamship line. had talk with Commits
sicner Ross today relative to the necessity
for measures which will result in the
speedy removal of the burned remainder
an obstruction to navigation in the Wash
ington channel. Action will be taken by
the Commissioners at the earliest possible
moment.
For an Engine House.
Frank Hume has a building lot at the
corner of 11th and c streets northwest
which would he thinks, afford an admira-
BILE site for the new engine house for No
company. The lot does not conform with
the specifications advertised by the Com
missiorers, but Mr.. Hume thinks it could
be made to do so without injury to the new
engine house. There is possibility how
ever, of failure to agree as to the price.
Fire Department.
Elmer Carroll, private in the fire depart
ment, has resigned. Joseph F. Davis has
been appointed on probation to fill the
vacancy.
Assigning Quarters.
After carefully inspecting the Walker
building-to which the District offices will
all shortly be moved-tlle District Commis-
sioners are about ready to make assign
ments of rooms Yesterday evening they
spent about an hour looking over the