Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-25
TEN YEARS. GAIN
Progress Made in the District in the
Last Decade.
Mr.. WARMERS INTERESTING REVIEW
Steady and Gratifying Growth in
Many Directions.
A PROMISING OUTLOOK

Talking with a Star reporter Mr.. B. II.
Warner expressed very hopeful views re-
garding TIE real estate market. while
business has been very much depressed
during the past few years" he said
many desirable improvements have been
made. The growth of the city has been
steady. The rapid advance IN real estate
has attracted to the ranks of real estate
many men who are full of enterprise and
progress. They are on the alert TO make
any improvements which will pay. The
style of houses which has been erected
for the past ten years is greatly superior
to those Of former times. Stone and iron
are more largely used as building materials
and there is a greater amount of taste dis
played"
Said Mr.. Warner: "You cannot well Judge
OF the growth OF city by looking over
has been done in a decade. Let us OBJ
serve the progress for ten years. From
June 80, lSSj, TO June 80, 1885 the assess
ments I'm the District of Columbia in
creased SAG, $4,000. During the same time
there were 43,26S permits issued 10y the
building inspector for buildings to be erect
ed in the District. involving an expenditure
of between $50. 600, 600 and 500 900 600. The
following national banks were organized:
The Columbia, the National Capital. the
West End, the Traders National, the Lin
coin National and the Ohio National The
washington Loan and Trust Company and
the American Security and Trust Company
were brought into existence.
Both of these companies as well as sew
eral of the banks, have erected splendid
business edifices. The banking capital was
increased several millions of dollars. The
deposits have been greatly added to during
this period of time. Many other large
buildings have been erected, notably the
Union building, now occupied by the city
post Office and other government bureaus:
the new city post office building on Penn
sylVan:a averue, which was 50 long labored
for,is almost an accomplished fact: the new
Corcoran Gallery of Art; the great Central
building of the Washington and George
town Railroad Company and the immense
terminal buildings Of the same COMPANY
ana of the Metropolitan Railroad Company:
the large additions to the government
printing office; the Maltby building: the
Lafayette Square Theater; the Cochran.
Shoreham and NOrmandie hotels, with a
large addition to the Raleigh Hotel; the
Washington Post building; the Cairo, and
Northern Liberty market, which has fur
nisheG a great addition to the demands of
the city for large audience room, in the
Eew Convention Hall; many fine stores on
I and other streets, chief among them he
ing the Palais Royal and ] could go on
enumerating large number of others.
Educational Enterprises.
Perhaps two OF the most significant en-
terprises," said Mr.Warner, "are the Amer
lean University and the Episcopal Cathe-
dral. The National University is working
hard for an existence and is growing in
favor every day. Many private schools
have been established, notably, the Capital
Seminary at Forest Glen.
The railroad facilities of Washington
city and its suburbs have been very greatly
developed, although there is still room for
Improvement in some of the lines The
Brightwood railroad, running from Bound
airy northward to Takoma Park has been
completed, and continuation northward
into Montgomery county is contemplated
and partly provided for. The Alexandra
and Mount Vernon electric railway has
been provided with an entry !nto Washing
ton and has also continued its line on the
other side of the Potomac to Georgetown
The Glen Echo road, the Georgetown and
Tenleytown line, the Tenleytown and Rock
Vile, the Rock Creek Railway Company
with its continuation to Kensington
through beautiful section OF the country
and opening up great suburban attractions
the lexington line, with it's continuation to
Baltimore, known as the Washington and
Baltimore electric railroad, the Arlington
and Fort Myer railroad, the Arlington and
Falls Church railroad, the Great Falls Elec-
trio Railway Company, the Pennsylvania
railroads continuation on the other side of
the Potomac TO a point opposite George
town-all these are very important and
have assisted in adding no less than 5000
to the population within the time Inen-
toned to the outlying country within a
VI Ten miles OF the capitol building.
The organization of the Washington ana
Norfolk Steamship Company with its
splendid steamers, and the building OF
Chamherlins immense hotel at Old Point
Comfort will become features in the city's
attractions. inducing thousands Of people
from all sections of the country to see k
pleasure and health at this famous Nir-
ginia resort.
Il ought not to forget the great enter
prise of the Washington and Georgetown
railroad, which has provided us with a
magnificent cable system, now known. since
its absorption of the Rock Creek Railway
Company, as the Capital Traction Com
pdny, and which gives the cheaDest single
fare long-dstancc ride I'm the world: the
laying of the underground electric system
by the Metropolitan railroad. and also the
cabling of the Columbia road. These are
all completed, or practically so. and will
lead to the early Improvement of all the
other city and suburban lines.
improvements Needed.
1.-THE people Of Washington, its visitors
and its common council consisting of the
Congress of the United States, all demand
great many Improvements that were not
thought Of a few years since. There IS
still great work to do, and II will require
large investment of public spirit and
enterprise to secure its accomplishment.
We are sadly deficient in public parks, al
though there is a magnificent undeveloped
territory which has recently been acquired
by the government to the north of the city,
and which, with the territory produced by
the reclamation of the flats, should be
utilized DIT the earliest possible moment
Our greatest need at the present mo-
ment is improved sewerage. We can look
for the early use of the great reservoir
basin which has been lying to the north
of the city, and which was intended for a
beautiful lake. but which has been a re
proach to engineering skill for the past
ten years L ought to mention the Zoo!ogi-