Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-08-05
THE STREETS OF WASHlNTON CITY.

Baltimore Sun.
Judge Alexander B. Hagner recently
delivered an address before the Colum
bian Historical Society Of Washington
upon the street nomenclature" Of that
city. Judge Hagner does not con6ne
himself entirely to the names Of the
streets, but also has something to say
about their width and other character
istics, and gives some interesting his.
torical facts. The plan of the city of
Washington ID, We beIieve. ditfej emit
from all other cities. 1t was made by
Major L'Enflnt under the direction OF
the first commissioners, Gov. johnson
and Messrs. Stewart and Carroll These
gentlemen adopted the nance; The
general plan of the city is familiar.
The Capitol 10 the centre OF the street
syatem. 1t fronts east and west, with
| the wings extending north and south.
| Extending directly east from the dome
OF the Capitol is East Capitol STREET.
10 the wsst ia West Capitol, north is
North Capitol and south 10 South
Capitol. These four streets divide the
city into four parts, known, re-
spectively. as northeast, northwest,
southeast and southwest. CROSSING
| North and South Capitol streets at
right angles are the lettered streets,
| named from the letters OF the alphabet
| There are thus four streets OF each lot
ter up 10 NV, "sex exclusive OF ~"
which is omitted altogether to prevent
confusion with l. There ia. for en-
ample, A street northeast, A street
northwest, A street southeast and A
street southwest. The streets which
cross East and WeHt Capitol streets ut
right angles are the numbered streets,
First street. beginning at the Capitol.
Thus we have First street northwest,
First street northeast, First street
southwest and First street suutheast.
IL person knows the numhor OF the
street be wishes to reach, no knows at
once how many squares distant it ia
and in what direction. For example,
IL u stranger is directed to No. 1000
Fifteenth street northwest he knows
that 10 on a street Just 10 blocks west
of tbs dome OF the Capitol and 10
blocks north OF West Capitol street,
and as X is the tenth letter OF tie
alphabet, excluding }, tho house he s
going ia Ia at or near Fifteenth and X
streets, in the northwest section. The
plan of tho city included IL avenues.
extending 10 various directions diago.
| buONb Gdtb W
portion of the city. To fini places on
these avenues requires Il better knowl-
edge of the city than TO lind places un
the lettered aud numbered streets
Judge Uagner would not Interfere
with the admirable plan which has
been found SO convenient. lie would
substitute for the lettered streets the
names of great citizens, beginning in
each case with the letter now used to
designate the streets. A street he
would change to Adams. d to
Buchanan, q to Cleveland etreet, and
SO on. This Judge liagner contends,
will retain all the advantages of the
present system and do away with itB
great disadvantage, namely, the liability
of confusion. A distinctive name 10
castor to remember than letter, and
the sounds of some OF the letters are 30
similar that mistakes frequently occur
between b and T., NJ and N, and so
on. which could not happen IN speak
| ing of Buchanan street and Polk street,
Madison street ami Nelson street. Judge
Hagner has good deal to say in favor
of the great width OF the etreets Of
Washington and the foresight of those
who made the plan. These broad streets
and avenues are we'll enough for city
OF residences like Washington, but
they would be entirely out OF place in
commercial or business city, and no
city without the purse Of the general
government behind ii could afford TO
pave such streets. Before the govern
mont of Washington and the paving OF
its streets was undertaken by tho CON
gross the streets were terror. Penn
sylvania avenue was paved with
bouldors ana the other streets had M
paving. 10 the spring and winter
wagons stalled, and to walk across
Massachusetts avenue was like
iioundering through marsh.