Evening star., 1897-05-08
a short life by a moon-madness Of specula-
tion.
Names of Americans.

short life by moon-madness Of specula-
tion.
Names Of Americans.
IAN obvious and easy remedy is to sub
stitute for the several letters affixed to the
streets the names of eminent Americans,
beginning with the corresponding letters.
thus preserving all the benefits Of an al
phabetical arrangement, while removing all
the objections we have been considering
The troubles from the similarity of names
would entirely cease while the streets
would be adorned by designations bearing
perpetual testimony Of the gratitude of the
republic toward its great benefactors.
Il suggest there should be applied to the
streets running east and west in the orig
inal city, in the first place, the names Of
the Presidents, then of the Vice Presidents,
then Of the chief justices of the Supreme
Court and afterward of the Speakers Of the
House OF Representatives and of the more
disting guished members of the different cab
inets and of celebrated military characters,
as far as possible excluding the names of
living persons, and when these sources of
supply become exhausted, to admit the
names Of other distinguished officials, in
cluding the earlier mayors of the city; in
all cases adopting first from the list of off,
cials of the same grade The names of those
who were earliest in service and applying
the first choice TO the streets in the most
tbickly settled portion of the city, north Of
Pennsylvania avenue.
There can be no more enduring and dig
nified form of recognition o. nations
gratitude to its benefactors than to affix
their names to portions Of the country it
self. I propose also that the authorities
shall abolish the incorrect ard undign;fied
addition Of the words north and south
10 different parts of the same lettered
street. The practice is Incorrect, because
no lettered street north Of Pennsylvania
avenue has any more connection with one
particular lettered street south Of that ave-
nue. than it has with any other lettered
street"
Justice Hagner read the list of names
proposed to be applied. selected as outlined
above. Continuing, he said:
Corrections Needed.
This legislation would not be complete
without supplementary clause changing
the names cf sundry small streets not laid
down on the original plat, but to which
have been applied, with very slender show
of authority, I am inclined to think, some
of the great names which are included In
the lists I have read. A very serious en-
barrassment to visitors as well as to resi-
dents in a city results from such duplication
Of names to the streets. No one who has
not examined the subject can realize what
had progress we have already made IN this
direction in Washington. l find that OF the
names Of Presidents and others included IN
the foregoing list (reckoning alleys, courts,
places, roads and streets), the name of
Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson and Wash
ington each appears three times; OF Lin
coin, Pierce and Grant each five times, and
Of Madison seven times: and there are
many repetitions of other names to lesser
extent. 1t is time this form of mischief
should be stopped, and this. too, can only
be accomplished by legislative enactment
LAS the present suggestions are intended
only to apply to the streets within the city
as 1t was originally laid out, 1t is proposed
to provide now only for the change of
Eames within the municipality as now ex-
listing, where they conflict with those sug-
gested in our list. leaving the rectifca ton
of other cases Of the kind to the action. Of
the Commissioners when they shall under
take to af1ix suitable names to the streets
outside of the city proper, which they have
ute.
"A practicable and not difficult change
would convert w street into one Of the
most important avenues of the city. 1t will
be seen from the plat that the old Bound
ary street. now called Florida avenue meets
w street north first at its western extrem-
ity, after which 1t makes loop to the
north and east, in the course Of which it
again strikes w street at its eastern end.
II the name of Florida avenue, widened to
the breadth of our widest thoroughfares,
were changed to Washington avenue, and
made to run straight through w street,
and thence pursue its route eastwardly with
the course Of that avenue to the Eastern
branch. the city would be encircled on the
north by grand girdle properly adorned
by the name of him who guarded the whole
country while he lived.
The name would be peculiarly appropri-
ate. as there is no thoroughfare within the
limits of the city which has been so fre-
quently traversed by General Washington
as this; In fact, no other mode of passing
over the bed OF the present city existed
until the establishment Of the city Streets"