Evening star., 1897-03-27
IMPORTANT MATTERS
Three Subjects Fiat the Commission
ers VIII Consider.
L DEFINITE MAN OF ALLEYS
Reorganization fof the System of
SubdiWdhg Land.
NEW BUILDING REGULATIONS

Within short time the District Com |
missioners will take up for consideration |
three very important matters, all Of them |
Of interest to the citizens and each hav-
ing in view the best interests of the city
One is a reorganization and adoption of |
definite plan of alleys.
Another is a reorganization of the sys-
tenn governing the plating and subdivision
of lands and grounds in the District OF
Columbia
The third is the adoption of suitable
regulations concerning the use and occu-
pancy of buildings and grounds within the
District of Columbia.
Subways I'm Alleys.
Realizing that better system of open
ing alleys is needed, and alive to the belief
that the future of the city depends In a
large measure upon its alleys, the Com
missioners will take this matter up for
consideration first. They argue that the
age Of electricity is yet in it's infancy;
that the future Washington will be en-
tirely lighted and heated by the invisible
power, and that the good housewives will
have to resort to 1T for cooking purposes.
There is no plan more feasible for the dis
tribution of electrical current than through
the alleys of the city and 1t Is with this
primarily in view that the Commissioners
are anxious to resolve matters into some
tangible form whereby electrical dtStr1bu-
ton contemplated may become an easy
problem without the dangers and disfigure-
ment Of overhead wires They look for
ward to the construction Of great subways
through the alleys of the city and the
erection of large distributing poles at GER
tain points for the transmission of power.
AT the present time the system of laying
out alleys is in a chaotic condition, and
even the few regulations and laws that
govern the subject are either incomplete or
else too drastic to follow.
Subdivisions of Property.
| And then they look with Interest to
discussion of the system of plating and
subdividing ground in the District of Co.
| lumbia, and assurances are given that be-
| fore any new regulations governing this
| important matter are consummated the
| citizens generally will be taken into their
| confidence and given an opportunity to ex-
| press their views upon the matter. AS the
! matter now stands not day goes by that
| the Commissioners are not forced to listen
to the supplications of some small lard
| owner or the demands of more favored
| brother for permission to subdvide prop
| erty, according to their wishes The Com
| missioners fear closely built up districts.
| They do not want tenement houses crowd
| ed together wthoutcbreathing room. The
| experience of New York city in this matter
| is before them, and they will seek in the
| new regulations to prevent any such con-
|
| currence for some man who has a small
| lot to insist upon its subdivision into small
| er lots in order that he may erect small
| dwellings,. The owner contends that he has
| a right to sCbdivide his property as he
| sees fit and that the Commissioners have
| no warrant of law TO prevent him bull ling
| upon that property in the manner which
| he believes will rebound to his good. Law
yers attack the regulations as they now
| exist and declare openly that they are il
| legal and cannet be enforced
New Regulations Demanded.
Coming now to the regula tons concern
ing the use and occupancy of buildings and
| grounds in the District of Columbia. the
| Commissioners believe that the passage OF
| such regulations is imperative. AS the
| city expands. large dwellings are going up
capable of accommodating a number of
| families, and all matters such sewers,
| water, light, heat and ventilation must
be looked after specifically. And SO
they have drafted a set of tentative
| regulations covering this matter in full,
| aid have asked their attorney to put them
In proper form.
There is a regulation which provides that
the owner of every building in the District
of Columbia shall furnish such premises
with adequate facilities for heating venti-
lating and lighting the same and with
proper and sufficient water closets ana
privies; to keep the house in good repair.
and to have the yard or lot so graded that
all drainage shall flow readily Off
Another regulation makes it compulsory
upon the owner to keep all parts Of his
! premises clean and wholesome and re-
quires him further 10 keep all outbuildings
In good repair.
| The regulations prohibit the ove~crowd-
ing of factories workshops or stores, or
any place where a number of people are
employed. and make 1t imperative upon
the owner or lessee thereof to keep the
ventilation. heating and sanitary condition
of the building in the best order. No room
in any tenement or lodging house shall be
occupied a sleeping room unless there
are at least 800 cubic feet contents for each
person therein, and the health officer of
the District is authorized to placard the
door of such room, stipulatfng the number
] of persons permitted to occupy the same.
Suitable places for the reception Of gar
bage and other refuse matter must be pro-
vided by the owner Of every dwelling house
in the District Of Columbia, and 1t Is
! further stipulated. that wherever more than
five families reside in any tenement house
In which the owner himself does not re-
side a janitor or houSekeeper shall have
charge thereof. No person is permitted to
use any tenement or lodging house or any
portion thereof, to store combustible ar
ticles articles dangerous or detrimen ia
to health, and horses, cows, calves swine,
sheep, goats. geese, chickens or similar
. animals are debarred from residence there
in. Old rags and old paper and other like
refuse are not permitted to remain in any
building used as a dwelling. Whenever the
health officer shall inspect a building and
find the same not in accordance with the
A.A H. d A>A H. a