Evening star., 1897-05-04
THE NATTER OF STREET EXTENSION
Streets Outside the City should he
Adapted 10 the Topography Of the
COnurrN

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Considering the street extension case
somewhat from an individual standpoint.
but not from a personal or selfish point of
view, 1 beg to submit some disadvantages
which occur to me as to the present pro-
posed plan, which seems to possess many
legal and practical objections.
First. 1 am interested in real estate not
only in the city of Washington but / rep
resent large interests in the county and
adjacent to the city, and IL becomes my
duty and personal interest to know, If pos
slble that which will insure most to my
advantage with reference to the street ex-
tension plan.
Second. 1 take IL that any system of
street extension that inures to the benefit
of large property interests, that is, to those
owning and controlling large tracts of land,
should not be considered from a personal
or selfish motive; and If my conclusions
are correct, they apply not only to me and
my interests, but TO the taxpayers gen.
orally.
Therefore ! beg to call your attention to
the fact that the able and thoughtful pro-
moters and originators of the plan of the
city of Washington fully apprecia ted, as 4
do. and, indeed. as all others do. its gran
deur, beauty and extent. yet nevertheless
they recognize that which those now in
Charge seem to overlook, 1. G., natural OBJ
structions and existing disadvantages not
dividual owners and the expense to the
general public.
1 think it is evident that those who es-
tablished the original plan of the city saw
and were guided by the hills and natural
obstructiCns which surround IL on the
north. and notwithstanding their apparent
appreciation for a straight street and a
rectangular system. We find that Boundary
street, now Florida avenue is a curved
and irregular highway, controlled entirely
by the hills to which / have just referred
and that other streets which / will not
mention have been DETECTED: and 1 cannot
believe that these gentlemen would have
penetrated section beyond and north of
the present city, with system of streets
which apparently and unquestionably could
not be adapted to the topography of the
country. 1 have too much confidence in
their judgment, skill and ability.
May l venture the suggestion that If the
territory Eow under consideration had been
subdivided by them, that they would not
only have been economical and considerate
of public and private interests. but that
they would have been controlled by the
topography of the territory under consider
alton, and that they would have so located
the streets and avenues as to not only re-
tain, but develop, the natural beauties of
the country.
In other words, believe that il would be
desirable to- treat this entire section beyond
the city proper as a great park. No one
feels that IL is now, or that II ever will he
taken up for business purposes, but that
its value consists in the desirability thereof
for residences. the same to be improved 10y
private enterprise; but that the plan OF
subdivision should have been and should
now be controlled by public officers and
under governmental restrictions, I'm order
to secure uniformity, and cause the estab-
lishment of a general system, inuring to
the interests and benefit of all concerned.
We could thereby develop the natural
beauties of all this outlying territory, save
the expenditure of millions of public and
private funds, have had the two systems
IN immediate contrast one with the other
and thousands of dollars, i venture TO say,
would have been invested, where today
people who desire to make improvements
cannot do SO by reason Of an attempt which
has been made to do something which Is in
my opinion, highly impracticable. unneces-
sary and unjust, has been declared by two
courts to be illegal, Is complicated that
we cannot get a decision from the Supreme
Court Of the United States, and which, II
ever executed will involve this community
in the expenditure of millions of money
and be OF untold expense and damage to
individual owners of real estate.
For my part, when 1 examine the plan
Low proposed and undertake to apply II to
the topography of the country, with which
/ am very familiar / naturally wonder
whether the promoters thereof can possibly
thereby subserve the interests of the gen.
eral public, those Of individual owners of
this particular territory, or whether they
are advancing a plan. the purport of which.
in my Judgment, will blight, retard and
prevent the development of this entire Sec
ton of the District Of Columbia, affected
by what is known as the map now recorded
of the first section.
LOUIS p SHOEMAKER