Evening star., 1898-06-08
THE HEIGHT OF A BUILDING
Arguments Before the Commissioners for and
Against Issuance of Permit.
Proposed Apartment House 10 Feet
in Height-Cftixens Protest Against
Its Construction.


hearing i'm the matter of the application
| for a permit to erect the proposed apart
| nIent house at the northwest corner of
18th and l streets. Mr.. Nathaniel Wilson
and others residii g. In the immediate
neiShbcrhood were heard in opposition TO
the granting of permits which would allow
the erection of the house to height cf
40 feet, and Mr.. Walter V. r. Berry.
president of the company proposing TO
| erect the house, argued I'm support of the
application. The Commissioners reserved
| their decision, promising to make it known
| in a few days
Mr.. Wilson explained that he appeared
as one of the residents of the neighbor-
| hood. his home being Immediately TO the
rorth of the site, and also for several
other residents, who were unable TO be
present ut the hearing. all of whom op-
pose the erection of the building to the
| proposed height. He read letters from
Mr.. Jere NJ. Wilson. Drs. Swami Burnett
J and ]. Taber Johnson, Mr.. Enoch Tot:en
ard others, all of whom expressed them
! selves as being opposed to the proposed
I height, and earnestly praying the Com
nissoEers to refuse the permit
Judge Cox was also one of those who
could not be present, and Mr.. Wilson,
speaking for him. said he desired the pro-
lection of the Commissioners in the mat
ter.
Mr.. Wilson said that Farragut Square
| is occupied on all four sides by people who
own and reside in their houses. and not
one resident on either 18th street or /
street favors the erection of the building
to the height designated. He said 18th
street is not a business street, and called
attention to what he claimed is fact that
the company proposing to erect the build
ing contends, in the matter of height. that
| the street is business street, and, in the
matter of projections, that it is a resident
street.
Injury to Others.
The erection of any building at the cor
rer to a height of 110 feet, said Mr.. Wilson,
would most seriously injure the rights of
people in the neighborhood and greatly
depreciate the value of their property. In
support of this he instanced the erection
of the Cairo flats He referred to the fact
that the company is a West Virginia cor
pcration. and argued that the interests Of
the people in the neighborhood should not
be subordinated to those of foreign or
ganization. The Commissioners should. he
suggested construe the building regulations
in favor of the many as against the cor
polation, although he explained that
neither he nor any other man in the neigh
borhood desired anything but what they
are entitled to in equity and law. Mr.. Will
son also called attention to the fact that
on his side of the building the height would
be between 116 and Ill feet.
Mr.. Charles w. Needham, on behalf of
the Columbian University, TO which insti-
tuition the late Admiral Powell left the
house on the west of the site, opposed the
granting of the permit because a building
of the proposed height would, as Mr.. VIII
son claimed, greatly depreciata the value of
the property, which is now rented at a de-
sirable figure. He hoped the building would
be restricted to ninety feet.
Mr.. James H. Watmough spoke in SINH
lar way. as did Mr.. w. 7. Harris, who said
he represented DIR. Richard Dean, Mrs.
Harriet Lane Johnston, Mr.. Ralph Cross
Inh frs nax- NJ q
Russell and Mrs. Niles. Mr.. Redfern filed
letter from Mr.. John A. Kasson in oppo-
sition.
Mr.. Berry's Contention.
Mr.. Berry, in support Of the permit, said
the whole opposition is not against the
height OF the building, but against its erec-
| ton at all. He said the company had been
offered the Powell house by the Columbian
University citing an instance of his con-
tention that the erection of the building
would enhance the value of adjacent prop
erty. Mr.. Needham, however, explained to
Mr.. Berry that while the university might
lease the property to the company it could
not sell. and the objections of the institu-
tion to the height of the building still re-
mained.
Some of the Arguments.
In all cities, said Mr.. Berry, there is a
gravitation by hotels, clubs, boarding and
IL
being the rule that on such squares there
are few residences. He called attention to
the fact that such is the to very
large extent in the matter of Lafayette
Square in this city, and also in the matter
of Franklin Square. He also called atten-
ton to what he claimed is great objection
by residents on squares to running of troll
leys along or through them, remarkirg that
Farragut Square has an underground troll
ley the west.
Mr.. Berry said that 1Ith street between
H and l is quite business street. and
Connecticut avenue a square above Is
wholly a business thoroughfare. He called
attention to the fact that if imaginary
building run down Farragut Square
on the west the width of 18th street oppo-
site the square would be 110 feet, and for
that reason, if for no other, he argued
they are entitled to erect the building to
height of 10 feet. a man has right to do
what he pleases with his property, he said,
SO long as he does nothing injurious TO
the health or life of other people, and does
not commit a nuisance in the erection of
his building. He again said that the op-
ponents oppose the proposed height be-
cause they are under the impression that If
that height is not permitted the building
will not be erected at all