Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-22
For Home Seekers Who Want a
Year-Round Residence.
STREET RAILROAD FACILITIES
Placing the City and the Suburbs
Upon an Equality.
RECENT PHASES

According to a good deal of the talk
which has been going on for the past few
weeks, good many residents of the city
are not familiar with Washington as a
summer resort. 1t seems that some people
who own comfortable homes here, and who
are not altogether free from the influences
of fashion, are not aware of the comfort
which can be enjoyed in Washington dur
ing the summer months. There is an i'm
preston which is somewhat general that
very few people remain in the town at this
season of the year, and that those who do
suffer from the intensity of an almost trop-
ical heat. and rest neither night nor day.
However, this Is evidently not the expe-
rience of residents of reputation one hears
talking about their summerng in the city.
They tell you of long days spent in
the quiet Of roomy houses, and of
morning and evening rides and drives and
walks through the wide cool streets of a
city shaded with the luXuriant foliage of
trees, and with the vistas closed by masses
of the greenery of the parks. They dwell
upon the pleasures of the country roads
and the ease of access to the woods and
the fields. The steps of the front porch
have also their charms, as promotive of So
cial intercourse, and people who have been
too busy during the winter to more than
keep up formal acquaintance can at this
season enjoy the companionship of their
friends.
Such phases of life in this city during the
summer, when considered in connection
with the other advantages and attractions
OF this city as a place of residence, tend to
make Washington more nearly approach
the ideal residence city for the year around
than perhaps any other in this country.
One Street Car Fare.
The advantages in a material way of the
bringing of so many of the suburban roads
under one management are likely to become
more apparent as the details of the new
system of operating these properties be-
come tangible in the daily experience of the
citizens.
AT recent meeting Of the citizens of
Takoma resolution was adopted express
ing appreciation that the new company had
adopted the one-fare principle within the
District 1t Is now universal throughout
the District, SO that it is possible for people
to go from any part of the city to any point
within the limits of the District reached by
a street line for one fare As these
reads are being equipped in a modern fash
ion. it appears the public is likely to have
not only ample facilities, but those of
frst-class character.
Effect on Suburban Development.
The influence of such a change upon the
material development of the city is hard to
forecast, but that it will be far-reaching
there seems to be no doubt. The growth of
the city has been remarkable even under
circumstances which, to put it mildly were
discouraging to any effort to promote SUBJ
urban residence.
Now that the conditions are favorable
and homes in the country for those who pre-
fer them are not attended with the discom-
forts and even privations that in many in
stances have been the fate of those who
have attempted it in the past, 1t seems that
the movement will be allowed to go forward
In a natural way. Under the present ar
rangements the cost of street car travel will
be the same, whether man hives two miles
or five miles away from the center of the
city, and the difference in time with rapid
transit will hardly be of sufficient conse-
quence to be taken into consideration.
Expanding Local Trade.
Advantage is being take of a certain
slackness in trade which is apt to be a fea-
ture of the midsummer months in this city
city as well as in others, and a number of
the local retail dealers are making improve
ments and betterments in their places of
business, so that they will have facilities
superior to those they have had in the past
While some of the work in progress
may be termed merely betterments and
minor improvements, there is a large pro-
portion which has been made necessary by
the demands of an increasing trade.
The development of the retail business In
this city during the past decade has been
perhaps one of the most impressive items
in the grand total which constitutes the
forward movement of the city along nearly
all lines of material endeavor. Businesses
winch once occupied single store building
now hardly find room in great structures
covering large area of ground
AS a Shopping Center.
The expansion of small stores into large
ones and the betterments in places of bus
mess generally have made Washington a
shopping center of no small consequence
The custom which prevailed some time ago
TO considerable extent of people going
out of town to do their shopping practically
no longer exists.
While the trade of an increa sing eectiop
OF the region lying about the city has been
centered. 1t Will no doubt continue to he
true that good proportion of the hosts of
VISITORS attracted each year to the CITY to
see the sights will unite pleasure with bust.
ness and do their shopping here 1t is found
that this can be done to advantage, and the
more generally this fact about the capital
city becomes known the more general will
this custom become.
House in PetwOrth
Work has commenced on handsome res
at the corner of New Hampshire avenue
and Newark street. Petworth. D. c. The
plans prepared by Speiden & Speiden,
architects, show a house with a frontage
of A feet on the avenue and depth of
3S feet on Newark street. 1t will be two
stories, attic and cellar, and Will contain
twelve rooms and baths Press brick with
Hummelstown brownStone will be used. 1t
will be heated by hot water and will con-
tain all modern improvements. Cost will
be about 1000.
Mems Meeting.
The Young Mems Christian Association is
to have as the leader of it's mems meeting
tomorrow afternoon Rev William r. Turn
er, rector of st. Michael and All Angels
Church The meeting is held at A: 80 o'clock
and lasts just an hour. Mr.. r. G. Sutton
Will lead the singing and Mr. Walter Mat
son will sing q solo The attendance at