The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-24

is TO be paid from the revenues of the Dis
trict.
Widening Nineteenth Street.
House bill 1865, for the widening of
Nineteenth Street northwest, was also
passed The portion of Nineteenth Street
to which the bill refers is that part lying
between Florida Avenue and Columbia
Road, a distance of less than LOO feet.
Many years ago this part OF Nineteenth
Street was opened its present width of
so feet all being taken from the east side,
so that the east line of this portion Of the
street is parallel with the east line of
Nineteenth Street below the Boundary. For
several years there has been an act Of Con-
gress prohibiting the opening of new
streets less than 80 feet wide. 1t IS now
proposed TO widen this portion of Nine
teenth Street 40 feet additional by condem-
nation OF land on the west side. Under the
highway act jury assessed the damages
for widening this street at S4S,7 BY
general consent this judgment was set
aside, awaiting the action OF Congress upon
the highway act, which act has since been
repealed. The land at the intersection of
Nineteenth Street and Columbia road, and
which is the most valuable part, was
willed by Maria T. StOddard to the Humane
Society, so that this institution would re-
CSlNS Il pOIllOn VI any dNdiu Vi
damages. 1t is believed that another jury
will find the damages considerably less
than the former assessment.
Nineteenth Street offers one of the few
opportunities for driving into the suburbs
beyond Florida Avenue. Fifteenth and
Sixteenth Streets are not improved.
Eighteenth Street is occupied by double
track street railway, as is Columbia Road.
Twentieth and Twenty-first Streets are not
10 40
Of the portion of this street proposed to
be widened has been subdivided into lots,
and is now paying very considerable
amount of taxes to the District. A num-
Der CT houses have already been built and
others projected on the east side of this
street. while on the west side there are
no houses. except one small building at
the intersection of Nineteenth Street and
Columbia Road and which the jury al
ready referred to- assessed at less than
$500. The substitute proposed by the
committee provides that one-haIf of the
damages Of condemnation shall be paid
by owners OF the adjacent property, which
is to be assessed for benefits, the assess
ment being lien upon the property and
collected the same taxes after the as
sessment is confirmed by the court. The
remaining half is to be paid from the
revenues of the District. but not until the
award Of assessments against the ada
cent property for benefits has been duly
confirmed by the court.
The bill was passed.
Height of BuiIdings
Two bills were passed relating to build
ings in the District. One provides that
no nonfireproof building intended to be
used as residence or apartment house or
hotel shall be more than five stories or
sixty feet high, and that no building in
tended for business purposes solely may
be more than seventy-fve feet high with
out being of fireproof construction.
In no case is building to exceed ninety
feet in height a residence street nor
ITO feet on business street except on
business streets and business avenues 100
feet wide, where height not exceeding
1870 feet may be allowed. Spires. towers,
and domes may be erected to a greater
height than these limits when approved
by the Commissioners.
The other bill provides that if the owner
of any dangerous or unsafe building or I'M
covered well neglects to care for II within
twenty-four hours after being notified of
its condition the Inspector of Buildings
may himself attend 10 il, charging the
cost of the work against the property.
Admission to St. Elizabeth.
Another important bill acted upon
changed the proceedings for admission to
the Government Hospital for the Insane
with view to reducing the number of pa
tients from outside the District. Wash
ington attracts Presidential asp!rants.
crank inventors, persons with grievance
the great army of the unemployed wild