The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-12
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT
Complaint Regarding a Dump in
Southwest Washington.
An Explanation by an OmeiaI of the
Street Observation-Disclosures Ave
nue. Not Likely to BE Improved
There for Many Years-Question
Concerning Party Wall Settled.

The Times is in receipt Of letter from
W. J. Langdon, of 9G2 Twenty seventh
Street southwest, in which he makes COM
plant Of the conditions sanitary and other
wise along Virginia Avenue above Tween
| ty-sixth Street. He says that when George
Washington and his associate engineers be-
gan the survey of a certain plot of ground
| il the District Of Columbia for the site Of
our National Capital, evidence tends to
snow that he little expected the point
where he laid down his chart. namely
squares /, 2, 5, 6, and the broad avenue
dividing these squares would become a
general dump for the convenience OF GER
tain syndicates and the public works Of
the District Of Columbia
| Mr.. LangdoG complains that near the in
tersection Of Virginia Avenue and Twenty
/ seventh Street, where there should be a
/ beautiful driveway. there Is almost a COM
plete blockade, and that, too. almost in
front of two public school buildings where
! the young of the neighborhood are exposed
to the breeding of pestilence from these
dumps. He says that at the point men
toned there is huge pile of oyster shells
/ which do not smell too we'll in the warm
autumn days. At Twenty-sixth Street and
Virginia Avenue, he claims. there are plies
I of sand, brokenlstone, and other material
used by the District Street Depaz tment in
/ repairing and building pavements. which
I practically stop the way.
: In addition to these obstacles to tTav-
] Ell ard their unsightIy appearance, are
1 weeds from one to three feet high, now
| dying and rotting, which increases the
uuheaItEfulness of the neighborhood. In
I er4yr, 7ir7-r Ia 81 a ne If
| Mr.. Langdon says the residents and tax
/ payers of that part~Of improved Wash
ingtcn" think the Engineer Department
and the Health Office ought to be held re-
| sponsible for death, injury, and sickness
| in the vicinity, il they do not endeaVor
| to effect radiance Of the hotbed OF pes
thence which exists there through their
| negligence
| The statements contained in the letter
| of Air Ian sdon were submitted to an OH
ciaI of the Street Department today by
reporter OF The Times. and information
! was cheerfully given regarding the situa-
. ticn on Virginia Avenue at the points
| mentioned II was stated that the resi-
/ Dental part of Virginia Avenue is liz the
/ blocks above Twenty-sSYenth Street On
! this side of Twenty-seventh Street are
the gas works, occupying three squares,
/ and the lime works, occupying another
square near the river. 1t was stated
1 that Virginia Avenue is not actually
/ opened, and is not at all improved in
that vicinity. The reporter was informed
that the improved streets, sidewalks, and
| such Improvements as had been made in
the neighborhood had been rade with
| reference to an outlet towa<% the north
/ and east rather than down Virginia Ave
| nue. The statement was made that the
| way is clear in that direction, which is
! toward the cars ard the improved parts
| Of the city
As TO the piIfng of material n the bed
OF Virginia Avenue near Twenty-sixth
Street, the official said that it was true
The avenue IS not improved in any way
there. There are no sidewalks and no
houses very near The reporter was told
that the Street Department is accustomed
to store material in certain unused streets
and on some Of the public parking in va
rious parts Of the city. This public
dump it was said. as Mr.. Langdon is
pleased 10 call it, has been put to such use
for several years. The material stored
| there, it was related, is much less than
formerly. and is being gradually removed
permanently. The opinion WAS expressed
that in two years time il will all be taken
away and the avenue left clear.
The idea was advanced by the official
that the Street Department or the Health
Office is not responsible for the fact that
the place where George Washington began
to lay down his chart is now occupied by
gas works and q lime factory. Possibly. 1t
was said. the Father of His Country did not
anticipate the occupation of these squares
by syndicates of this character, but they
have come, nevertheless, and they are not
industries which invite the close approach
/ OF residences and the higher class OF
| buildings For the most part, it was said.
| this vicinity is near the river. is not very
desirable for dwellings. and has not been
built up to any extent. The official sai5
that it has not been thought heretofore
expedient to pave and improve Virginia
| Avenue in this vicinity even with its his
tOrical associations, and he doubted wheth-
er 1t would be done for many years 10 come
| Win reference to the weeds the Health
Oncer said that no complaint had reached
him IN regard to the matter. and that ov-
ing to the small appropriation at their dis
tposai this year they had not acted without
complaints being received in writing He
was not aware that the piles Of oyster
shells at the lime kiln or the material stor-
cd by the Street Department were sources
OF disease in the vicinity. He said that the
| region was not as highly improved as some
parts OF the city, and in the absence of
houses in the direct vicinity OF the heaps
complained OF he thought no action wo;IId
be taken, though he could not assert this
positively until formal complaint had been
made and the matter had been officially in
zestigated.
a proposition relative to the use of the
party wall of the new building at Seventh
Street and Rhode Island Avenue is the
subject o. a communication from the In
spector OF Buildings to the Commissioners
He states that the owner of the property
| adjoining the lot on which the school house
is to be built, Mrs. George B. Weleh. has
! through 6 lawyer submitted a proposition
according to which she agrees to allow the
Commissioners the use of the party wall
and four and one-half square feet OF
ground, If the Commissioners will pay $500
and guarantee the restoration of her build
ing after the work Of erecting the school
house is finished.
The Inspector of Buildings recommends
| that so much of the District wall as is
adjacent to the frame structure OF Mrs
] WEIGH be reduced to nine inches in thick
ness and placed against the building an6
| beyond the rear of the frame house. He
| informed the Commissioners that it viii
| be necessary to replace the building IL
| as good condition as it was previous Il
| building operations but he recommends
that the Commissioners cannot safely
| pledge themselves to pay any indemnity
in the case, and he states that the charge
| for the land mentioned is exorbitant ant
the proposition should not be accepted
He asks that he be instructed to erect tht
school building as suggested so as not Il
disturb the frame building of Mrs WEIGH
It is understood that the Commission
ers will approve the recommendations
and instruct the Inspector of Buildings tt
solve the problem as he has suggested.