Evening star., 1901-03-22
About A HOUSE NUMBER
COMPLAINT OF CITIZEN FILED JUST
A YEAR AGOs
Papers Travel to and Fro and Today
Get Back to the District
Commissioners.

Just one year and two days ago Mr.. j. T.
Metcalf. residing at the northeast corner
of Florida avenue and Linden (now called
4th) street, complained to the District Com
mssioners that his house was originally
numbered 1901 Linden. or 4th street, but
that he was required to. change the numbel
to 435 Florida avenue, and still later te
335 The latter number 1t had then beer
for several years. But March 20. 1900, Mr
Metcaf wrote the Commissioners that he
had observed In a row of houses erected
two squares east of his that the numbers
began with 800, one Of the houses being
numbered 335. making two houses bear the
same number 335, on the same street just
two blocks apart.
He complained that he had twice been
subjected to expense in the matter and
put to q great deal of annoyance and in
convenience. and he appealed to the Com
miSsionerS for relief.
For several weeks the papers in the, case
journeyed between the different bureaus OF
the District engineer department., and May
Z of last year the building inspector, Mr..
John B. Brady. wrote DR.. Metcalf that In
about four or five weeks time the maps OF
plan would be placed on record, when, he
promised, the errors In numbering would
be corrected.
From that time until December 4, 1900
the matter slept, and on the last mentioned
date Mr.. Metcalf wrote the inspector OF
buildings that 1t was long time between
promising and doing. He stated that the
annoyance created by the carelessness OF
some one was unbearable, and an unjusti-
fable infringement upon the rights Of a
citizen.
Starts the Bali Once More.
This started the ball going again. and
something equally as good, the building in
spector suggested that Mr.. Metcalf add q
half point to his number and make it 335H
Florida avenue. -s..--.. r., :, E.-
Several days later it appeared that the
promised map had been prepared and for
warded to the Engineer Commissioner for
his approval, but 1t was suggested that the
street numbers on the lamp posts In LIE
Droit Park between 1st and 7th streets
might be taken as official. and house num-
bers given accordingly. Thereupon Mr..
Metcalf's house was numbered 391 Florida
avenue. and he was so notified
There the matter rested until the 18th
instant, when Mr.. VIM. P. Richards. as
sistant engineer in charge Of street extern
sions. usbmitted to the assistant building
inspector, Mr.. Snowden Ashford, a tracing
showing in red what he considered the
houses on the east and west streets
throughout the section In question. There
upon, 1t being Mr.. Ashford's move, he sug-
gested certain changes. indicating them in
blue.
The assistant to the Engineer Commits
sioner, Captain Newcomer, then got in the
game, remarking that the system Of num-
bering indicated in blue is preferable, TO
that In red south of and including Cam
mack street Elsewhere. he played the red.
Today Captain Beach, the Engineer Com
missioner, approved his assistants recon-
mendations. and the matter is now before
the civil Commissioners, with every indi-
cation that it will be finally disposed of in
q day or two making Mr.. Metcalf's num-
Der for some time to come at least 391
Florida avenue.