Evening star., 1902-09-15

ators, and the smaller property owner has
kept pace with those who give their man
sions a yearly refurbshing.
Passing from the reconstruction of In
dividual dwellings to that of stores in the
various business sections Of the city, the
improvements are equally noticeable al
though my remarks are not directed to the
big new stores going up, which constitute
different kind of Improvement
Renrodeling Old Business Houses.
THE material progress of the capital
has of recent years been so great that even
the small dealers find that they cannot
profitably do business unless they keep
abreast with the times. They occupy busl-
ness property which it would not pay to
tear down entirely, as in the case of the
old frame dwellings, to which l have re-
ferred, while the old fronts are unsightly
and behind the appearance of the stores of
their neighbors.
1T Is astonishing as 1t is gratifying for
the sake of the appearance of the capital
TO note the extent of the remodeling of the
fronts and entrances of stores all over the
city. Upon almost every business block in
town workmen have been engaged during
the summer in tearing out fronts putting in
new double plate glass windows widening
entrances, and In the various Ways giving
new appearance to stores in front or
making extensions in the rear In MANY
instances there have been two and three
separate improvements of this kind upon a
single block, all being hurried through so
as TO be ready for the opening Of the fall
ana winter season. In the crowded busi-
ness quarter these changes are yery an
parent, but they may be seen even In those
districts in town given over only partially
to business.
Another feature regarding the change in
the appearance of old buildings in Wash
ington is In the districts which lie close
TO the business quarter, where many houses
until TINS summer used for residential pur-
poses have been converted into stores
This is especially true in the downtown
boarding house section in the northwest
The property has been found to have be-
come too valuable to be rented for these
purposes. but additional rent could be OBJ
tanned only upon a reconstruction of the
building for business purposes These lat
ter changes evidence the rapid growth of
the northwest business section into what
was formerly exclusively a residential por-
tion OF the city.
A Mosaic of Improvement.
1T is this mosaic of Improvement, As it
We're. which has made new patterns in
nearly all quarters OF the city. Many three
story dwellings have been extended In the
rear to the depth of the lots and made into
small and unpretentious but comfortable fat
houses, yielding good rate Of interest upon
the investment
mo better evidence Of the prosperity of
the city may be adduced than the improve
ment Of individual pieces Of property and
the demolition of old eyesores and stand
bys such as those to which l have re-
ferred. Tho individual property owner Is
not saying, oh. 1t Is good enough but he
sees that his property Is susceptible Of bet
terment, he expends the necessary money
and his neighbors emulate his example or
suffer by comparison.
Gradually block by block piece by piece,
the cement sidewalks have replaced the
brick IN Washington. If the streets had
been blocked and torn up all at once traffic
| In the city would have been suspended but
| the change has progressed quietly and rap
Idly. Collectively these blocks aggregate
miles. Collectively these small but inn
portant improvements Of single pieces of
| property in all four sections Of the city ag-
sregate hundreds. to the !nestimable benefit
| of their respective neighborhoods and the
| capital at large. During some years they
are not as generally nor as literally made
| as at other times, but the past summer ha
been remarkable in witnessing In Washing
| ton the activity OF the individual in improv-
| ing his holding to greater lesser de-
1 gree