Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-04
Progress Of improvements y
Various Sections.
HEIGHT OF TERRACES
POLICE CENSUS TO LEARN NUM-
Der OF EMPTY HOUSES.
Attractiveness Of City Largely Product
Of Intelligent Interest Of Au-
thorities and Citizens.

tate corporation on Rhode Island avenue
between North Capitol and list street
northeast. They are to extend from num-
bers SO to 66, and will be three stories in
height with fronts of press brick.
Six two-story apartment houses are to
be erected from 1852 to 1462 Chaplin street
for Harry B. Wilson.
A large building enterprise is to be car
ried out by Charles w. King. who intends
to erect about nineteen houses, of two sto-
ries each. on the south side of Seaton
street between 18th and 18th streets north
west These new houses will be directly
north of the row built last year by Mr..
King, fronting on U street
As to Vacant Houses. :
An interesting census has just been COM
pleted in Baltimore which shows the entire
number of buildings of all kinds within the
municipal limits, and also specifying the
number of this total which vacant. 1t
appears that it is the annual duty of the
police force to collect such information,
and the figures thus secured are valuable
in several ways. A special interest in such
a census is doubtless shown by the manu-
facturerS and those engaged in other lines
of business, as the statistics are given in
such groups as dwellings, manufactures,
business houses, &c 1t is possible to learn
from such data something of the condition
of the various lines of business 1t appears
that of the total of 11O,305 buildings 81, 213
are dwellings, and Of this number 1895 are
vacant. In December 1901 when the last
census of this kind was taken, there were
10S,179 buildings of all kinds, of which
4. 4S3 were vacant.
Information of this sort is not available
in regard to the buildings in this city, for
the reason that no effort has been made to
collect it, There is what is called police
census, but that is mainly an enumeration
of the population. There is no question
that an accurate count of the total number
of dwellings here specifying the number
which occupied and the number which
are vacant would prove to be of great
value to those who invest their money in
buildings.
AS it is now, the only means of learning
whether the town is overbuilt Is to wait
and see what the demand from the renting
public is. In case there is greater de-
mand than there is supply the conclusion
is reached that more houses or flats can
be profitably erected. AS a rule, this in
formation is gained only when it is too
late. and the unfortunate investor is
obliged to wait for the market to come up
to him. There is always in seasons of act
i've building more or less vague talk about
the city being overbuiIt. But no one really
knows whether it is not until the fact
is revealed through the rental departments
of the real estate offices.
Grade in the Parking.
The attempt which is made to regulate
such a matter as the proper height of the
terraces or parkings between the side
walks and the houses meets with
good deal of success. On the streets
which were built up some years ago, of
course it is impossible to make any ma
terial change. The houses were put up at
a time when the parkings were not formal
ly turned over to the control of the Dis
trict authorities, and no supervision was
exercised by the government to see that
nnifOrrNjtv followed in SlIch detail
Perhaps it does not seem important wheth-
err the terrace in front of one house is six
feet high and that before another in the
same block is six inches. 1t is quite clear
such a disparity does not affect the COM
fort of the homes or the happiness of any
one except so far as the lack of uniformity
and the jagged lines of street fronts impair
the sightliness of what would otherwise be
fine stretch of lawn space.
This irregularity in the parking line Of
the streets is not of such character to
be pleasing. 1t is the aim Of the Dis
trict authorities as far as possible to
bring about some system In the grade
of street terraces. They have not the
funds to make survey of the squares
still unimproved or partially so and thus
determine the proper grade, to be made
known to the property owners when a per-
nit to build is given.
Effect Of English Easements.
In such cases the grade of the lot and of
the parking would be specified in the build
ing permit. In the lack of the means to per-
form the greater work the District author
tiles, whenever a grade is fixed, endeavor
to have it followed throughout the block.
In this they have met the cooperation of
property owners and to a large extent the
harmony and beauty of the lines Of the
streets are being preserved
There are, however. exceptions, and the
principal one is when an English basement
house is to be erected on a street where the
| sidewalk is three or four feet below
| seems to be reason for refusing such re-
| quests on the ground that the harmony of
| the block would be married and property
| values affected On the other hand seri-
Gus limitation would be placed on the use
| of property if homes of this type were not
| permitted on such streets. Permits of like
character have been granted in former
years and others have enjoyed the privi
| lege. and so the permission is given which
| results in some cases of a sort of a cut
| Is dug through the embankment OF the
| terrace in order to give access to the house
| unsightly break is made in the smooth line
| of the terrace.
Excellent Civic Housekeeping.
Fortunately in many cases where this
| style is desired the difference between the
| level of the sidewalk and of the parking is
| comparatively slight, and hence the devia-
| ton from the grade causes hardly any no
| tice.
| The attention which is given given to de-
| tails of this character. which may appear
| to be trivial result in adding to the at
| Effectiveness of the city. In fact one of the
| features of Washington, as distinguished
| from many others is the neatness and good
| order and excellent repair of the streets.
| The curbs are kept straight and the pave
| ments repaired and the sidewalks in order,
| and this, together with the good care taken
! of the parkings by the householders. gives
| the streets of the city that character for
| careful civic housekeeping which is unique
! in American municipalities.
Rapid Transit Methods.
The use of automobiles in the real estate
business is quite as general as In other
lines of activity Fulton r. Gordon pro-
| poses to turn this method of rapid transit
| to more general use and is going to secure
| a touring car, which will enable him to
whirl people out to the location of the prop
| erty he has for sale in the shortest possible
| space of time. He has about completed the
| sale of all the lots in the subdivision of
| North Columbia Heights and Is proposing
| to go into another enterprise Of large scope.
General Army Hospital.