Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-28
FINEST IN THE WORLD
PREDICTION AS TO THE FUTURE
OF WASHINGTON.
A New Yorker Who Believes He Will
Live to See This City With
Million Inhabitants.

Mr.. James J. Blaine contractor of New
York city has been spending a few days in
Washington. looking around at the i'm
provements going on. and to a reporter for
The Star spoke most flatteringly of the
future of the city. Coming from a man
who has watched the wonderful develop
ment Of Manhattan Island and been a prac-
teal assistant thereto. his words regarding
Washington were all the more interesting.
Every few MONTHS" he said, II run over
here to look around, and every time I am
more astonished at the building improve
ment. Being engaged in construction work
In New York makes my visits here both of
business and vacation nature. for some
Of my clients are looking for opportunities
for investment here and I make regular
reports to them. with advice as to what
seems to me to be best.
Growth of the City.
at would not do for me to point to any
particular locality as the direction in which
the city Is bound to build but. speaking in
general. cities all over the country grow
northward and westward. This is even
true Of San Francisco, which Is gradually
extending toward the Golden Gate having
touched its limits in the north In Wash
ington this would apply solely to the pri-
Ndte puiiulISS, IL UelnS pretty generally un-
derstood that those Of the government will
always remain near the center OF the city,
But it is the private buildings that point
to the progress of a city. for they are erect
ed by people who invest their money with
the object OF increasing their holdings, q
motive that does not enter into the govern
mentS consideration when building. With
all the magnificent improvements in hotel
properties alone during the past few years
l am told that others are to be erected, and
all that filed wit h
The last time I was here-about two months
ago-1 had neglected to engage my hotel
accommodations in advance, and when l
went to my hotel found that there was not
a vacant room in the house. Thinking that
1t would be an easy matter to get one at
the next corner tried 1t. The same con-
ditions prevailed there. and I had to try
at six hotels before I could get a place to
sleep. This gives one an idea of the Inn
mense growth Of the city and the money
there is in hotel and other property.
Growth Of Apartment Houses.
'It has been interesting to me to watch
the growth Of the apartment house invest
ments here. 1t was less than thirty years
ago that the old Stuyvesant apartment house
was erected in East 18th street. in New
York. the first fiat dwelling ever erected in
America. and today the city is covered
with them. they have become the regular
mode of living for the millions who cannot
afford the house rent Of the metropolis and
are a recognized factor in the growth of all
the large cities of the United States In
Washington the first apartment house built
Is still young enough to seem a baby to the
Stuyvesant. and the increase in the number
Of these houses during the past year has
been one of the marvels OF the city's
growth. Now they cover every part Of the
city and are being erected as fast as the
contractors can get them into place. 1t
shows condition OF prosperity In any city
to see demand for house room greater
than the supply, and Washington is espe
cially blessed in this respect
The Public Buildings
'In addition to the building of apartments
and houses the city is this year going to
see the greatest energy in other building
lines it ever knew. and 1t is a pity that
your Governor Shepherd could not have
lived to witness the wonders that his en-
ergy inaugurated. There is the building
for your District government at a cost of
81. 500, 600; the offices for the House of Rep
resentatives. to cost $3,OOO,O0O the new
union depot and viaduct, to cost 5000, 900,
and the tunnel leading to it. that will re-
quire an expenditure of 81, 500. 600; the fill
tration plant that will take 81 100000, and
the pumping station for the sewage system
of the city, that will cost $3.50, 600 There
we have total of $11 ,550, 900 that is to be
spent right here in the city of Washington
on public improvements within the next
year or two, to say nothing of the other
millions that are going into private invest
ments. This will give employment to thou
sands of men and add to the general pros
perity of the city. You are growing as no
other city in the country is growing. and
the men of ease who are looking for place
to retire for the rest of their lives are all
f1ocking toward the American Mecca. In
proportion to the population you have more
splendid residences now than any other
CITY of the country, and these are constant
ly being added to. l confidently expect
Washington to become a city of million
inha bitantS during my own life but long
before this is accomplished it Will have
become by long odds the finest city in the
world All of the smaller houses of olden
days will have been replaced by modern
residences and from the Capitol to Rock
creek there will not be a house that a
Washingtonian cannot point to with just
pride"