Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17
PLAN FOR MODERN CITY
ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS
CONSIDERING FEATURES.
Thoroughfares Should Be Wider
Legislation to Secure Required
Land-Favor Floating Loan.
Special Correspondents of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE, February II. 1904.
City Engineer Fendall has already pre-
pared a map and plans for the realignment
of the streets in the burned district.
The plans 1 have prepared he said to
The Star correspondent today include the
widening of four streets-Pratt, Baltimore,
Fayette and misunderstanding east and
west. and six streets-Calvert, st. Paul,
Charles. Sharp. Hanover and Liberty-run-
ming north and south. These streets. under
this plan. would each be eighty feet wide
and all small alleys would be closed AL
though I have not been requested by the
mayor to make these plans. have done so
in anticipation that | would be asked There
is entirely too much talk and not enough
action in this regard We ought to stop
off the suggestions and begin the work: we
all know pretty we'll what is wanted
Would Restrict Height Of Buildings.
Engineer Fendall also favors the plan of
restricting the height of buildings. Boston
has restricted the height of buildings, ne
said land if Boston can do 1t, see no
reason why Baltimore cannot. 1t Is evloeh'
that the United States Constitution Is no
barrier because what can be done IN MAS
sachusetts can be done in Maryland. II our
state constitution is a barrier to sucn re,
striction then by all means let US anhehu
Rnildine inspector Preston is also OF the
opinion that some restriction shouiu 10
placed on the height of buildings, a;a d'
/ am in favor of such restricuoH, nc ,'as'
at have been so busy with the DEBRIS Dues
ton that have not had time to even thihh
of much less formulate any plan.
Architects Besieged by Merchants.
The architects of the city are greatly
handicapped by the existing condition OF al
fairs. Their offices are besieged with mer-
chants and business men who desire plans
for new buildings drawn up. Mr.. william
G. Noting of the firm of Wyatt & Noitins,
said today: "An architects are simply
flooded with orders for plans, but at present
we can do very little beyond estimating
cost 1t Is impossible for us to go aheao
with plans and specifications. because we
have no definite knowledge as TO the re-
survey of the burned district In other
words an architect cannot move pencli
until he knows the exact area ne mas "
cover.
1.-The architects have held meeting, ne
continued. land discussed the situation,
but we know the municipal officials are
| doing everything within their power 70
| facilitate matters and we will have to bide
! such time as their work Is completed Yes,
| think II is within the power OF the mayor
and city council to regulate the helghi Oh
buildings In Washington and other cities
| the authorities have passed regulations IN
\ this respect.
Favor Wider Streets.
| eyes. we are in favor of wider streets; in
fact a committee of architects to whom the
matter was referred. has decided that the
| widening of streets in a-certain section Is
| an imperative necessity. but of course the
architects have nothing to do with that
| matter as 1t is primarily question for the
municipal officials.
1t has been suggested that the new build
| ings to be erected in the burned district
have a uniform sky line. When this sug-
gestion was brought to the attention Oh
Mayor McIane he said:
while a uniform sky line and other feat
ures may be desirable. I doubt very much
| if it can be legally accomplished. The city
| can compel builders to make structures safe
| and possibly enforce that all buildings over
| a certain size be made fireproof, but DO
not think the building inspector can say
| to a man: Your building must be so high
| and no higher and no lower. and must be
constructed of such and such materials
| The building laws deal with the question OF
safety, and with the enforcement of this
| law our authority In the matter ends.
To Acquire Land for Wider Streets.
Major R. M. venable, chairman of the
subcommittee on legislation, reported that
bill had been drafted and would be intro
| duced in the legislature for the creation of
a commission which shall have power to
| ritory in the destroyed area as may be
needed for widening streets and other i'm
provements. This commission will consist
| of four persons, to be named by the mayor
| and confirmed by the second branch of the
city council. Authority is given the commits
| sion to employ labor, and the money needed
| for the expense of improvement is to be
| taken from the Western Maryland railroad
sale fund, which amounts to 81, 49, 462 "a.
Favors Floating a Big Loan
Bernard N. Baker former president of
the Atlantic Transport Company. and a
| member of the citizens committee is in
| favor of the city floating a loan of $10,0O0.-
| Co.,. to be expended for improvements.
1.-THE improvements that could be made
with this sum-" said Mr. Baker. would
| double the assessed value of a great area
of property. We are not going to build for
| five or ten years. but for a century. The
money can be secured for $500 1000 interest
| year for fifty years. / am in favor of
| building up a greater and grander Balti-
more Don't let it become known through
| out the country that parsimony shall para