The Washington times., 1905-12-10
Washington Becoming
a City of Tenenlents
Well-KnoWn Real Estate Broker Declares
hat Capital Is Rapidly Changing From
City of Homes

A. z. omwske. Of the firm Of TAFT.
Omwake & Co. who have been prom
inently before the public as suburban
real estate dealers. in discussing apart
ment houses as they relate to the fu-
turc of Washington, said yesterday:
Shall the future Washington be a
city of tenements or II city of homes
Shall her growth be perpendicular or
horizontal? Shall her rapidly swelling
stream OF incoming population be forced
into tenements the modern name for
which Is 'apal tments'-by a policy of
tardiness in providing for expansion lat
orally. or shall wide-awake, up-to-
date policy prevail of providing in ad-
vance for the easy expansion of resi-
dence areas2 These are questions Of
momentous Importance to our city; and
upon the practical working out of the
answer in legislation for the District
depends in large measure the future Of
the Capital
"A few years ago apartment houses
were unknown IN Washington Now we
have FIVE thousand families living in
these congested tenements. and during
the year We have begun the construc-
tion of nearly one hundred more OF such
buildings. The demand for houses is
greater today than ever before. but the
supply is altogether inadequate OF mod
crate priced homes; and so the stream
Of disappointed home-seekers flows
steadily into these tenement buildings
From every vEewpoint-sanitary.
moral. Dhysical-congestiOn in popuIa-
toin is baleful and iniquitous. While
our city is growing today more rapidly
than ever before, Washington has only
begun TO grow The Washington Of the
future will be great city-the great
Capital Of mighty and prosperous ma
tion-it is the inevitable. In every age
Of the world history supports this prop
osition; and the Washington of today
Will double and treble md quadrupIe.
on and on. As certainly as the govern
ment lives and the nation grows and
develops this is true.
= Homes Not Provided.
~'Our city has been known as a CITY
of homes; but this condition is rapidly
changing. We are becoming a city Of
tenements Just as rapidly as we can.
We are not directing this growth by
providing homes for the people. More
than that. We are making II impossible
for this rapid influx of population to
obtain homes in the District By fixing
upon our suburban territory conditions
under which II is impossible to build
homes there And yet this suburban
territory must receive our increase in
population. or else tenements must null
tiply where now there are homes
If future generations are to be per-
Tnitted that pride in their Capital City
which We entertain with a feeling of
false security. We must change our
present shoT-tsighted policy with refer
ence TO our growth. We must direct it
by accommodating IT, We must not onIv
permit it to acquire homes, but we
must leave nothing undOne TO facilitate
the expansion of our home areas. These
future home areas are our unoccupied
suburbs. into which the government
must go first and improve streets. build
sewers and lay water mains. These
essentials must precede the builder: and
yet for some years the government has
tried to reverse the order. Modern san
itary homes are impossible without
sewer and water facilities. and they
are inaccessible without improved
streets.
For years We have tried to cOnfine
the growth Of the city within certain
areas. moving back the barricades inch
by inch only when compelled TO do so,
10 the manifest advantage Of real
estate holders within the limits but
to the great disadvantage OF the home
seekers. our beautiful city is beautiful
because IL was laid out with a mag
nifcent plan We have grown beyond
the plan: and what is there now OF
beauty in the newer portions beyond
81 l[ IL a
circle or triangle or space Of any other
shape reserved for park space
Suburbs Need Improvements.
I'VE have come to a time when the
Government must act or the Washing
ton of the future shall be different from
80. nthn-- ri+,. rhar crnMs without di-