The Washington times., 1905-06-11
Louis P. Shoemaker
Shows What 1t Will
Effect.
FORT MYER HEIGHTSSALE
Entire Subdivision Changes
Hands-New Building
Enterprises.

DO important an influence upon the de-
velopment of the whole northwest sec
tion as the extension of Fourteenth
street from Mt. Pleasant to Piney
Branch road The radius of this influence
Will extend from the farthest eastern
confines of Brightwood as far west as
Eighteenth street. embracing territory
of many square miles, and 1t will cause
the rapid upbuilding of this whole sec
ton of the District. No man has the
interests Of this territory more at heart
than Louis P Shoemaker, the former
president of the Brightwood Citizens
Associa tion
When approac ached regarding the work
now begun on Fourteenth street, Mr..
Shoemaker expressed himself as being
sratified because of the fact that grad
Ing regulating OF Fourteenth street to
the north from Mt. Pleasant had been
commenced. No more important work
he said. engaged the attention Of the
association during his administration,
and it may be that the numerous reso-
lutions presented and hearings had be-
fore the Commissioners and the COM
nlittees of Congress, have directed pub
lie attention to the actual need for
this street which has for SO many years
Future of Brightwood Section.
Like removing a dam from a stream
which has for many years held back the
water. the opening of Fourteenth street
Will Immediately permit city develop
ment to permeate this entire section. de-
sirablee as it is. not only because of its
altitude and consequent healthfulness,
but because 1t is due north of the city.
east Of our great Rock Creek Park, i'm
mediately outlying the best develop
ment of Washington. and in every way
attractive to the investor and home
seeker
The fact that land can be purchased
today in Br'ightwood and vicinity at less
than % cents per square foot in the
subdivisions, and acreage at less than
$500 per acre, which is only about
cents per square foot and because of
the further fact that all Of this land
can he reached by the Fourteenth street
electric cars in ten minutes from Mt.
P1easaf and. 9Colam bia Heights. where
land Is selling at 81 and 81 per square
foot and improved by costly houses,
VIII convince anyone of the opportunity
which is offered out there for the in
yestor
II am not personally interested in that
secticn to a very great extent, although
my home is beyond Brightwood. MY
interests are. west of Rock Creek and
along Connecticut avenue, but / 8 ideu-
tifieo with Brightwood ard vicinity and
have sought to advance its welfare
- Private Development to Follow.
: When this street is extended as /
have said, private development: will fol-
low; property will be improved by the
CONSTRUCTION of houses and the legiti-
mate justification for Increased taxa
ton will accrue. This justification,
however. does not at the present time
exist"
Continuing, Mr.. Shoemaker said:
The barrier to private development has
now been removed, the Chinese wall
which has existed for twenty-five or
thirty years at Piney branch has been
penetrated, and, strange to say. but true
II is. we are 70 have even at this late
day one street onened to the north from
Piney branch or Mt. Pleasant. Public
Improvement consisting of streets, wa
ter mains. and sewers must precede pri-
yate development, especially when the
actual need for them exists as IL has
for so many years through this sec
tion.
: "I am confident that this part of the
District would have been built up and
improved TO great extent If these
streets had been opened as they ought
to have been ten or fifteen years ago.
The fact that this public work has been so
long neglected or delayed has produced
Il great public and private disadvantage,
and it has been a positive injury. We
far as the streets have been extended 10
Piney branch. with rows OF brick houses
and costly residences.
Increased Assessments.
= II am convinced that without an in
crease of taxation over the last as
sessment the payment for current ex
penses from current revenues and a
long term loan for large and extraor
binary improvements. or. IN other
words. merely the application of busi-
ness principles here as they are enforced
everywhere throughout our country.
would at once produce greater de-
yelopnent OF the entire District OF Co
lunbIa than we have ever experienced,
and thus bring about not only indivId-
iual but municipal prosperity.
There exists at this time no reces-
Sttv for lncrHaScQ LaAdllO1l. current rev.
.enues are more than sufficient for cur
irer: expenses. while large and extra
ordinary improvements, such as those
now being made. TO great extent. for
future generations. which really cause
increased taxation, should be paid for
here, as they are everywhere through
out the country. from the proceeds of
a lons-tern1 loan
The extent of this imposition as ap-
piled by our assessors. and their action
in almost doubling the assessed value
of outlying suburban territory at the
present time non-productive and with
out public improvements which must be
provided before private improvements
can be made is generally. and very
properly. considered an injustice upon
our land owners
Washingtonians Helpless.
THE helpless condition of our people
is exempIihed when we consider the fact
that almost all of our citizens associa-
ttons. the Business Mems Association,