Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-14
SUBURBAN SECTIONS
Developments Made North ana
West of the City.
EXTENSION OF WATER MAINS
Need of Additional Conduit to
Increase the Supply.
FINE OUTLYING SUBDIVISIONS
Plan for Constructing Tunnel and to
Straighten Course of Rock
Creek Through City.
FINE OUTLYING SUBDIVISIONS

For some reason the residential growth
of most large cities is to the northwest.
Washington is no exception to the rule as
has been repeatedly shown, but owing to
the intrusion of Rock Greek valley the
extension of the most desirable residence
sections has been both TO the north and
northwest. the sections being more or less
sharply divided by the ravine between
them. There has been a great extension
OF suhdivided suburban property north and
west in the past year. and values have
correspondingly increased. Some of the
most desirable property around the city
Is To be found in the northwest section of
the District outside the city limits proper
The natural tendency of the population
To seek the cheapest available ground
other things, chiefly transportation and
sanitary facilities. being equal, has led to
the formation of subdivision after sub
DIVISION farther and farther away from
tle center of the city. so that a good deal
of ground within the District from the
city limits to the District line and west of
wisconsin avenue-that Is to say, the old
Tenleytown road-has been subdivided
and is being sold by the foot rather than
by the acre.
Responses to Demand
The opening of streets. the filling of
ravines. the extension of water. light and
existing car service have all struggled to
keep pace with this extension of the no
tentill city limits. Congress has been i'm
portuned to add to the suburban i'm
rroNeme and has responded about as
rapidly as Congress is in the habit of re-
spending TO the demands of Washington
so that while there actually has been
great deal done. il is not much relative IN
the apparent needs
With the rapid growth Of the population
there has been a demand more insistent
than ever in recent years for the extern
sion of the water system. This will mean
the building of another conduit to supply
the city The necessary route of such a
CONDUIT as has been pointed out by the
army engineers for years past will he
through the northwest corner of the Dis
trIct touching the heights north of Wash
lngton. For twelve wears past there has
been an appropriation in the District bill
proNldlng money for preliminary survey
rms was stricken out each year and the
same thing was done at the last session
or congress. But II is pointed out that the
present conduit cannot possibly supply the
necessary water for Washington and the
suburbs for more than ten or fifteen wears
longer, estimating the growth of the popu-
Attlun ny past figures, and then tie new
CONDUIT VIII De an urgent necessity
me estimate Of time required for the
Work Is hVc years. so that were the con-
STOcton commenced Immediately the line
could not be finished much before il was
needed This is one Of the matters that
are attracting the attention of every one
interested In the growth Of Washington
ana II Is one Of the most essential things
Tor the proper and healthy DEVELOPMENT
OF the whole city, and particularly the
northwest suburban section
Inc other matter regarded as of the
greatest Importance, and particuIarJv in
connection with the advance Of the north
west, is the proper treatment of Rock
creek from the Potomac north of the p
street bridge. One of the most persistent
champions Of the flling-in method of inn
proyements died recently when w. Riley
Deebie passed away. He had been inter-
ested IN The work for years, and had Sc
cured plans and preliminary estimates OF
the cost and all the engineering features
or the work that would have TO be dealt
with. He held that the chasm between
Georgetown and Washington would always
operate TO check the natural growth of the
city to the northwest so long as there
was not 81 decent driveway from Wash
ington through Georgetown to the heights
beyond