Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-25
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Additions Made to the Number
of Local Houses.
LARGE LOTS ARE A FEATURE
Some Perils in Connection With Use Of
the Streets.
SIGN OF GROWING POPULATION
Complaints Of Congestion Indicate
That a Greater Number Of People
Are Using Thoroughfares.
SIGN OF GROWING POPULATION


lumbia road.
The lot has a frontage of forty feet on
Blltmore street and 1O3 feet on 10th street.
and 1t Is designed by the owner to build
house which will have sufficient width to
permit an interior arrangement of rooms on
both sides of the main entrance. and at the
same time leave ground enough for a side
lawn.
The stretch of green grass at one side of
the house Is not as much an object In this
instance as Is the more important one of
furnishing an opportunity for supply OF
light and air from the SIDE.
A Proposed Residence.
II is the intention of Mr.. James c. Hooe
to Improve the lot adjoining his residence,
222S Massachusetts, avenue. by the erection
OF a house which will be in keeping with
the surroundings of the locality between
Sheridan circle and Florida avenue.
This new addition to the houses of that
section will be built Of stone of a light
shade. and the architectural treatment will
be French. The main entrance will be on
a level with the street, and on the basement
floor will be the library and the domestic
departments, while above will be the prin-
cipal story. where the space will be taken
up with the parlor. the central hall and the
dining room. The house will be four stories
in height. and will have frontage Of thirty
feet
The Use Of the Streets.
II is quite evident from what is heard in
private conversation. as well as from what
Is seen in public prints, that either care
lessness is increasing as a habit of the
people of this city in the use CT the public
thoroughfares or else the traffic Is grow
ing There is something to be said In favor
of the former supposition and no doubt If
the question came up for debate many III
stances could be given which would tend
to prove that people who drive either auto
mobiles or vehicles OF any sort are not as
careful as persons in similar position for
merly were. or, at any rate, that they are
very careless, IL not reckless and inatten-
tive, at the present time.
There is no question in the minds of those
who have had occasion to give the subject
any consideration that the dangers of local
streets are much greater today then was
the case few years ago. 1t requires con-
siderable alertness to cross with safety one
OF the thoroughfares in the crowded sec
ton of the city, and as every one knows
a large proportion of the people who go
about the streets are alert neither mentally
nor physically
te The Everyday Perils.
Tha wonders the number of casualties
Is not greater, for the dangers are not con-
fined to the busy sections. 1t is claimed by
people who use the thoroughfares leading
out from the city that it is only with pa
thence and watchfulness that one is able to
drive in and out and avoid collisions and
accidents. OF course there Is much said
about the negligence and the inefficiency
of those who have teams In charge and
their apparent disregard OF the rights of
the road. Accounts are given of teams that
use the middle of a roadway that is ma
cadamized only in the central portion. COM
pelling all approaching drivers to turn out
into the soft sections of the roadway on
either side.
There are other abuses of the road which
might be mentioned. as they are to be
heard throughout wide range, or that 1t
Is quite evident they are not only real but of
large proportions. 1t Is not to be supposed
that this arises entirely from the careless
habits of persons who use the streets, for
such habits are not of recent origin. but
came in with the first man and are likely to
continue to mark human conduct until the
end OF time.
As to Width Of Roadways.
Some are of the opinion that this condi-
ton is due in part at least to the policy
that has been carried out of late years by
the District authorities in reducing the
width of roadways. BY this means a saw
ing Is effected, for there is a smaller area
to pave and the number of square yards
is lessened. The actual width of the street
from building line to building line is not
changed, but the roadway, the place for
vehicles, in contracted.
While, of course, it is thought such a pol
icy can be applied to some of the streets
with advantage and result in important
economies, yet ii is pointed out that great
caution should be observed in changing the
width of the roadway In the case of the
principal thoroughfares leading out of the
city. or rather those forming the immediate
connecting link between the outlying Sec
lions and the central section.
Due to Growth.
1t is this phase of the criticism that seems
to touch upon the real cause of the grow
ing insistence of the complaint about the
abuse of the public streets. In other words
this city is growing larger, the population
Is becoming more dense and traffic condi-
tons are naturally changing. 1t is not likely
that drivers of wagons are more apt to be
found asleep or lazily inattentive to their
teams as they are passing along our public
thorfoughfares at the present time than
they were several years ago or even last
year. On the other hand. this Is not the
first year that the policy OF the District gov
eminent in reducing the width of readways
has been carried out.
In other words people are Just as careless
as they ever were and the width of the
streets Is not recent change, but the
number of people who use them Is greater
than ever before. The Inconvenience on
this account may be laid down mainly to
what might be termed growing pains. At
the same time there Is no reason why eff
forts should not be put forth by public
officers well as by others to correct az
far as practicable this evil which is great
and growing one and one. too, that is vital
to the interests of the people.
How It Can Be Done.
1t Is natural that nearly all except those
who have the responsibility are quite sure
they could find a remedy for the state OF
affairs and correct the evils complained of
Sometimes such persons are venturesome
enough TO say what they would do II they
had the power the Commissioners have
They would place signs along the streets
beyond perhaps. what might be termed the
limits of the city. warning drivers to keep
on the side OF the road. and in this way
regulate the traffic just as II Is done in the
crowded sections of the city by the police
There are other suggestions which are
heard. but enough has been said to bring
out the Importance of the matter. and II
that Is realized by the officials then nc
doubt they can devise ways and means OF
bringing about an Improvement.
Changes In Business Buildings.
A change is to be made to the exterior
OF the business place of N. W. Burchell
1882 F street, which will result In decided
alteration in it's appearance and also ar
Ia 70 h.