Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-04

manent traffic along the viaduct and In
the subway are laid and in use The
three bridges at 10th. 18th and 18th
streets. artistically and solidly construct
ed of cement and steel. are in use. as is
the under grade street crossing at 9th
street. the eth street bridge having been
completed some time ago. the first fin
ished ridge of all that were planned.
The earth enlbankments have been
sCdded. and now present the neat appear
ance of a well kept side lawn down to
where they meet the railroad bridge span
ming the Potomac. which replaced the
historic old Long bridge. Each bridge
has six ornamental electric lamps. The
stone coping which surmounts the cement
side retaining walls OF the subway will
also be illuminated with electric lamps.
workmen being at present engaged in
making the electrical connections. AS
the fine new cement bridge at the gates
of the tidal basin Is likewise supplied
with six large electric lamps. the electrical
light effects at night. when all Of the
lamps are in place and illuminated. will
be worth trip to see.
The contrast which will be afforded to
tie eye. by day and night. of the Mary
land avenue of today and the Maryland
avenue Of five years ago will be
recognize it. the change is so radical and
marked. Young trees have been set out
along the full length Of the avenue on
both sides. and the north side of the
street paralleling the subway has been
entirely resurfaced with sheet asphalt.
Workmen are now engaged in laying the
same kind of pavement on D street to
10Th. where the junction is formed with
Maryland avenue, and the yet-broken
earth surface of the south side Of the
avenue will in a few weeks be as new
and smooth as the north.
The railroad improvements. however.
while they constitute. of course the most
important and expensive. do not stand
t,1., ~ L. -
was made to admit Of passageway be-
meath the bridge the sidewalks were cut
down. leaving embankments. Many of the
property owners were slow in making the
necessary improvements to the front OF
their properties. Now, however. the dis
requirements have been corrected, to the
decided advantage Of the street.
South Of d street along Eth many old
stores have been remodeled. reprinted
and otherwise improved while quite a
been erected not only upon this. the prin-
cipal thoroughfare. but upon several of
the side intersecting streets. A number
of new. moderator priced homes have
sprung up in the vicinity, and farther
down toward the water front several
blocks of such houses have been erected
The water front itself has been vastly
improved by the demolition Of several old
for years. while number OF new build
ing of the more substantial kind used
for various purposes, have been erected.
Several streets have been repaved and
the entire section generally much i'm
proved over past conditions. the repaint-
ing of many of the larger buildings along
the water front helping to relieve the
dingy appearance formerly noticeable.
The residents of our part of town.
however. are especially interested in the
proposition to widen the channel of the
harbor. and we look upon this proposed
Improvement as almost on a par with
the transformation wrought by the new
ra ilroad conditions. 1t is to be regretted.
not only for our section of the city but
for the capital at large. that the initial
engineering plans of the water front and
harbor scheme failed to provide at the
outset for suitable channel width for
he harbor.
The water commerce of the city has
increased to such proportions within re-
cent years that the harbor is now found
TO be too narrow to properly accommodate
IL. The new large boats OF the present
day experience difficulty in effecting land
ings. and there is also insufficient water
space for anchorage for other craft. Then
the number of sailing and power craft
used for pleasure purposes has increased
correspondingly All these conditions
tend 10 congestion of the waterway at
our gates. and it Is a condition which
must speedily be met bS Congress in al
lowing the widening of the channel.
I'm no other manner may the exigency
be encOmnaSSe0. w nile the cost may De
considerable, there is plenty OF land to be
spared from the incomplete parking on
the southwest side of the river, and no
valid reason can be advanced against
the enlargement Of the harbor of the
capital since 1t has been demonstrated
that this enlargement is now an impera-
tive necessity.
The placing of engine company No
ID, with a high-power machine of the
second class at the corner Of 10th and G
streets. practically right on the water
front itself, gives us a greater feeling Of
security as regards protection from fire
in this dangerous section than We have
enjoyed before. and with the proposed
new fire truck at a location near Az
street and the viaduct this security is
made still greater"