Evening star., 1908-01-11
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Foliage Effects as Seen About
Residences.
WINDOW BOXES IN WINTER
Extension of 18th Street and the
New Bridge.
NEED FOR ANOTHER STREET
Advance Of the Population to the
North Will Make Increased
Facilities Necessary.
WINDOW BOXES IN WINTER
NEED FOR ANOTHER STREET

North Will Make Increased
Facilities Necessary.
Window boxes filled with green plant:
are usually associated with the summer
time and the luxuriance of vegetation
This mode of adorning the home and add
ing to the beauty of the outlook from th'
windows is quite general in this city, and
during the spring and summer seasons
such hanging gardens brighten the front
Of many homes.
They are, in fact. gardens in miniature,
these boxes placed on the window siils
and filled with Towering and foilag
plants and contribute materially TO adorr
the stretch of the average city biock.
1T is evident to any one who passes aioht
The resident streets that window boxe:
are also possible in the winter season.
They are filled with the evergreen and
ivy and other plants that retain their
leaves during the winter, as we'll as their
green hue. and not only give touch OF
color to the outlook from the interior on
the winter streets. but also reileNe 10
some extent the baroness of the landscape
at this time of the year In addition TO
the window boxes. graceful evergreen
trees of the yew variety are placed at the
main entrances. and in some instances
the entire lawn space in front of the
house is SO arranged as TO ahord mass
of greenery all winter long.
Winter gardening has Its place in spite
of the apparent contradiction In terms
and there are to be found In The resi-
dence sections of the city number OF
very attractive illustrations OF how that
sort of thing can he made effective and
contribute not only to the enjoyment OF
the particular householder. but also to
those who pass along the street.
New 10th Street Bridge.
As far as the physical connection is
concerned. the line Of 18th street has now
passed over the gorge of Piney branch
and has ascended by easy grade the
wooded heights to the north. and may be
said to be we'll started on its way to the
District boundary line. While the stream
of Piney branch is insignificant at this
time, still that cannot be said of the ra-
vine through which it passes TO ROCK
creek.
This section of the country is what ar
fists would call picturesque, with it's deep
slopes heavily wooded and Its variety IN
foliage land the contrasts OF light ana
shade as the summer sun falls upon and
through the branches of the trees. But
the engineer of the District government in
charge of street extension must attempt
to adapt this country to the require
ments. of the rather formal plan OF
city streets and avenues. Therefore such
a locality with its broken surfaces and its
violent grades is difficult to manage.
New Thoroughfares.
Owing to the pressure of the city's
growth in that direction such problems
have to be solved All progress to the
northward west of 18th street is impos-
sible until the old Linnean or Pierce Mill
road is reached, a long distance as meas
ured by city blocks. Now that 14th
street is extended beyond its old terminus
at Park road and reaches nearly to the
old race track at BrightwoOd an outlet
for the growth of the city Is AFFORDED in
that direction.
Just to the west of the line of 14tll
street is the gorge of the Piney branch
and now that the concrete bridge which
spans it on the line of 10th street is near
ing completion another outlet to the
north will be provided. The new bridge
is now only about one-half of its contem-
plated width, but when the approaches
on both sides are finished it will serve to
provide a connection between the two
sections that will be ample, for the pres
ent at least. At any rate, as soon as the
tide of travel becomes so large that the
bridge is insufficient then no doubt the
luil nioli dS uCSi6ASu VIII CN pio'ANSN'
Great Natural Beauty.
AS may be recalled al the land bor-
dering Piney branch to tie west of the
10th street bridge now belongs to the
public, and it is designed to have drive
ways on both sides of the stream of water
passing through the glen, as the place
would be called If it was in Scotland. In
this way those using Rock Creek Park
f,,ry, int .lriv nf lril
which carries the park drive over the
Piney branch, where it empties into Rock
creek.
From an artistic standpoint-and even
those who do not pretend to be artists can
admire natural beauty-there is a charm
about the gorge throughout its entire
length that will cause those who come
after US to rejoice that there was suf-
ficient appreciation to preserve forever
this stretch of natural beauty. The glen
comes TO An end short distance east of
the 18th street bridge, but the public
ownership ceases al the bridge. 1t is now
proposed by Mr.. Talcott. the District en-
Eineer in charge of street extensions, as
wctl as by others who are familiar with
the locality. to ask for an appropriate To
add the eastern portion 10 the space al
ready acquired. II only comprises about
four and one-half acres and would not
only be suitable finish to the public
holdings there. but would serve to protec ct
the bridge from the fill that would have
10 be made if there was any thought OF
using the ground for building purposes.
The elevation of the 18th street bridge
corresponds with the grade of 10th street
as we'll as with the top of the ravine on
both sides. which it spans. In order to
provide for proper approaches to this
changed grade the old wooden bridge over
the branch at the foot of Blagdens hill
has been removed and the old 14th street
road has been done away with, as 1t in
terferes with the arrangement of city
blocks into which the land is now divided
Where Spring road formerly joined the
old 14th street road the grade has been
raised so to bring ii up to the level OF
the new 18th street, and there is also a
road leading do&n on the west side which
reaches the level of the branch. where
there is the wooden bridge by which the
stream is crossed. and then the road passes
on to a junction with the old 14ti street
road at the foot of Blagden's hill. In a
way there is also a continuation OF 18th
street. which dips down the steep decline
of the sides of the ravine until il reaches
The level OF the water. and where also the
bridge on that level can be used.
Street Car Facilities.
Owing, however. to the heavy grade
that portion OF what might be called the
continuation of 18th street is not gener.
tlly available. so that west OF 10th street
there is no direct outlet TO the north unit
one comes To Pierce Mill road. now Co.
lumbus avenue. five or six blocks to the
west. The city has now come to the
south side of the ravine of Piney branch
and rows OF houses are on its borders. II
is quite evident that additional thorough
fares Will be necessary connecting the re