Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-16
SPACE ABOUT HOUSES
Departure Noted in Public
Opinion on the Subject.
ALLOWANCE FOR BIG LOTS
One Result of the Change in Local
Land Values.
PEOPLE GET WHAT THEY WANT
Domestic Architecture Varies in
Character and Is Enlarged in
Fullness of Detail.

n is regarded as natural that local resi-
dents especially at this time of the year
should show a renewed interest IN the
subject of lawn space and in the imme-
date surroundings of their homes NOW
Is the time when out of doors assumes
an importance that it does not always
have in the lives of the average cltizen
In addition. attention is apt to be drawn
at this time to the facilities for the ven
tilation Of homes. and the chances for
the free and. unobsirucied movement of
the air. - I,'.s1r -s.f#- 500 =
In this connection7ft is heard that houses
built in rows are lacking In some particu-
lars as places for summer use. ana sur
prise is expressed that more houses are
not detached. or at least semi-detached.
The picture of groups of residences. each
one with its lawn space. on all sides, is
one that comes UP in the mental vision at
this period of the year with an attractive
ness and force that would be poWeriui
enough to result in the transformation
of the entire city in accordance with such
an arrangement. If all that Is needed In
this world to achieve is simply to WISH.
Houses in Rows.
A great many persons wonder why II
happened that this city did not develop
from the beginning along such lines and
why the practice of building houses in
rows was ever begun here. where ground
was abundant, and in comparison WITH
current prices. also had the further merit
of being cheap OF course. II such
phase of development had occurred here
it would have been contrary to every
thing that was being done of the sort in
other cities of the country. well as In
those in foreign countries.
The main cause why houses were built
In such fashion rather than in some
other can be mainly attributed TO the need
of economy. as IL was cheaper to build
house with three walls-a front and back
and a half of each of two sides-than 1t
would be one of four sides. For much
the same reason the basement of houses
were used for dining rooms thus enabling
a tWo-story house TO be built instead OF
one rising three stories above the street
level
Price of Land.
OF course after a while the price of land
began to be Il factor in the situation and
owing to that circumstance it was natural
that land owners should make as econoini-
cal use Of their land as was possible.
Owing to various circumstances a change
is taking place so that it is now begin
ming to be more and more the practice to
build houses so that there will be on one
side at least. If not on two. space TOR
light and air. The houses along streets
within the bounds Of what Is looked upon
as the city as distinguished from the
suburbs are some times conspicuous by
stretch of lawn, but as a rule such
feature is only found on one side of a
house constituting what is known as
semi detached house.
It is not unusual of late years to find
such houses built in pairs and in that
way allowing every two houses 10 share
in the benefits of openings on side space.
Such Is done only where il has been pos
sible to secure the land at such Il figure