The Washington herald., 1908-05-10

Upon the architect as much as upon the
civil engineer depends the task Of making
Washington beautiful This idea, with
several forms OF expression, ran through
the speeches made at the recent banquet
Of the Washington Architectural Club.
The architects, with their invited guests,
discussed the general question, How TO
Make Washington Beautiful" Much was
said that was pertinent to the subject
and several OF the speakers made sugges-
tons that were calculated 70 Impress the
experts around the board with their
wisdom and feasibility.
Running through the speeches. how
ever, were some significant utterances
which might be characterized as How
Not to Make Washington Beautiful" For
example, Allen D. Albert at one point in
his address declared that too much atten-
ton had been paid to public buildings,
streets, and public spaces and not enough
TO private residences and particularly the
homes OF the people Of moderate means.
Mr.. Alberts idea seemed to be that atten-
ton to the mere physical beauty Of the
city in palaces OF government service,
fine streets, and grand parks had been
exploited TO the neglect OF the homes,
which are primarily Of more Importance
than any public building, street, or park
can be.
DIR. Wiley Scores Block House.
This idea was further amplihed by Dr..
Harvey Wiley when he scored the block
house as fnsanitary ana the apartment
as an abomination from the standpoint
Of healthy living. Among other things,
DR.. Wiley stated that it was q misfor-
tune that IN the beginning OF the build
ing Of Washington a law had not been
placed upon the statute books forbidding
the erection Of houses which touch each
other. He said such houses are always
insanitary, because upon two sides at
least 1t is impossible for light 10 pene-
trats and the air to circulate. He de-
clared that 1t was never intended that
human beings should live in such Boxes
as have been provided for them in the
city Of Washington.
How is there any chance for the archi-
tect" asked DR.. Wiley, when there IS
nothing to be ornamented except the
front door and portions OF the interior?''
Dr. Wiley thought the architects, as wel
as the spectators in land, had been par
TALLY 10 blame for these conditions. in
that they had not begun an agitation
long ago against crowGing the houses so
close TO one another as actually 20 en-
danger healthy living.
Pleads for Open Space.
DR.. Wiley declared that there should
he open space around every human hab!-
tation, where light could come in and
where air could circulate freely. Then
he said the architect would have a chance
for the proper exercise OF his art, and the
city thus built would not be a continual
ton of unbroken rows Of solidly built
houses. but would have more the appear
ance Of the ideal state OF things which
has been and IS being realized in some OF
the Northern cities where they do not
build block houses.
DR.. Wiley suggested that there was
more need Of the detached house IN
Washington, with its warm, damp cli-
mate, than in the cities farther north,
where the detached residence prevails.
Curiously, he thought, practice had gone
contrary TO the teachings Of meteorology
in bringing the block house to the South
ern climate.
Dr. Wiley is a scientist and sees things
from that standpoint, but what he had 10
say about the block house was empha-
sized by Terence V. Powderly, division
chief of the Bureau of immigration, re-
Gently in a conversation with a Wash
ington Herald reporter. Mr.. Powderly is
a resident Of the subdivision OF Petworth.
He purchased a Let fronting on the Rock
Creek Church road early in the history
Of the subdivision and built his home,
among the trees, where he could look
out upon the grounds Of the Soldiers
Home and have, as he expressed it, some
Of the comforts Of the country during the
rest of his life,
Has Horror of BLOCK House.
Mr.. Powderly has a horror Of the block.
house and he said he specially asked the
real estate men who sold him his lot
whether it was their intention 10 sell of
a few cottage and villa sites and then
fill up the rest OF the subdivision with
the prevailing block houses. Mr.. Pow<i
derly declared that he was assured that
the block house would never invade Pet
worth: that the promoters Of the subdi-
vision had control Of all the land and
that they would see to It that II should
be kept free from the abOmination To,
which Mr.. Powderly referred,
As proof Of the intentions OF the pros,
moters, a plot OF the whole subdivision
was shown. in which lots were fifty and
sixty feet vide, all staked or, and streets
provided for. making the subdivision q
true rural surburb OF the city. Mr.. Pow-l
derIy says he was assured that this plosi
of subdivision, having been reeordedst
would not be changed.
Change Comes After Sale of Land
Now Mr.. Powderly says the land has
been sold 20 a number OF speculators..
They have taken the original sixty-fooe
lots. subdivided them into three lots, re-
corded their subdivision, and built their,
block houses. They stand to-day within
a block Of Mr.. PowderIys stately resi~
dence. In fact, he says he is hemmed Ia
on two sides with that class of houses.
He believes the invasion, as he calls Il.
has cut down the value of his pgoperty,i
and he says the desirability of the locaIS
ity as q place Of residence has been de-
preciated 100 per cent from what 1t would
have been had the original intention OF
keeping the lots az sixty-foot width been
adhered to.
Mr. Powderly says he does not object
to the two-story house or the residencel
Continued on Page 2, Column =