The Washington times., 1908-09-06

In spite Of the sO-Called financial de-
preston, the District OF Columbia has
made gratifying progress in public and
private buildings during the past year.
The completion of the District building,
the occupation of the House Of Repre-
sentauves office building. with the
progress made on the Agriculture
building. the New National Museum,
and the Senate office building. and the
opening of the Connecticut avenue
bridge, are the more important ad-
vances in public construction. Many
notable private buildings have been
completed or are approaching compile
ton.
We have good reason for congratl-
lating ourselves upon the decided i'm
provement of the National Capital dur
ing the last twelve months"
Commissioner Macfarland thus epito-
mizes the building situation in Wash
iHgton, Although there was a decrease
Of Sl,O45,l50 in the valuation OF the
building operations as compared with
the hscal year 1897, officials Of the
Building Department regard the prog
ress Of Washington as most favorable
when compared with other cities OF the
country.
The total value of building operations
for the year was SS.669. .S3.
Has 1890 Buildings.
The estimated number Of buildings in
Washington at present is 1880. During
the fiscal year ended June 80 there were
erected S64 brick and $50 frame struc-
lures. OF the brick buildings SIS are
dwellings. and their total estimated
aa51s fl.
ninety-nine frame dwellings We're erect
ed. the total value being s, ,6sS. .S97.
The list of new buildings erected dur
ing the year and their values includes
p stores and dwellings, S128. rs; q stores.
s99, t75; SO apartment houses. S643,50O: /
hotel. $4,000; 8 churches. $1,000: one ad-
ministration building. S25.O00: Il ware
houses, S1s5, 600; Al stables. S69. $40; bank.
$1,000; Is garages, 50. 30; 1 carriage
house and garage, $4,000; / hospital,
S20,OO0, and / hall, S25,000. The total
number OF building permits issued by
the building department during the year
was 8,95S.
Summary of improvements.
The following summary will show the
distribution of improvements IN differ
ent sections of the city and the value
of the same:
Section. Building. Repairs
Northwest .-...........-S1, S09, 954 81 .U35,0l4
Southwest ..------.--.-.. S30,5l3 Igl'4go
Northeast ..,.--s..s..... 4to,o5S 55s5S0
Southeast .....--.s....... Zo6,l4 05,Uio
county ---.-.--.---...--.. 4.llhiu3l 4lS,ouO
Congress at the last session made
appropriations for a number of public
buildings, many of which have been
erected or are in course of construction.
Among the school buildings for which
provision was made are the following:
For the completion of the Manual Nc
Kinley Manual Training School S125.-
coo; for site and construction of g
tweIve-r0om school building to relieve
the Franklin and Thomson schools,
S12j,000; for an extension Of the Business
High School. $4,000; for an addition to
the Johnson School. 100000; for pur-
chase of ground in Eighth division 20
replace the Potomac School, $4,000. and
for a twelve-room building on the site
of the Garfield School, $s5t00
Fifty thousand dollars was appro-
pristed also for the repair of school
buildings.
The Water Front.
The Improvement of tn, water front
Is project earnestly advocated by The
Commissioners in their plans for the
future of Washington. The river traffic,
they say, is growing in Importance. and
adequate facilities should be provided
for taking care of It. The wharves and
buildings have been standing in most
cases for half a century. and little inn
provement has been made in them.
They were built by private parties.
and did not come under the control of
the Commissioners until 1913, when.