Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-25

what Is of more consequence enforced
more generally than has been the case In
other places But. in spite of the law
and the prophets. there is no one who has
any knowledge on the subject who does
not recognize the prevalence in this cOun-
try to an alarming extent of dishonest
and defective method of building.
Tolerated by the Public.
Much of this sort of thing is due to the
tolerance of the public. or rather to its
practical ccnnivance for if there was a
demand for good building and a willing
ness to prefer that as first requisite
there is no question but that 1t would be
supplied. Sometimes the trouble Is due
to the desire on the part of the pros
pective buyers Of the houses or the own
ers of buildings to get something that
looks as If it cost good deal more than
is really the case. and then. on the other
hand. it may come from the effort of the
builder to enlarge the margin of his
profit
Whatever the cause the result is the
osame and is seen in buildings grown
shabby long before their time and in
need of extensive repairs in order to
make them habitable. Such structures
naturally furnish good fuelsfor'the flames.
In the Power Of the People.
The remedy Of course is easy to point
out. as is always the case when one
is Call6Q on 10 suggest something IuI SOhhC-
body else to do. 1t is apparently simple
matter to run the business of other people
or at least to tell them how 1t ought.
to be done. But in such a matter as this
it is 50 plainly a question Of popular optn-
ion. of the judgment of the people. that
it goes without saying. II public opinion
was on tho side of better building, or
what is really safer building. the lat
ter would be the rule rather than the
exception. as is the case at present.
oi mi bcr nd a under
writer's do a great deal and have done
great deaf toward bringing about
change in this particular. but after all
Is said and done. what IL wanted is
public opinion on the subject. and then
shoddy builders would disappear from
the market, for there would be no one
to employ them and their product would
also cease to come on the market. for
the reason that no one would buy it.
Cant Fool Them All the Time"
l. Is easy enough to. +, find out about
building and builders. and it is done In
just the same way that reputation of any
thing the public deals in is ascertained.
1t is impossible to fool those who don't
want to be fooled with poor buildings any
more than with poor dress goods or any
other inferior grade OF commodities. This
is only another way Of saying that pFin-
cipally this matter Of filling cities with
fire material Is one that rests mainly
with the public to determine whether or
not 1T shall continue.
More Building Lots.
During the past week the firm of Eas-
ley & Hill. controlling the property known
as Richmond Park, on the east side OF
Wisconsin avenue just north of Cleveland
Park. bought from H. r. Dulany. trus-
tee of the Waggaman estate, two blocks
Of land in the Cleveland Park subdivision.
This property adjoins that of Rich,
mond Park, and it is the intention Of the
new owners to make 1t a part of the lat
ter property, which is now being handled
by William F. Matteson, real estate
broker.
Sanitary Dwellings.
There is probability of the Sanitary
Building Company resuming operations
the present season. The company owns
an entire square in the southwestern Sec
ton Of the city bounded by NJ and N
streets and LIST street west and South
Capitol street. where number of con-
crete houses have been built; The only
question at issue Is as to the cost OF
building, and If 1t is found that prices
are not prohibitive II is likely some ad
ditions will be made to- the number of
dwellings already located on the prop
erty.
Five New Houses.
Five dwellings, are to be erected from
plans made by George 8. Cooper. archi-
tect, on Kalorama street between 18th
and Ieth streets. The houses will be
three stories in height and of character
suited to the locality.
Near the New Bridge.
One of the houses in the row of colonial