Evening star., 1909-04-24

road between Washington and Alexan-
dria only as connection between the
| two cities. The intervening stretch of
country that borders the river for about
seven miles has from such a point Of
view no further Importance than that
which attaches to acreage property and
| farm lands. No doubt some go far
as to ignore Alexandria altogether and
| to regard the electric line only a
| means of reaching Mount Vernon with
| Alexandria as mere incident of the
| trip
Neither of these conceptions of the
railway line or of the territory through
which 1t passes is up to date. In fact.
such nations are several years be-
hind hand. The actual circumstances
| of today are that the road supplies a
suburban locality that has a population
strung out in a series of subdivisions
ma king practically continuous line
| from one center to the other.
Improved Trolley Service.
There has been a recognition of the
| changed circumstances in the business Of
the road by a better schedule and mod
ern equipment. SO that it is possible to
go quickly and with ease and comfort
| from one place to the other without dam
ger of being derailed into Four-mile run
| or given the opportunity OF an extended
! view of the scenery of that section OF
Virginia while new supply of power is
being provided. The road Is now under
! the same management as. that of the
Falls Church line, and in both instances
marked improvement is noted in the daily
operation.
A more substantial evidence is supplied
by the growth of the population along
(, the line between here and Alexandria Or
| to put it in another way in the progress
of settlement. During the current sea-
| son two subdivisions are being open
ed up, while houses and other improve
ments can he noted in those that have
been established.
Locality Is Changed.
| The route of the line before Virginia
is reached has interest, and also con-
/ siderable novelty to even an old resi-
dent of the city, for the reason that IT
passes through a section that is not gen.
orally visited. Leaving the station at
| Pennsylvania avenue and 18th street the
cars soon reach 14th street and continue
along that thoroughfare to the entrance
to the bridge.
| On the west side after passing the
building of the bureau of engraving and
printing the squares of ground all the
way to the bridge are being cleared, for
that is to be the site of the new building
for that important establishment On
the east side the miserable tangle OF sur
face steam, road tracks has given place to
the orderly sunken freight yards and the
main steam line to the south.
Outlook Is Pleasing.
The approa Oh to the bridge is along an
embankment with turf-covered sides
| stretching out into bits of lawn, with
fountains, and then into the broad
reaches of Potomac Park and really form
ing part of that magnificent domain.
1t is delightful outlook, this glimpse
of wide lawns adorned with shrubbery
and the sparkling river and the equipases
as they roll along the smooth drives,
and il is a pleasant introduction to the
National capital and of d character that
is rarely found at the gateways of any
American city.
Once beyond the bridge and on the
soil of Virginia the scene changes. and
instead of suggestions of leisure which
! the park invites there is a large group
{. of brick-making plants one of the most
important industries of the city, ana
where the eighty-odd millions of brick
From the bridge there is paved roadway
for the most part, so that the brick
teams have good hauling from the kilns
to the dumping places in and about the
city where building is in progress.
Site Of Former Race Track.
Just south of Brickhaven. as the lively
center is known. is the first subdivision.
Addison Heights, running UP the side OF
the hill which forms a continuation of
the rim which surrounds the city. Pres
emily Four-mile run is reached, where the
powerhouse OF the line is located, and
also the pleasure resort. Luna Park,
which is still in winter garb.
A little farther on Is the settlement
of st. Elmo, and then the grounds OF
the old ST. Asaph's race track. The sta
b!es on the property have been used
by the government TO house the cavalry
horses. Beyond is the settlement Of Del
Ray. The steam railroad track, which is
the main l'ne between the north and the
south passes along nearer to the river,
and in that locality are found the extern
sve yards OF the Southern railway, which
are part of the new steam railway ter
minal in this city, and which Is the scene
of the shifting of the freight business In
it's passage from the north TO the south.
New Residence Sites.
On the west side Of the electric rail-
way tracks and about opposite Del Ray
is a new subdivision known as Mount
Ida, where streets are being opened up on
the side of the ascent from the level
of the car tracks. Farther along to the
south is Braddock Heights. which
stretches on both sides of the electric
road and to the edge of the hill to the
west where there !s an attractive group
of cottages a little farther along and
on the same side of the trolley line is
scene OF great activity. for workmen
are engaged in getting into shape the
subdivision of Rosemont.
What IS being done there is perhaps
more comprehensive than fs usual in the
plans of Improvement for such places, for
not only streets provided and grano-
lith. sidewalks. but also sewer and gas
and water The property, as at present