Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-06
The Building Inspectors Report.

The remarkable development of WASH
ington is made plain by the annual report
of the inspector of buildings. published in
The Star last evening. This growth is
especially noteworthy when one remem-
hers that Washington is not an Industrial
city in the usual meaning OF that word
IL is primarily a residence city, with only
incidental commerce. The chief industry
here Is not the creation OF goods for sale
elsewhere, nor even the jobbing of goods
i'm the territory naturally tributary to
Washington. but the transaction of the
business of the United States govern
ment
The Washingtonian does not need the
figures of the inspector OF buildings to
acquaint him with the spread of Wash
ington over the environing hills and be-
yond the surrounding fields and woods
He sees on every side the impressive
growth of his city. Still the figures gath
cred and reported by the building in
spector reveal at a glance the tremendous
work progressing in the capital
The expenditure of S14.7S5.O59 in build
ing operations for the twelve months
ended June 80 last is exclusive of gov
eminent construction. and represents an
Increase of $6.0'o.4S2 over the preceding
year. In these figures are expressed a
commanding sum of private enterprise.
ambition and hope. This total of busi-
ness expenditures would be credltable to
commercial or manufacturing city of
Washington's population. II is not
matched by many cities that throb and
hustle under the pail of smoke from fur
naces. factories and mills. and where
people live in breathless haste to earn a
livelihood or garner riches. Here is old
Washington. with the sky always open
TO it, with an air of leisure and tranquil
lily about its people and with stretches
of pretty woodland I'm its wide streets
and quiet parks making a solid and
magnificent growth,
The marked increase in the number of
dwellings shows that government en-
ployes. under the operation of the civil
service law. are satisfied with the sta
bility of their office tenure and are MAX
ing homes in the city where they earn
their bread. From a camp of the favor
ties Of spoilsmen Washington has be-
come city Of homes. The increase In
the number and value of apartment
houses. ONCE buildings and all other
classes Of structures forcibly illustrates
the growth of population and business
tnc uihusion VI prosperity.
The advance in building operations
should not be mistaken for a boom. 1t
is only the logical development of the
capital of a nation that is growing in
wealth. business and population faster
than any other nation. The headquarters
of the government must expand as the
nation expands. As the United States
grows SO must Washington grow. The
growth Of the capital will not come to a
halt until the republic stands still. This
is never to be.
1t Is only a mild and safe prophecy
that before the boys and girls of Wash
ington become old men and women WASH
ington will have a million inhabitants
and will be built up to the boundaries Of
the District. Every Washington citizen
should see the advantage of becoming the
owner of bit of Washington real estate.
1t is better to be a direct taxpayer and
share in the increase of values than to
be a rent payer and indirect taxpayer
while the landlord gets the benefit of the
so-called "unearned increment