Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-08
PICKET FENCE BEST PLEA Of TEACHERS
View of William E. Shannon
on Lot Enclosure.
CONTRIBUTION TO BEAUTY
Matter of Abolishing Tight Board
Construction From Back Yards
Brought to Attention.

The open back fence versus the old
tight board article seems to be the ques-
ton in the limelight at the District build
ing today and 1t would seem that the
authorities should some day adopt . a
| regulation to require property owners to
build low picket fences between back
yards.
The matter was brought into the build
ing inspectors ONCE by William K. Shan
| non, an advocate of identifying the city
by means of doing away with unslghtly
hack yards. Morris Hacker. building in
spector, does not believe that the Com
| missioners have the right to compel any
one to build a picket fence. The present
regulations require that a tight board
| fence shall be used to separate back
yards. and If any other kind OF fence is
desired the consent of the adjoinins
property owner must be obtained. That
means, il a man wants 10 beautify Ills
back yard by means Of the new-sty.t
low-picket construction he must ask his
neishbors on his left and his right. who
| may have back yards which they do not
care to have exposed to view.
Question of Health Arises.
The question of health involved in the
debate on the picket fence vs. keyboard
| fence has not been settled by DIR. Wood
! ward yet. He said this morning that
lie had received a. letter from MI. Shan
Ion on the subject anu expected to have
talk with him within a few days.
There two sides to this question.
said Dr. Woodw ard. and there may he
as much bad there Is good in it, Ii
would. l believe. tend to beautify back
yards in MANY parts or the city. yet there
are some back yards which would never
be benefited by open fences and which
might better be closed to the public gaze. .
William f.. Shannon called on Mai Jud-
son today to advance reasons why all fu-
ture back yard fences should be open He
told the major that the board Of directors
Of the Chamber of Commerce. represent
ing nearly the entire real estate interest
of the District. had indo.sed the idea
that the Park View Citizens Association
had voted for ii. and he produced a jour
nal OF medical proceedings in which DR..
Woodward was quoted as being In favor
of clean back yards and pointing at the
open fence az a way out of Nth into
cleanliness.
Mr.. Shannon also said that the Boa I'd
of Trade had referred the matter to the
believed there was an excellent chance of
its receiving the approval of that body.
Maj. Judson in Accord.
Maj. Judson told Mr.. Shannon that he
was in entire accord with him in the
matter from an esthetic standpoint as
well as from the standpoint of the police
and health authorities. but that he did
not believe that this was tine time to pu,
the regulation on the books. However
| the major has by no means turned the
proposition down and will probably be
| ready to consider 1t again within the
year.
He told Mr.. Shannon that he would in.
struct the building inspector to urge ev.
eryone who applies for a permit to repair
| back yard fence to build the new fence
| in picket style.
Commissioner West Emphatic.
i Commissioner West told a Star reporter
today that If there was anything on
| earth that he could do to get the picket
| fence i'm place of the unsightly old board
| fence he would do it.
Il have not been asked about the mat
| ter at all, but 1 do not want to give the
idea a black eye. ] believe In beautify-
!! ing the back yards. i do not know
whether We can regulate the matter so as
to compel property owners to build these
pretty picket fences or not, but anything
| that l can do to show my approval of the
| scheme in general l will do.
II do not believe that II would be RICH,
| to tell a man to tear down his fence and
put up a new picket affair, hut I do be.
l.eve that in all subdivisions-in all new
property that is being developed-every
builder ought to make the back yards as
slightly as possible. and this picket fence
is great beautif1er.