Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-26

For a number Of years washingtonians
leaving their beaten tracks and moving
about the city to observe conditions nave
noticed, often with wonderment. the con-
slant activity in the building both OF
apartments and individual dwellings A
common question in the public mind has
been where the people were coming from
to I'LL these new homes, provided at SO
liberal a rate and apparently occupied as
soon as finished. There has been no
boom in the sense Of a SUDDEN
spasmodic oversupply. The real estate
firms have even at times complained OF
dullness in the market, possibly because
sales and rentals did not increase at a
uniform rate. 1t has been evident, how
ever, that Washington was growing stead
liz. The census figures just announced
answer the often-repeated question OF
those who have noted the new homes
and apartments. The people filling these
additional accommodations have come
into Washington largely from the out
side.
In twenty years the local population
has increased by 1OO,877. or about 43
per cent A certain part of this increase
has been due to the excess of births
over deaths, a natural multiplication. But
many thousands have come here from
other cities to make Washington their
permanent home or to live here the
greater part of the year and TO maintain
households in this city. The government
has crown in its appointments, new bu-
rcaus and departments having been Gre
ated and the old ones increased in per-
sonnet. The three great industrial estab-
Iishments of the public service. the naval
gun foundry, tho bureau Of engraving
and printing and the government print
ing ONCE. have expanded. Several thou
sand have thus been added to the perma-
nent working force Of the United States.
Washington feels the effect of the city
drift less than most other large COM
munities. 1t does not draw the discon-
tented from the country as surely as do
such cities as Philadelphia. Boston, New
York and Chicago. 1t receives compare
Sively no immigrants from other countries.
With few exceptions, the newcomers are
industrious producers who quickly find
places as wage-earners. or well-to-do con-
sumers. Thus both classes contribute to
the local prosperity. Probably larger
percentage Of the adult residents are not
only seif-supporting but home-mal1ins
than in any other city in this country.
The consequence is that there is q steady
demand for better dwellings,, more con-
venient. more sanitary. larger and neces-
sarily more expensive.
Growth OF this character Is substantial
and desirable. As long as there is room
for suburban expansion Washington can
easily afford to receive new people at the
rate Of $1,000 in a decade. 1t could, in
fact, grow more rapidly in the present
circumstances without suffering from I'M
due congestion. But, reaiizing the dis
advantages Of too fast an increase, the
citisen who studies this question is con-
tent with q decennial advance of about
ID Der cent. II any large proportion of
the new population went into the alleys
and other slums, with no progression
toward the cure of the sanitary evils
which there exist, there would be reason
TO deplore even the moderate advance in
numbers recorded. But as long as the
building Of individual homes and the
plating Of new suburbs and the extern
sion Of rapid transit lines continue Wash
ington can absorb all Of its increase with
out suffering from any of the ills that be-
fall the cities of inordinate growth, by
whom the loss of a point in urban rank
is mistakenly regarded as a calamity.