Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-10
Public and Private Parkings.

To the Editor of The Star:
In the Wednesday issue of The Star the
report upon the proceedings of the meet
ing of the Columbia Heights Citizens As
ISOLATION contains an error calculated TO
perpetuate existing IN sunderstanolngs
upon the subject of parkinss. The sub
ject under discussion was the building be-
ing erected on the northeast corner of
18th street and Columbia road. The err
ror in the report is the statement that ten
feet of parking exists on Columbia road
as the building stands, while there is but
five with bay window projecting there
on. This five feet is public parking, and
SO far as the city authorities are Con-
cerned is the limit Of their control. The
width of the public parking in the addi-
tons to the original plan OF the city is
governed by the width OF the street and
roadway. In a siXty-foot street. with a
thirty-foot roadway, the remaining thirty
feet is divided into ten-foot sidewalk.
with five-foot parking on each side of the
roadway Thirteenth street is another
sixty-foot street with the original .iirty-
foot roadway, subsequently increased to
forty feet. and no public parking is now
allowed.
From the foregoing it is evident that the
building referred to fully complies with
the law to the extent of public authority.
But the question is in regard to require
ments of private parking created by cove
The tract known as the Stone farm,
bounded on the south by Florida avenue.
east by 18th street, north by Park
road and west by 14th street. ex-
northeast and northwest corners, was
decided in 1851 by Widow Stone To SEN
ator John Sherman, trustee. He subdi-
vided the property, locat ng streets as
now existing, excepting Harvard and Co.
lumbia road. which did not extend east
of 18th street. The property east of 18th
street and between Girard and irving
streets, was divided into large tracts. Nos.
3, 4 and of the large tracts Through
which Columbia road was put by con-
demnation confirmed March -. 19OD, and
other lots were transferred July ). 1881.
by John Sherman trustee, to Senator Don
Cameron by deed containing the follow
ing covenants:
And the party of the second part by
accepting this deed hereby covenants and
agrees to and with the party of the first
part that when a building is erected upon
the said lots herein described it shall not
be with n thirty feet of the street line
nor shall 1t be used for manufa curing or
mechanical purposes, nor Sail spirituous
liquors be sold therein, and the condition
as to the building line shall run with the
land
That deed is the basis for all subsequent
transfers for property facing on Columbia
road between 18th and 18th streets The
above covenants were embodied by Sher-
IHdH III dil subsequent OeeOS lOtS north
OF Clifton street. This fact, by permission
of the Commissioners. was ndorsed and
signed by John Sherman June 10, 1890,
upon the map of record in the county
surveyors Office filed nine years previous
1t is self-evident that the effort of Sem
ator Sherman was to establish beautiful
residence propertyof assured regularity
throughout, and protect the rights of all
who have purchased in good faith from
encroachment by others.
The city inadvertently. when planning
and commencing to construct the school
building this fall at the corner Of 18th
and Harvard streets. encroached upon