Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-28
WIPE OUT OLD LINE
Reason No Longer Exists for
Former City Boundary.
JUDGE BUNDY URGES PLAN
Suburbs Suffer, He Says, Through
Lack of Uniformity.
LOOKS INTO THE FUTURE
Time Now to Make Provision for a
Capital City With Million
Inhabitants.

From time to time the suggestion is re-
neWed that Congress should by legislation
wipe out the old so-called "city limits
of Washington and make the capital
coterminous with the District in law
as in most physical respects it is in fact.
Recently this question arose afresh with
reference to the request of citizens of
Brfghtwood that the Commissioners reg
ulate the paving between the street car
tracks in that suburb. the Commissioners
replying that they had no jurisdiction
over the matter beyond Florida avenue.
In this connection The Star urged the
formal elimination of the urban bound
airy. Judge Charles S. Bundy, president
of the Columbia Heights Citizens Asso-
citation, speaking subsequently to a re
porter for The Star on the subject, called
attention to the fact that at the Octo-
Der meeting of that association he offered
the draft of bill providing that the city
Of Washington shall be, and is hereby,
enlarged and extended so as to embrace
all that territory included in the bound
airy lines of the District of Columbia; and
all general laws, ordinances and regula-
lions of the city of Washington shall,
so far as they are applicable, be extend
ed over and be in force within the whole
Of said territory equally and to the same
effect as within the present limits of the
said city" This bill was referred to the
executive committee Dor later report.
Judge Bundy said:
Washington's Plan Approved.
when Gen. Washington fixed upon the
location of the Capital city he. for well
considered reasons, perfectly understood
at the time and ever since sanctioned by
universal approval. determined to buy
the site and vest its fee simple title in
the government of the United States.
quired through the acts of cession by
the states of Virginia and Maryland Title
to the land could be acquired only by
purchase from the owners
SO, proceeding to mark out the desired
site by metes and bounds, he started from
stone standing in the middle of the
main road leading from Georgetown to
Bladensburg, on the east bank of ROCK
creek, and running eastward along
Boundary street, now Florida avenue,
to the Reedy branch of Goose creek, aft
erward known as Tyber creek: thence
to the Eastern branch: thence. with the
waters of Eastern branch, Potomac river
and Rock creek, to the place of begin
ming, comprising tract of about 5000
acres of land. Then, gathering the nine
teen tobacco farmers into a little brick
house known as Peters Tavern, still
standing on K street near Rock creek,
there was signed the contract of sale of
this 6OOO-acre tract, comprising the
were drawn conveying this whole tract
In bulk to two trustees. Thomas Beail
and John NJ. Cant. Thus the fee title
passed into the trustees, to hold for the
United States. Then, after subdivision.
each alternate lot was decided to the
several proprietors' to the amount of his
share respectively, leaving the other al
ternate lots as we'll as the streets and
alleys in the ownership of the United
States in fee simple.
Two Villages Included.
This 5000 acres included two consid-
cradle villages known as Carrolsburg at
the navy yard. and Hamberg. on the Po-
tomac, at 18th street. So important was
1t deemed to start the new city with a
clear title to all the land to be included
in It's limits that all the lines of the
streets and lots of these villages were
obliterated and the owners thereof were
asked to sign the same form of deed
signed by the owners of the farm land,
conveying all their right, interest and
claim to the whole tract of 5000 acres
including these lots.
Now the effect of all this was, and
was intended to be, to enable the United
States to establish and enforce certain
rules and regulations relating to streets
and alleys. building materials. height of
houses, building lines, etc, that were UNI
usual elsewhere. but were thought indis
pensable to the plan Of the founders of
the Capital city.
The first official act of President
regulations established by the President
of the United States and by the Com
missioners Of the city of Washington, for
the erection of buildings. ETC.. in said
city, and bears date October II. 1871.
party walls. location of buildings, ma
terfals for buildings (brick or stone)
heights Of houses, breadth and thickness
of walls. alleys or ways into the squares,
areas, etc.
Georgetown Barred.
ut is historical fact of interest that
the city authorities OF Georgetown ap-
piled to have their city included in the
lines of the new city and their applica-
ton was declined because they would not
consent to release and convey to the
United States the title to their streets
and alleys-and SO that city remained in
single blessedness until February II,
1895, when she underwent sort of NOR
ganatic marriage to the city of Wash
ington, losing her name, but preserving
her honor.
Now, turning to the suburban subdi-
visions laid out in 1S66-and subsequent
years. In laying out these subdivisions
a totally different plan was followed. The
ground was surveyed and plated and the
plat put onto the record; and the lots
bounded by street and alley lines sold;
thus leaving the fee title to the streets
and alleys in the proprietors. the public
acquiring by the dedication only an ease
ment in the streets.
Certain consequences have resulted
from this radical difference in the laying
out of the city proper. and the subse-
quent laying out of the suburban portions
of the District. The law relating to
party walls in the city does not apply
and cannot be made to apply in the sub
urbs. The power of the Commissioners
over streets and alleys is much restricted
in the latter. The Commissioners have
no power to regulate building lines in
the suburbs.
ITO exemplify: Irving street, on which
live, is 81 feet inches wide
east of 14th street. 1t is so feet wide
from 14th to 10th street. 1t is 100 feet
wide from 18th street west There are
no established building lines On II