The Washington herald., 1911-07-09
Figures DiSprOye Deserted Village
Applies to Washington in Summer
Small Percentage of Homes
Closed, According to Po-
lice Reports-Most Res
identS Take Brief Trips
Only.

OllIys
There has long been a general
impression throughout the country
that Washington is practically de-
serted village in the summer. Wher-
ever a Washingtonian travels, he is
sure to be met with the question.
Doesn't every one go away from
there in the summer :" If the
Washingtonian belongs to the little
handful of District residents who
are so fortunately situated fnan-
cially as to be able to spend the
summer months away from the city.
he probably will be thoughtless
enough to answer in the afirma-
tive. 1t will not occur to him that
the great bulk of Washingtonians
never get away from the city for
more than few DAYS at a time.
PLENTY LEFT AT HOME.
To realize the absurdity of the idea
that the majority of Washingtonians leave
the city in the summer one has only to
watch tie street cars in the cool of The
evening or take a ride about town
through the sections populated by the
people who are the real backbone of the
city-the families of the government en-
ployes, shopkeepers. and other members
of the middle class Instead of the rows of
vacant houses the visitor is led to expect
by the stories he has heard of Wash
ington's summer depopulation, he will
find row after row of lighted dwellings
with the families sitting on the front
steps taking the evening air, and the
children playing on the sidewalk. In
whatever direction he may turn the as
pect will be the same, with here and
there a closed house, conspicuous in its
isolation.
Society the Criterion.
The trouble with Washingtonians is
that they have become so accustomed to
the prominent part played in public and
social affairs by the residents of the
the city that when this small percentage
OF the city's population close their houses
and HE themselves TO Europe or their
country estates, the general impression
is created Of a city abandoned.
Feeling that the number of Washing
tonians who leave the city Apr the sum-
mer is greatly overestimated,a THE Wash
ington Herald undertook an investiga-
ton TO discover just what percentage of
the city's population the long term vaca
tionists represent The difficulty of the
task was enormous, but by careful seru-
tiny of the police records and by inter-
viewing numberless grocers, druggists,
and other shopkeepers in touch with the
people of their neighborhoods, fairly
accurate approximation of the number
of persons who are at present away on
long vacations was secured.
The result of the investigation shows
that only about 1 per cent of the total
population of the city are at present
absent on long vacation trips. # is now
and the great majority of
those who intend to leave town for more
than a week or two have already taken
their leave. and the percentage of alb
sentees will not more than double itself,
if, indeed, it reaches that figure, as the
summer wears on. It was manifestly
impossible TO form an accurate estimate
OF the number of persons who are or
will be away on short trips, but the
number of those returning will about
balance the number of those departing |
end make little or no difference in the
general result
Searching Investigation.
The figures secured by The Washington
Herald investigators are as accurate as
it is possible to make them. but lest there
should be any doubt in the matter the
number Of people out of town
can be tripled or quadrupled and stin
remain so small percentage of the to-
tai population as to show the absurdity
of the supposition that every one leaves
in the summer.
The first objective point of the investi-
cation was the various railroad offices.
An endeavor was made to determine the
number of season tickets purchased at
the several ticket offices, but the railroad
officials would not make public these
figures. The nearest approach to an esti-
mate that could be made from this source
Of Information was that the increase OF
sales in the summer is approximately %
per cent. But as these figures include
the great number of tickets bought by
transient tourists and summer visitors,
as well as the short-term tickets used
by those who leave town only for a few
days, they cannot well be used in com-
putting the number of washingtoniansI
who leave town for the summer
Interviews with the heads of the big de-
partment stores brought little result of
value, as the falling off in business during
the heated term bears no relation to the
number Of persons out of town. 1t mere
" shows that the hot weather keeps
he shoppers in their homes.
A number of clergymen were inter-
viewed, but as their congregations are
diminished as much by the hot weather
rs by the absence from town of their
no accurate estimate could
'e made from this source
Police Records Valuable.
The true facts did not begin to reveal
themselves until the investigators tackled
he captains and clerks Of the police
stations and the proprietors of the little /.
stores that keep in close touch with the
,itys residents
The majority OF those families who1
lose their houses and leave town for :.
he summer report to the police and ask /,
o have their residences watched during !,
heir absence. The patrolmen on the
'eats also make note Of the deserted
louses that are not reported. and in this !,