Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-12
HAzEN HAS SCHEME
TO IMPROVE ALLEYS
District Surveyor Says There
Is Fund of $1OO,872 Avail
able for Work.
DECLARES MINOR STREETS
WOULD PRODUCE REVENUE
Submits Plan for Elimination of
Washington Slums to District
Commissioners.

Commissioners.
Elimination of Washington's slums, a
problem that has attracted the attention
or the President and Mrs. Wilson, high
government officials and large number
OF civic workers, may be brought about,
in part, at least, through the adoption by
the Commissioners of new alley i'm
provement scheme just submitted to them
by Melvin c. HaZen, surveyor Of the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Calling attention to the fact that there
is in existence q fund of S100,S72, which
can be made available for the condemna-
tion of alleys and minor streets, Mr.. Ha-
zen, in his annual report. recommends
the building of two minor streets through
each interior alley in every instance that
it is found practicable to apply such a
policy. The adoption of this scheme, he
points out. ould mean the providing of
two fronts for the remaining lots, with a
parkway between the minor streets OPEN
ing on the main thoroughfares of the city.
This would certainly be a far more
preferable treatment than the interior
park plan,'' states the surveyor In
this manner the park would be accessible
1IOHl Two SlEeetS, 1UdklUS d pace Ol
recreation and adding beauty to the city
Where the square would not permit a
treatment of this kind. a minor street
would accomplish much needed reform
This plan could be extended throughout
the city. cleaning up more Objectionable
localities than would be possible under
the interior park scheme. The minor
street plan would add revenue from
Ia burden would be imposed by the other"
Interior Park Impracticable.
Mr.. Hazen makes it plain in his report
to the District heads that he considers
the interior park scheme and i'm
practicable one. Such parks he points
out, would be surrounded, more or less.
by fnsanitary back yards, and in many
cases. he alleges, these houses would be
lnha bited by undesirable tenants whose
mode of living would constitute an OBJ
jectfOnabie environment for the parks.
referring to the fund which. may be
used for the condemnation of alleys and
minor streets, he states:
This is the result of an approximation
made in 1893, followed by subsequent ap-
propriations in 1904 1907 and 1905 This
appropriation was made largely with a
view of converting inhabited alleys into
minor streets. Several efforts have been
made to convert alleys into minor streets,
but it has been found impracticable to do
this under the existing law. The Supreme
Court of the United States in the Bran
denburg case held that the total cost of
benefits II the tAsstawas OF the opinion
that the benefits did not exist, but the au-
dftOr, / believe, holds that the award
could not be paid. on the ground that the
appropriation must be reimbursed to the
full amount of the damages assessed
against it. In many cases a condemna-
ton requiring the whole cost to be as
sessed as benefits would be confiscation,
ana it is believed that some remedial
legislation should be had, so that this ap-
preparation would be available for the
purpose of converting inhabited alleys of
the city into minor streets.
Mr.. Hazens report is comprehen-
sive review of the work done during
Office. 1t contains a number of rec
concentrations for street and park i'm
provements which the Commissioners
undoubtedly will consider.
Among the recommendations are the
following:
That another appropriation be re-
quested for the acquisition of small
parks at the intersection of streets
outside the limits of the original city
Of Washington. Congress appropriated
SIS, 900 for this purpose last year.
That the previous recommendation
for the acquisition of Piney branch
parkway be included in this years
estimates.
Widening of Wisconsin Avenue.
action looking toward the widening
of Wisconsin avenue from its intersec-
ton with 37th street to the District
line; for the widening of Georgia ave-
nue. from Florida avenue to the Dis
trict line, and for the widening Of Ben
ming road from 18th street to Ana
costa road.
With respect to the Piney branch
parkway project the surveyor states
this land is increasing rapidly In value,
and it's use as park is threatened by
the encroachment OF improvements In
ability to use the land as park would
be a loss to the District, he states, and
should not be permitted. The three
streets proposed to pc widened are tne
three sections Of the District. namely,
the northwest, north and northeast
sections, respectively. and. as each is
occupied by car lines, the roadway is
farmers teams coming into the city
from Maryland. MIR. Hazen points out.
The surveyor renews his recommen-
dation, made in 1912, that a minor
street be extended from georgia ave-
nue. to 9th street north Of Florida ave-
nue., the object of this plan being to
relieve the congestion Of traffic at 7th
street and Florida avenue during the
base ball season
OF the various bills now before Con-
gress relating to street improvements. the
following, in the opinion of Mr.. Hazen
are the most important at this time and
are the ones the Commissioners should
make special effort to have enacted into
law: Senate bill No. H. providing for
the widening of Rhode Island avenue be-
tween 4th street and the District line
northeast; Senate bill No. 10, for the
widening and extension of Spring road
= HamnSlirp |,
street. and Senate bill, No. 30. for the
condemnation of all streets in Barry
Farm.
Office Has Earned Money.
Referring to the work done by the of
flee during the past year. the report says:
'"rhe total amount of fees received from
private parties for work done by this Of
flee was $16,6OS32. The receipts for the
past year have been somewhat less than
for the previous year, the work of the Of
fee, however, being heavier owing to
large surveys for the District of Column
bia and the United States. This falling
off in receipts is, no doubt, due to the
general business depression during the
past year: building operations have not
been nearly SO extensive as in former
wears. This shrinkage in building affects
| the receipts of this Office.
"Judging from surveys and subdivisions
| for the past year, the suburban deyelon-
ment of the District has not been as great
as for the year preceding It The total
number of new blocks created by reason
II