Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-07

/ III sympathy With the OBJECT or tho legfS-
| tion sought by Senator Pomerene the
| Commiss oners declare that. as the resul,
of q careful study of the situation. they
are convinced that the establishment Of
interior parks viii not accomplish this
object.
Would Open Minor Streets.
Briefly, the plan offered by the District
heads for the solution of the insanitary
alley problem provides for the opening
of minor streets through the squares
sought to be improved.
The bills transmitted to Congress cali
for the condemnation Of land and build
inGs within the interior of the squares In
order to permit the subdivision Of this
land into lots for build ng purposes.
It is provided further that these lots
after subdivision. and after the imposi-
ton of such restrictions upon the charac-
thereon as the Commissioners may deem
advisable to impose. shall be sold at pub
tic auction TO the highest bidder.
Another important provision is that the
proportion of cost of condemnation which
the jury shall assess as benefits shall be
determined by the jury.
II is estimated that the cost OF land to
be taken for the improvement Of Shows
court will be about $1,000. while in the
case Of Goat alley the cost, it is believed,
will approximate $5o,OeO.
The plan proposed is known as the
Philadelphia excess condemnation plan.
II has been tried out with success In the
Pennsylvania city. where IL has received
a favorable judicial interpretation.
Minor Streets Recommended.
The question Of the merits OF the in
terror park versus the minor street
plan for eliminating iilsanitary alleys Ia
one that has been given close study by
the engineer department OF the District
government In connection with the char
acter Of Improvement to be recommend
ed in the Shows court and Goat alley
cases. Surveyor Melvin G.. Hazen, one
Of the first officials of the department
to make a report on the matter. recon-
mended minor streets in place Of inte-
rior parks.
His position was backed up by Capt.
Mark Brooke. assistant engineer conf
missioner. who, in addition, recommended
the excess condemnation plan, so that
tenants who are required to move from
the old alley houses In the squares to
be improved may be housed In sanitary
dwellings to he erected on the property
sold at auction by the District.
Finally, these recommendations came
before Engineer Comm :ssioncr Harding
and the board of Commissioners, where
they We're adopted.
The decision puts the Commissioners on
record as being permanently opposed to
the interior park plan, and there Is be-
lieved to he little doubt that they Will
recommend the minor street form of
treatment for all Inhabited alleys held to
be insanitary
The reports on the Snow court and Goat
alley bills are practically the same. The
Commissioners say in part:
Reports on the Bills.
TIE object of the bill. as it is under
stood hy TIA Commissioners. is to elimi-
nate ineanitary or so-called 'slum condi-
tons in an inhabited alley in the Dis
trict OF Columbia. Several such alleys,
approximately thirty, are occupied by
dwellings constructed prior TO the time
when such dwellings were prohibited in
alleys, and the character of the tenancy
OF these houses, the conditions under
which the inhabitants live and the i'm
practicability of properly policing them
call for certain remedial measures. The
theory Of the bill is that these conditions
can oest be corrected by cOndemning the
interior of the square on which such
buildings are located and establishing in
such interior a park such as has already
been accomplished in what is known as
Willow Tree alley
The Commissioners are thoroughly in
sympathy WIN the object of the bill. as
its purpose is indicated above but they
4
interior park Will accomplish the desired
result. The alley houses in such squares
are occupied by the poorer classes, whose
means are such that they cannot pay
| the rent OF houses located upon streets.
and as they are required by force of
circumstances to live in somewhat close
proximity to their places of employment
| they crowd into these alleys. and their
mode OF living is anything but what It
should be.
The Commissioners believe that IL any
portion OF the square is to be turned into
public park 1t should be the entire
square, SO that the park may be sur
rounded by streets and may be beauti-
| ned as park, and not be surrounded by
! the back yards Of houses.
Solution of the Problem.
They believe that the proper solution
OF the problem would be to open minor
streets through the square in order that
the private property abnr'ng on such
MINOR streets may be built up with a
class OF houses into which the tenants
VINO are required to move from the old
| alley houses in the square may be housed
In sanitary dwellings at reasonable rent
There should also be established such
alley facilities as may be required in or
! houses
In order 10 successfully carry out this
plan II is necessary to condemn not ONLY
the land which Is desired for the mino,
streets and the alley. but also the land
IN the Interior of the square on which
/ these alley dwellings are located. so tha,
the old buildings may be torn down ana
/ the land suhdivided into lots fronting or
the proposed minor streets
To do this will require the condempa.
/ tion OF the land occupied by these in
| terror dwellings for public uses
| "A law providing for such excess con
sdemnatfOn, In order to control the aur-