Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-22
LEAVING CENTRAL
SECTION OF CITY
Tendency Toward Suburban
Homes Being Shown by
Cabinet Members.
NEW STREETS INDICATE
TREND NORTH AND WEST
Grading in District North Of Massa-
chusetts Avenue Nearing Com
pletion After Two Years.

A good deal of interest was shown in
real estate circles over the announce
ment of the selection by Secretary of the
Navy Daniels Of a residence in this city.
In leasing the Johnston house near the
intersection of Woodley road and Cathe-
dral avenue, a location was chosen that
is somewhat farther from the central Sec
ton of the city than is usual in the case
of the homes of cabinet officers.
The home of Secretary of State Bryan
in the Logan house will be outside the
original bounds of the city, as it is
block east Of 18th street and also north
Of Florida avenue, and while the locality
was once in the suburbs Of the city, it
long ago lost that character and only
people who are familiar with the city
realize that Florida avenue passes along
the line that Gen Washington fixed upon
as the northern limits of the city.
Rows of Houses Creeping Up.
While the immediate surroundings OF
the Daniels home are rural,as 1t has about
it extensive grounds and adjoins on the
south the residence of Senator Newlands,
which is one Of the old-time country
places in the vicinity of the city, yet the
closely built up urban streets are now
quite up to it, as large part OF the sec
ton between Connecticut avenue and 9th
street, the latter being the eastern
boundary of the grounds about the resi-
dence of Secretary Daniels, is now cover
ed with rows Of houses.
To the north are the extensive grounds
surrounding the country home OF Charles
j. Bell, while to the east OF the latter
large residence is being erected by Mr.
Parmlee in the twenty-acre tract which
he recently acquired. driveway to the
new house winds around the sides OF
the wooded eminence on which 1t STANDS.
New Streets Indicate Advance.
The farther advance to the west of the
closely built-up section of the city Is in
dicated by the streets, which nave peen
opened up through the property. to the
west of Woodley, the residence OF Sena-
tor Newlands, and which extends to the
large tract about the home Of the late
Senator Nixon. These new macadam
streets with cement sidewalks bordered
by trees are part of the development OF
the Massachusetts Avenue Heights hold
ings.
For nearly two years now the work Of
grading has been going on all through
the section on the north side OF MasSa-
chusetts avenue from Rock creek to Wis
consin avenue and north Of the Naval OBJ
seryatory on both sides of the avenue.
The work is about completed, and repre-
sents a larger outlay for such a purpose
on a single property than anything OF the
sort heretofore. The expense as we'll as
the difficulty of utilizing the ground was
largely increased because OF the broken
character of the country. The verdure-
clad sides of the ravines and the wooded
heights were attractive and much-ad-
mired features of the scenery, and the
locality attracted so much attention on
account of it's natural advantages that 1t
was proposed at one time to add the en-
tire tract to Rock Creek Park. In fact.
through the public-spirited efforts OF
Charles C. Glover options were obtained
from the owners, and the land offered to
Congress.
Attractiveness is Preserved.
When it was found this use of the prop
erty was not desired, authority was OBJ
tanned from Congress to adopt a system
Of streets that would be better adapted
to such an irregular tract than the
system of city streets. In consequence
much of the natural attractiveness of the
place has been preserved. In addition to
building lots of the usual size, what are
called villa sites also have been pro-
vided, which range In size from half an
acre to nine acres.
Already some ten houses have been
built on this tract, for the most part In
the vicinity of Wisconsin avenue, which
forms the western limit of the property.