The Washington herald., 1921-04-24
A City Of Dreadful Roofs!

to penetrate as far as parlor, bedroom ana Doth'
genealogical records and intimate affairs OF great
men So it seems less harmful, and certainly more
consructively critical to focus the rays for while
upon that section Of our Offices and homes which
keep out the weather.
This condition Of ugly roofing. Of course, exists
in nearly all American and many foreign cities, par
tculary those whose growth has been the result OF
industrial development But It appears to be par
ticuary undesirable in the town whose boast OF be-
ing the most beautiful Capital in the world" is sus-
tanned in many major aspects.
II all our structures Of the same height,
and if we were not becoming used to looking down
critically from arships instead Of looking trustingy
upward to Heaven as was the fashion for many CEN
turies the roof question would not be a vexatous
one But vision has become three -dimensona
We look at the cube along all edges, as it WERE and
find the upper plane bad. 1t can be bettered without
so very much labor or money.
We of Washington have gotten the habit of
rearing somewhat modest skyscrapers In style
which, while departure from the classic norms OF
architecture, is distinctvey American, and which is
quite satisfactory as a general rule. But We have
neglected to take down the smaller buildings which
huddle against them like vendors booths against a
cathedral wall And gazing down from the height
Of few stories we find spread before us, oftentmes,
a panorama squalid enough to inspire the pen Of a
sum-buster the burin of an etcher of the sordid
There is scarcely any downtown block which
does not possess secret open to business building
tenants skeleton in the quadrangle, it WERE in
the form Of disreputabie waste space of ugly alley
or low roofs. So tawdry are some of these lattets
that but the least seif-respecting cats will
promenade about the chimney-pots, and the only
seeds finding lodgment in crannies those Of sick
iy green weed growths un@holesome and odorous.. !
), It is reflection on this city, the state Of the
buifding-top abuttng the prouder and. immaculate
office structures If they Of tin, the ribs bent
BY the feet of exploring wremen and tenants while
the guttering usually droops forlornly from the 1
caves If covered with composition this is generally
in diapidated shape Patiid smoke issues like q
genius of decay from wrecked chimneys, and below
probably lies a sodless space devoted to the deposit
of material over which even the most resourcefu
junk man would mournfully shake his head. 1t must
have been such yard that Dickens had gazed upon
when he described that miserable and murky tract
which old Scroose, led by the Christmas spirit, be-
held as his last resting place Certainly, choked
London could produce nothing more affronting than
Washington.
Washington is OF the few cities whose down
town has not been visited by great fire, and hence
rebuilt in large at time. The elimina-
on of the ancient structures used residences
consequently, is evolutional process instead of
sudden replacement The Capital is to be congratu-
lated upop its freedom from holocaust, but it
seems that such affair is not unmixed evil
Baltimore and San Francisco notably, present hnc =
appearance in their business sections since the fire
and earthquake Earthquake Is permissible since this
is not California daily which respectively swept
them. 1t is bad luck to whistle for wind with all
sail set or date upon conflagrations in dense
munty where the red hend only is kept in check
by up-to-date department Nobody wants
sweeping blaze in Washington, but il is pity that
some municipal campaign cannot be directed in gen
eral against the decrepit piles sandwiched sbetween
office buildings, and in particular against the roofs
of same, The tired business man, debating letter
upon which, perhaps he relies to secure valuable
client sell big order pauses for inspiration and
gazes out Of the window. 1t is an outrageous sight
Ii.