Evening star., 1926-06-05
REAL ESTATE
BY RICHARD l.. CONNER.
Assistant Secretary. Washington Board ,
Trade

Assistant Secretary Washington Beard of
Trade.
The District of Columbia looks for
ward 10 Il larger and nobler career
as the Capital of the Nation, which
has grown in its short life to he the
--latest in the world. At the begin
ming of the nineteenth century it was
he capital of an ill-detned quarter
of the present United States. with
~ population oEetifleenth that of the
present. and despiSed by Europe. The
American flag waved nowhere on the
Gulf of Mexico. or west of the Missis-
Sippi. and only in scattered settle
ments west Of the AlleGhenies. The
locomotive. the telegraph, the tele-
phone and almost all the other great
mechanical inventions We're vet to
come. The country and the Govern
ment were alike poor. There was no
American literature. there was no
American art. there was no Amer
scan music, there was no American
press.
Today the District of Columbia is
.he Capital of a mighty Nation whose
flag hrightens and controls the far
Pacific as we'll as the near Atlantic,
that holds the headship of this hemi-
sphere and leads among the powers
of the world all coveting its favor:
enriched at home With the material
blessings which its myriad inventors
and Industrial chiefttins nave pc
slowed upon all mankind. and proud
of the literary. artistic and musical
achievements of its citizens.
The very character of the District
as the seat of the National Govern
ment makes part of its lie the
history of that Government in the
q
since the first of our era.
Growth Steadily Increases.
The District of Columbia. since the
World War. contrary to general pe-
lief has grown steadily both IN pop
ulation and real estate operations. One
would hardly recognize the old Wash
ington of 10 years ago, sections OF
suburban property which were former
" nothing but woods and farm lands
are TODAY improved with beautiful
homes aud parks. So we'll managed
are the utilities of the city that efh-
cient transportation facilities are pro-
vided even in remote sections, mus
making all sections of the city readily
accessible.
Whence are all the people coming
is the query very frequently nearu'
II does indeed appear TO be a dl1ncuil
question to answer, but reaSoHaole
exclamation for the wonderful strldes
which Washington has made in recent
voars is to be found in it's residential
advantages and it's civic virtues.
The beauty of the city. the StabllltE
of it's government, its freedom from
municipal disorders, the solVency anu
regularity OF its great paymaSter-
Uncle Sam-all these serve TO attfac,
to Washington greater ma ncial
strength. More and more, year a1tef
wear, the country at large IS learning
the many advantages oHereo' anu
everywhere among the people Oh tne
United states there is growing reah,
zation that Washington is worthy OF
being the Nations Capital, the most
attractive and ideal residential city IN
the world.
Public Buildings Bill.
Manv new steps are being taken to
improve the already beautiful Capl-
tai The chief of these is the pubic
buildings bill recently passed by Con
press. The bill is to enable better ac-
commodations in the District OF 20
lumbia for the executive departments
and independent establishments OF tne
Government. 1t provides that the Sec
,.etary of the Treasury IS also autnor-
lied to acquire a site Tor a pulloins
for the Supreme court VI lHe CiiiUeu
States.
Aside from land that may be &C
ouired for a site for a building Tor
the Supreme Court of the United
States. and for enlarginG the site OF
the Government Printing Office, or
erecting a storage warehouse or ware
houses. the sum of S50,000,GOO. au-
thorized for projects in the Dlstrlct
of Columbia, shall be used exclusively
for the purpose of acquiring by pur-
chase, condemnation or otherwise.
south of Pennsylvania avenue anu
west of Maryland avenue, projected
in a straight line to Twlnlng LAKE
such sites or additions to sites as lhe
Secretary of the Treasury may deem
necessary to provide such sultaDla
office accommodations In the Dlstrlct
of Columbia as are needed. of con
structing adequate and suitable build
ings for the furnishing of such office
accommodations on sites or additions
to sites, or on sites already owned
hv the Government south of PennSEl-
vania. avenue and west of Maryland
avenue, as above mentioned, and OF
providing suitable approaches to said
buildings, and beautifyinE and em-
bellishing their surroundings as near
ly in harmony with the plan OF
L'Enfant as may be practicable.
1t provides further that the build
ings shall be SO constructed as to
combine high standards of archl-
tectural beauty and practical utility.
lust think what this means to