Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-06


GLIDING article OF q series on Wash
1ngton's alley problem and plans pro-
posed for its solution.
Washington's 20O-odd inhabited al
leyS are unlikely to disappear of their
own accord in the path of progress.
Progress did not see them when II
passed through the neighborhoods
where these hidden communities are
still found and, as a general rule, it has
passed on.
An example Is the narraw warehouse
and shop area at the foot of Wisconsin
avenue between the Chesapeake g. Ohio
Canal and the river. Once 1t was a
residential section, evidenced by the fine
old Grace Episcopal Church standing
just above the canal, with its trim
churchyard shaded by tall trees and
surrounded by neat iron fence. But
the homes have given way to industry,
which hens in the desolate interior
courts where the novels still shelter
their few families and Junk accumu-
lates around the roots of struggling 10
Gusts, which resolutely sustain the green
spirit OF nature from ash piles and sand
heaps.
Church Hides DesOIatiOn.
About as desolate as any OF Washing
TONS alley communities Is that hidden
from the rest of the world by the pic
tureSque front of Grace Church itself,
the only entrance to which is along a
narrow road which skirts the church
fence. The houses, wooden Shacks scat
tered at random and one short row of
brick novels, seem about as uncomfort-
able and insanitary as can be found In
the city, although one tumbledown
structure makes a pathetic plea for re-
spectability with blosSom-covered
rose bush in its tiny front yard.
On the other side of Wisconsin ave-
nue. between Grace street and the river
Is Cecils alley, which winds through
rows Of small brick houses, in front OF
which are congregated loaferS, women
and unkempt children. One entrance
Is up Shaky brick stairs from a narrow
opening in the brick front Of Grace
street. A few yards farther on there i:
wider opening. used by the cars which
are housed in the garages, into which
some Of the alley homes have been con-
verted.
Both these alley settlements arr
stranded residence islands in an ares
taken over by commerce, which hens
them in on both sides, but which Is
not ready to enguH them. It may be
years before they disappear in the ordj-
nary course of events.
Navy Place Is Typical.
The largest of WasEingtons extant
alleys is Navy place southeast. In Mr..
Ihlder's report to the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission it Is de-
scribed as containing 10 houses. A big
double H of narrow, paved ways, taking
UP almost the entire interior of a large
block, 1t is one of the most typical as
to housing and population and one of
the best concealed of all Washington s
alleys.
1t occupies the square between Sixth,
Seventh, G and streets. On three sides
it is completely shut of from the
outside world by apparently unbroken
fronts of row houses. One of the mar
row lanes emergeS on Sixth street. The
settlement also can be entered across q
deSolate, vacant Sixth street lot. The
street houses have extremely small back
yards, some of them almost entirely
taken up by brick sheds, so that the
alley novels creep up almost to the back
doorSteps.
The main street Of Navy place Is pic
turesquely SQualid-two rows of tiny
brick houses separated by a narrow
paved street-with an unusual number
OF loafers before the doors. One day
last week there was an exciting craps
game in progress among a half dozen
colored men on one doorstep, while q
few feet farther on two were engaged
in the, peaceful game of checkers. IN
Continued on Page 8, Column a.