Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-01
SQUAL|D ALLEYS
ENCOURAGE CRIME
Underworld Characters Find
Refuge in Sordid Hovels
in Capital.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
having faced quite the same combina-
ton of circumstances. The inhabited
alley is q natural product of the Ma
tional Capitals history, a bit of its
civic personality which thus FAR has
refused to be reformed.
Human nature In conflict with archi-
tectural ideas produced these plague
spots.
Mai. Pierre L'Enfant visioned city
cf snacious back yards with fruit trees,
flowers and uncovered pergolas. He
provided large squares between streets.
Naturally, In the good old nelgnDorly
days when Washington was young,
folks did much visiting back and forth
across these garden spaces. Servant
quarters and carriage houses were
erected in the rear Of homes. Wen
worn paths began to appear. These
eventually constituted for many OF the
blocks little interior thoroughfare
systems with several branches. with
tngress to a street by one or two mar
row openings"
by the Civil War. Thousands OF. SOL
diers were ouartered here. Vacant land
was at a premium for temporary bar
racks and camping places. The foot
and carriage paths in the interior of
blocks began to take on the appearance
az miniature streets. The alley prob
lem was In the making.
Immediately after the war came the
great influx of colored people-betWeen
10000 and 10000 of them. The mad
r,Ish was due chiefly to the belief that,
having been freed if they could only
reach Washington they would find pro-
lection and have all their needs sup
nlied by the Government. They were
moor and needy. They knew nothing OF
ctty life. The National Capital could
not let them starve on its hands. Tney
were fed until work could De founo
for them or until they had orltteo nto
the nearby countryside.
Congestion was Problem.
The majority remained in Washing
con. creating the menacing problems OF
oyerpopulatiun. congestion and housing
shortage Says William H. Jones, for
naer professor of sociology at Howard
University, who directed an intensive
study of housing conditions Of colored
people here:
"some immediate steps had to be
taken to relieve the congestion and ac-
commodate the thousands Of homeless
migrants who were sleeping in tents or
outdoors under trees. The original
structure of the city offered the only
easv solution. The deep back yards
were found to have an income-produc-
ing value. Small two and three room
houses could be built upon them, fac
ing on the alleys. Lots were cut In two
and the rear portions separately sold.
Gradually this became a prevalent
practice throughout the city and there
grew up an extensive system OF property
holdings In the interior OF blocks, often
quite independent of ownership OF the
lots fronting on the surrounding streets.
'"The system of dwellings is not en-
more, Philadelphia, Portland, Greg, and
Charleston, S. c., have alley-dwelling
systems. It Is safe to say that Wash
inRtons alley problem leads the list.
There were certain conditions peculiar
to the city which fostered the system
the original plan and the widespread
myth that the seat of the Federal Gov
eminent was a place of refuge for freed
Negroes.
been In existence In washington for
more than so years, during which time
approximately 100000 persons have
lived In and been influenced by Its en-
vironrnent. Alley property in Wash
ington always has been paying IN
vestment. Owners of alley houses COM
monty realize from 10 to 20 per cent
returns"
Folks live in the alleys under the
most primitive conditions-both as to
comfort and sanitation. The latter is
shown by the death rate as compared to
the rest of the city in a study made
several years ago.