Evening star., 1937-01-02
Bv Nell Smith.
TINDING your way about WASH
- ington is easy If you know your
,Inhoho ood ron roYlnt E0r

TINDING your way about Wash
- ington is easy If you know your
alphabet and can count. For
the Federal Capital has uni
fed and understandable street-naming
system. Because Of this simple sys-
TEN, strangers from all over the world
quickly orient themselves in Wash
ington.
This Is distinct advantage to
the daily throngs of sightseers who
have few hours here in which to see
all the wonders of Washington. The
original plan of the city was made by
Pierre Charles L'Enfant, the French
engineer, and included most OF the
streets and avenues as they are today
within the limits of the old original
city. Maj. Andrew Ellicott later COM
pleted the plan, which was adopted
in 1871 by the first Commissioners
appointed by Washington.
The system begins at the Capitol
building, which is the center of the
city and divides Washington into four
parts. The l07 streets, which are from
20 to 100 feet wide, are laid out at
right angles from the north and south
axis of the Capitol. Those east and
west are named for the letters of the
alphabet, while the north and south
streets are numbered.
These streets are crossed diagonally
by 81 avenues, which are named after
States. In general. those in the north
section are named for the Northern
States and the southern section for
the States of the South.
OF the avenues, from 1870 to 160 feet
in width, spacious Pennsylvania, Az
miles long and broken only by the
Treasury, Congressional Library and
the Capitol, is not only the principal
thoroughfare of the city but one of
the most famous avenues in the world.
However. with the recent development
of the Federal Triangle. new Consti-
tuition avenue threatens to eclipse this
historical old avenue as the Nations
parade ground.
After the lettered and numbered
streets come the streets of tWo-syl-
liable names in alphabetical order.
These are followed by three-syllable
names in the same arrangement.
Names of trees and flowers in the
north section continue in the same
manner and complete the plat within
the District. This system is clearly
shown by the maps and charts in the
Office Of E. A. Dent, District surveyor,
who has been connected with this
work for over 20 years.
IRON this completed plat, adopted
by the District Commissioners in
1905. in accordance with an act of
Congress and arranged after a plan
that had already proven successful
in Philadelphia, names of new streets
are adopted as they are opened from
time to time. Sometimes an extra
short street pops up between the
charted streets for which no name
has been provided. Then the District
surveyor recommends to the Commits
sloners name conforming to the To-
cation of the street and in keeping
with the established system. An in
which comes in between Tuckerman
and Underwood.
Following this plan, such we'll known
names as Tilden, Garfield. Irving, JEFF
ferson and Hamilton were used. Less
familiar are Decatur, for Commodore
Stephen Decatur of Barbary War
fame; Crittenden, famous Ken
tuckian OF the middle century: Ad-
miral Rodman of Spanish War re-
nown: Gen. Upton. author of Mill
tary Tactics" and Albert Gallatin
Secretary of Treasury under jefferson.
Quackenbos, an American educator,
had q street named for him because
when three-syllable names were
reached, study Of the biographical
section of Webster's Dictionary sug-
gested this. Teakwood and Teaberry
were the best 1T" could do under trees
and flowers
Alleys, not coming under the street |
plan, presented opportunities for orig !
inal expression. In July. 1903, the
poor whites and Negroes in the pow
erty-stricken sections of Southwest !
Washington dubbed their alleys,
Swampoodle, Limerick and Zigzag,
while its counterpart in the Northwest |
had emotional spasms resulting in
Splash alley. Pig, Ambush. Hog. Goat.
Fighting Chew. Cabbage, Blood and |
such picturesque names as Bacon,
Tincup and Vinegar.
Murderer's Row, q name not on the |,
plat is the title Miss Pearl MCCALL \
assistant United States attorney. rave, 1