Evening Star Newspaper, June 1, 1930, Page 3

SOUALD ALLEYS ENCOURAGECRIVE Underworld Characters Find Refuge in Sordid Hovels in Capital. o (Continued Prom First Page.) having faced quite the same combina- | tion of circumstances. The inhabited alley is a natural product of the Na- tional Capital’s history, & bit of its olvic personality which thus far has refused to be reformed. Human nature in conflict with archi- tectural ideas produced these plague ts. .p:hj. Pierre L'Enfant visioned a city of spacious back yards with fruit trees, flowers and vine-covered pergolas. He wvided large squares between streets. aturally, in the good old neighborly days when Washington was young, folks did much visiting back and forth across these garden spaces. Servant “Ll‘ll% to appea worn pal gan to | eventually constituted for many of the blocks “little interior thoroughfare systems with several branches, with ingress to a street by one or two nar- row openings.” The orderly life of the city was upset by the Civil War. Thousands of sol-| diers were quartered here, Vacant land was at & premium for temporary bar- racks and camping places. The foot erid carriage paths in the interior of blocks began to take on the appearance of miniature streets. The alley prob- lem was in the making. Immediately after the war came ‘-h!l great influx of colored people—between 30,000 and 40,000 of them. The mad | rush was due chiefly to the belief that., having been freed, if they could onl reach Washington they would find pro-, tection and have all their needs sup- plied by the Government. They were poor and needy. They knew nothing of eity life. The National Capital could not let them starve on its hands. They were fed until work could be found for them or until had drifted into the nearby countryside. Congestion Was Problem. The majority remained in Washing- ton, creating the menacing problems of overpopulation, congestion and housing shortage. Says William H. Jones, for- mer professor of sociology at Howard University, who directed an intensive of housing conditions of colored people here: “Some immediate steps had to be taken to relieve the congestion and ac- eommodate the lhuulundé'u:nh;l::!lul mi ts who were sleep! or mxwoonm under trees, The original structure of the city offered the only easy 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 practicé throughout the city and there gew up an extensive system of property ldings 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- tirely confined to Washington. Balti- more, Philadelphia, Portland, Oreg., and Charieston, S. C, have alley-dwelling . It is safe to say that Wash- ington's alley problem leads the list. There were certain conditions peculiar o the city which fostered the system— the original plan and the widespread myth that the seat of the Federal Gov- ernment was a place of refuge for freed Ne alley system of housing has Been in existence in Wash! for more than 60 ’?3'050“"“‘ ch gxm‘ spproximately . persons have Hived in and been influenced by its en- vironment. Alley property in Wash- ington always has been a paying in- vestment. Owners of alley houses com- monly 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 #1548 188 3083 1878 784 535 2705 1808 Deaths per 100,000 of street and alley Colored. Alleys. Sts. 28 1881 6313 433 219 1858 3 years) .. 622 368 3216 1378 ‘There is no reason to believe that this fatio has been improved materially since 1914, for the living conditions in the alleys are, if anything, worse. The y has been allowed to deteriora owners in anticipation of legislative g!nn to eliminate Washington's hid- villages. Says Jones: “Pifty per cent of the children born to alley mothers are {llegitimate, whereas only 20 per cent of those born to Negro mothers on the streets are illegitimate. An abnormal mflrfim of alley familles are without e breadwinners. Hence, a large number of widows and deserted wives— not to mention the high percentage of unmarried mothers—may be found in the alleys. The alley also harbors & large number of old people, chiefly old women, who are unable to do a full day's work and who have no savings put away for their old age. There is also & large number of victims of in- dustrial accidents and industrial dis- eases, There is a large number of families in which the husband or father 15 & victim of tuberculosis. Names Are Colorful. «The alleys have always provided frightfully anti-social _environments. ‘The records of some of these alleys, even at present, are such that police- men are afraid to visit them, especially at n!.ht; These e?vmxlnenu are the constant scenes of legging, gam- bling, fights and manslaughter.” Some of the alleys have character- istically colorful names, not all of them in the official directory, such as: Hog alley, Tin Can alley, Louse alley, Tiger alley, Moonshine alley, Pig alley, Pork 5. Sts 9 1179 5 1313 622 53 Steak alley, Cabbage alley and Coon's alley. Others have names hardly applicable, considering their physical appearance and the nature of their populations, such as: St. Mary's court, Waverly ter- SPECIAL NOTICE APPRECIATE HFARING _ FROM iy person witnessing collision Chevrolet a ‘oach at 10th st. and R. I. Phone National 3326 or De- . _MISS LOUISE W. MILLER. WANTED—TO BUY A PEANUT VENDING machine route: state price and how many machines. Address Box 100V, Star office. 1 WANT TO HAUL FULL_OR PART LOAD or from New 'York, Richmond. Boston. ittsburgh and all way'points: specisl rates. A;!OI‘AL DELIVERY _ABSN., INC.. 1317 . ¥. ave. Nat. 1460. Local m . E? ACCOUNT ~ COLLECTED _NO - tion, no charge Adept Collection Service, pumezwu& 16 Southern Blds. 3 —trom Phiiadeiphis. Richm a.;, Chicago TiL: Fitiburen. Ba and At Pitisburgh N. ¥.. Harrisbire, gy, 17 Oumberiane. Ma m':hy:. .:mlfer& tora; e&, WASHINGTON’S ALLEYS ARE ISOLATED THE SUNDAY iy il i race, Temperance avenue and Marble Hall court. Must Have Place to Go. What is there to do about them? thelr with no other shelter provided. Many believe that to turn them out by whole- sale eviction, as legislation once at- tempted, would merely mean creating a greater problem in another form. A group of W by members of Congress, on the solution that, it is believed, will be most effective. Bills have been in- troduced in Congress to carry out the a:ln. This legislation will be described the second article of this series in tomorrow’s Star. Glass Pictures Produced. Stained glass of different colors may be fused into one glfluren by a process greatest development in the technique of stained glass since the earliest days of the art. It is claimed that the use of leadwork and enamels is eliminated, and that the new glass can be produced more cheaply than other farms of pic- tures in glass. The Automatic Storage Gas Water Heater Made in 4 Sises $50 - $85 Plus Installation E alwaL:y?:J&'Plcn BA Built-in Garages $l00d 1T Fikn "Bher NEW NORTHEAST HOMES 1218 Owen St. N.E. Only $7,450 $100 CASH $13.75 WEEKLY Cabinet Ironing Boards Large Dining and Sleeping Porches . BUILT-IN REFRIGERATORS Avenue N.E. and walk o Are"Asking for Practiestiy the Bame Houss PHONE FOR FREE AUTO TO INSPECT H.R.HOWENSTEIN ©: 1311 H STREET NORTHWEST Vi INS Hot-Water Heat Electric Lights | STAR. WASHINGTO. “VILLAGES” Upper: A view of some typical alley ngs in Navy place southeast, be- tween Sixth and Seventh, G and I streets. . Th® maps below indicate the peculiar isolation from the main thor- oughfares of some of the alleys—small and detached communities that have developed in the middle of city blocks. The upper map is of Brewer's court and the one below of Snow's court. The shaded portions indicate the approxi- mate location of the houses. ROBBED ST LOUS BANK SURVIVES RUN Depositors Crowd Into Insti- tution Which Lost $1,000,- 000 a Week Ago. JUNE By the Associated Press. ST. LOUIS, May 31.—The Grand Na- tional Bank, looted of more than 81,- 000,000 in cash, securities and other valuables taken from safe deposit boxes a week ago, weathered a run todey. A long line of customers, fearing the institution would fail after disclosure yesterday that its part of the loss would approximate $400,000, filed through the bank all day withdrawing deposits. At times the line extended for more than a block down the street. Twice money trucks arrived with ad- ditional cash the Federal Reserve Bank. One delivery, the bank an- nounced, consisted of $450,000 loaned for the emergency by the Chase Na- tional Bank of New York. Late today President Ed Mays de- clared that the crisis had passed and that all demands had been met and would continue to be met. He said the bank is solvent. Continuing their investigation, police officials reiterated their opinion the rob- bery was an “inside job.” They were convinced that some one in the bank's employ was familiar with the rohbers’ ans before the looting, which took place last Sunday mo g, while the safe deposit vault, being dismantled for moving, was unguarded. Gifford J. Herbert, cashier, who has resigned, and A. Brittin, custodian of the vault, who was discharged yesterday, are under $50,000 bonds pending in vestigation. c;umption of Food. It is claimed that a normal man of 50 has in his life consumed 25 tons of food; a hearty eater 50 to 60 tons. The former has an expectation of life 30 per cent better than the latter. 1930—PART ONE. CHEVY CHASE WINS IN FLOWER SHOW | Takes First Prize in Mont- gomery Garden Club Exhibition. Chevy Chase Terrace won first prise |among the collective community ex- | hibits representing the seven groups | within the Washington suburban ares at the Montgomery Suburban Garden Club's Spring exhibition and regional peony show, which ned last evening ;‘v.duu Somerset School, at Somerset, ‘Winners of the silver and bronze medals offered by the American Peony Society are to be announced this eve- ning, as the show is to be open until 5 Ro.laa. “1;hhe entries nu-r‘:n:a more than A classes ranging from a le bloom to not less than 50. Hun‘dlge‘di viewed the exhibits. In the Woman's Club contest for the best exhibit the nine ju gave vic- tory to Chevy Chase, Somerset second. Interest centered in the ex- hibits by the school children of Somer- set School, with each of the six grades represented. George W. Peyton of Rapidan, Va., exhibited rare varieties of nies. Included in the first-prize winners were Howard R. Watkins, Dr. Earl B. ‘White, J. 8. Elms, L. W. Kephart, H. D. Scantlin, J. E. Malcolm, Margaret Saylor, Mrs. Leon Saylor, Mrs. Calvin Milans, Mrs. Thomas Sumerville, Mrs. W. N. Wood, Miss Renee Oakman, Mrs. J. Christian, Mrs. J. V. Brooks, Mrs. A. MARSHALL HOUSE and The Emerson and Cottages, York Harbor, Maine. Golf, York Country Club, 27 holes ; bathing, orchestra, elevators, fire sprink- lers.—Advt. ALLEGED MOONSHINER FREED IN MURDER CASE | Casper Tellman, Admitting Aid in Disposal of Bass Corpse, Held Innocent of Death. By the Associated Press. LINN, Mo., May 31.—A murder charge against Casper Tiliman, alleged moon- shiner, growing out of aid he gave Dr. A. J. Bass, retired Columbia, Mo., den- tist, in disposing of the body of William R. Pearman in a $200,000 insurance plot, was dismissed today for lack of evidence. PRERING , & jum| rage me- chanic, was slain by Dr,“ln-. who pleaded guilty to murder at Benton- ville, Ark., last week, and was sentenced to life imprisonment. EDISON and STEWART WARNER RADIO SETS Sold on Easy Terms Your Old Set in Trade There are none Better and Few as Good. GIBSON’S 917 G St. N.W. GARAGES SUMMER 3500 or COTTAGES Built Anywhere—All Materisls HOME IMPROVEMENTS TR IR S, STORES. 20 MONTHS TO PAY Nat. 9427 8 SOLD Only . If you are looking for a home you owe it to your- self to inspect our new WOODLEY PARK HOMES They are selling faster than any other new-house operation in the city. Prices From "$15,950 Up Exhibit Home 8147 4 CORTLAND PL. '0 Reach: Drive Ave. west on c-tmnfi?nlm ;"::Q.!'t., turn right to Cortland B 1418 Eye St. N.W. Natl 5004 Announcing Our Removal Sale Preparatory to the opening of our new store in the Washington Building it becomes necessary to effect a COMPLETE CLEAR- ANCE of our present stock. Nothing is to be moved to the new store, no matter how exclusive it may be—which means that EVERYTHING HERE must be dis- posed of and as quickly as possible. This extraordinary sale starts promptly at 8 o’clock— Tomorrow—Monday—Morning You are to have the UNRESTRICTED CHOICE OF EVERYTHING IN STOCK at 20% Discount Imperative ends justify drastic means—and thus this unprecedented sale takes place at a most opportune time for you. For your prompt service there will be extra salespeople in each de- partment—and, as always, in the P-B sales, there will be no charge for necessary garment alterations. Even with an entire stock to choose from there will be advantage in early selection. ———— * NATIONALLY The Avenue at Ninth ": - = s