FENCES.

Make estimate for fences of wood constructed as follows:

Posts of cedar not less than 6" in diameter, set not over 8" apart. Two rails

of Georgia pine 2′′ x 4′′.

Boarding of Virginia pine 1′′ thick, 6′ o′′ high. Boarding of street fronts to be dressed and painted three coats.

Place one gate to each yard, hung with strap hinges and have hooks inside.

The following account of houses costing less than $2,500 which have been built in Washington during the past five years has been prepared for the Committee by Dr. Henry C. Macatee:

TYPES OF NEw Dwellings OF LOW COST IN WASHINGTON, D. C.

It will be shown in the chapter on the House Famine that little or nothing has been done in the past five years by ordinary commercial activity in the way of building dwellings for the least resourceful peo

ple. Not one dwelling erected within that period was found which could be rented for $12.00 a month. There have been erected, however, a few dwellings of a desirable type, perhaps not above fifteen in the entire city, which may be rented for from $14.00 to $16.50. The plan of this type is shown in Figure 15.

There is nothing new in this type of house, but the requirements of the building regulations have greatly improved their quality. They are

all well above the ground level, are ventilated under the ground floor and have back yards of sufficient size. They are light, dry, and are supplied with bathroom and water closet. They are heated by stoves and are provided with a kitchen range, which supplies hot water to the bath and sink; two of these, however, had no provision for hot-water supply, all the stoves being furnished by the occupant. The estimated

cost of such dwellings was given as approximately $1,200. Most of them are located in Georgetown, and are occupied by colored tenants.

An observation of interest made in visiting houses occupied by colored people was that in most instances the gas meter had been removed, oil lamps being used instead of gas. Fear of the gas was the explanation given for this in several instances, and inquiry elsewhere

tends to confirm the statement. It is quite possible, however, that the deposit required to secure gas service, the mandatory character of gas bills, and the frequency of change of abode may be the true explanation. Might not this fact make it desirable to save the cost of installing gas piping and fixtures in cheap dwellings intended for colored tenants and thus further reduce the rentals?

The great majority of new dwellings of low cost are of one general type, six rooms and bath, two stories in height. Figures 16 and 17 illustrate two varieties of the type most frequently seen; the width of the

Basement.

Ist. Floor