, 1874-12-13
Review of the Operations OF
the Week.
The Market Quiet---Fifly-dTe Acres
at Washington Heights for
$4,000.
The Loan Market~--Two Mortgages
Filed for S4,600,000.
Sale Of the Lick Estate IN oAsi
Erancisco---The Games tAoe"
ton in New Orleans

THE MARKET.
In stpt1ne again this week thai Tue rea1-es'a.o .s
rnrrset il dull, we have to chronicle tne cono1-
.iot ,,aual at this time Of the year. December
Jauuary and Fcbr uary are
ALWAYS QUIET MONTHS
!, roa1 estate. There is no uuwilhngness on the
,;art OF dealers to admit that this state OF anafs
!. seasouable. though without doubt 1t presses
more heavily owing to tho fact that it has oeen
nreceded bv !. very prolonged and unseason-
able drllpess. That this is the natural
react;on from the speculations OF preceding
7cars. and the inevitable eoncomitaut Of the ce-
,rossou iu business that follows the panic, is IN
contestable. When the upward movement VIII
begin again is the question most niooted among
Drcper.y-holdcrs aud dealers. Real estate is the
last to DECLINE, the last to rise, is fanlliaf
axiom. The revival that all would bo glad to see.
and that all will certainly ia good time, WILL
not it mav safely bo said, prccede the return OF
prosperity in other directions.
IT WILL FOLLOW.
All tho csraes necessary for such renewed
e-a Of actlyity and good times are in operation,
with the single exception OF the currency, which
is still altogether bad Taking large view OF
tie situation, the most significant fact IN regard
to the future of Chicago is the contest between
the seaoorrs OF the Atlantic for the possession
OF our trade. There are SIX competitors: Mon
trea1. Boston, New York. Phi1adelphis, Balti-
,nore. and Charleston. Ihe intensity Of their
viyalry il tho measure OF the value of the 'rlze
and guarantee that Chicago is going to be not
stable in ya1uos.
DuT PROGRESSIVE.
This is go familiar line Of thought, and so OBJ
:iousiy founded on fact, that no further re1er-
cnca need bo mado to it here.-except to say
that this struggle ia proof that the longest
headed men in the couutEy-rallroad meh anu
great merchants faith that the causes which
have developed Chicago in the past are to % SUI
more potent in Its future. To the west OF US
is to be seen the rapid enrichment OF the whole
farming country, in which the same basis OF
Chicago prosperity is laid len millions OF dol
Jars, or more, will be sent to Iowa this year 1or
1ocs One Of the largest loan agents in this CITY
ranorts that every dollar due him on mortgages
and interest payments Jan. l, from the farmers
in Illinois, is to be paid Facts Ese these nave
IN immediate application in any discussion Of
the value Of Chicago real estate, aEd tnoJ fen-
der it certain that there il
40 BETTER INVESTMENT
in the country. 1t Is often SAID that the guinness
OF the times, and the reacl1oDary movement In
prices, make this one Of the best opportunities
ran be little doubt that, from now till next
March or April. the average range OF prices will
be lower than for many years in the past. or for
any year to come, excepting years OF panic Bus
it il noticeable that, though prices are low. Huu
the market stagnant, holders are firm. Plenty
Of mortgased property can be got. OF
property improved with unEemun eratise
5u.sdings, but there is little desirable property @
to be had at 3 sacrifice Owners want tneU
regular prices; if they cannot get these, they
viii hold on Tor better times, which are sure to
come.
New York is the only other city IN the country
where the advance in wealth and values OF real
estate has been like that OF Chicago. i recent
rem,niscence told by Peter Cooper will show
better than amy argument what may be expec ted
Of iudicious investments in city realty. He says:
.:Since have lived in the upper part Of the
city I had the offer Of I8 acres Of land
bo,,nded by Fifth avenue, Twenty-frst street,
and Eighth avenue, for 911, ,000-Iand that
would have sold two years ago for some $15,00o,-