Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-21
GROWN MILLIONS RICHER
VALUE or REAL ESTATE IN
COLONIAL DAYS AND NOW.

for a Century AgO-Lands That Were
Then on the Market for $50 Now
Commanding S1OO, OOO-Increase in
she Value OF Suburban Property,
The increase in value of sayannah's
real estate is a guage by which her mate
rial progress can be measured. 1t is the
strongest evidence Of her prosperity, and
indicates the rapidly with which her
wealth accumulated.
Calling upon Mr.. Isaac Beckett, who,
through having devoted many years TO
searching and compiling the public rec
ords in the preparation OF his "Ao-
stracts Of Titles" is thoroughly post
ed on this subject repre-
sentative OF the MORNING NEWS
found him deeply immersed in his work.
which he kindly explained in detail.
Every lot and subdivision in Chatham
souptv has its own particular page which
eau readily be turned TO through system
nfindices. and shows at glance all the
changes Of ownership and prices from the
original grants in Colonial times to the
,.Can YOU give some idea Of the value of
zeal estate in Colonial times compared
with present ValuesW asked the NEWS
man.
EARLY VALUES OF PROPERTY.
"3'll show YOU" said the genial COM
Jpiler Of abstracts, taking down from
shelf filed with about fifty volumes,
several large books labeled to indicate
the parts of the city to which their con-
tents referred. Turning rapidly to a GER
tain page in one volume marked
ssDecker Ward" he said: Take the
home of the MORNING NEWS, for in
stance, which is known upon the present
map OF Savannah as it was in the plan of
1910. which you see before you,
as No. in Carpenter tything,
Decker ward, and was granted by
King George II on Dec. 9, 1856, with a
garden lot Of five acres and farm lot Of
forty-fiNe acres to John Teasdale. In 1893
this lot was sold at sheriff's sale for $3.50
subject to the right of dover Of the wife
OF the former owner, for the release OF
which the purchaser was obliged to pay
81, $50 in 1911, making the total cost
$1,5S5.
SsIn 1915 the north one-third of this lot,
now occupied by the store Of M. Ferst a
Co., was sold for $4,000, and twelve years
later the purchaser disposed Of his bar
gain for $3.50. In 1875 the southern one
third was purchased by the present pro-
prietOrOf the MORNING NEWS for $1,000,
and.in 1885 the came purchaser bought
the middle third for $4,000.
EOME BIG lECkEASbSs
tsnhe corresponding lotupOn Bull street
where the SorTel building now stands,
with its accompanying farm aud garden
lots was sOldin 1912 to John Teasdale for
925.sterling. equal TO about $125 of our
currency. In 1888 the CITY lot alone real
lied 81, 100, in f7S5 81 500 in 1926 $l2 600, in
1889 SIG, 900, and in 1915, the last time its
sale appears of record, it brought $50, 100.
''The lot now covered by Hamiiton's
nd
ton, sold in 1850 for fl5 sterling, or 500.
In 1868 the same brought 81, $50, and in
1774 the last time it changed ownership
by sale, 1t sold for $4,000.
s'The Altmayer place opposite, occupy
ing two lots, sold in 1771 for $3.50. In
ITS. the corner lot alone, brought $4,000.
lnlS7O an undivided half OF the two lots
sold for St5, 800, and in 1880 both lots for
S24. 100, ana in 1895 $4,000.
.sIn IT'S One-half of the land now COW
cred by Mr.. John Lyons building, corner
Whitaker and BrOughtOn streets, sold for
$3.50, in 1884 for S13,500 and in 1866 for
$4,000. At the latter date it was covered
by an old wooden building which was af-
forwards torn down 10 make room for the
present structure.
ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN.
SIN 1859 the lot on the southwest
corner OF Broughton and Lincoln streets,
upon which the residence Of Mr.. Willink
stands. with a farm lot of 50 acres,
and nearly one fourth Of the territory now
occupied by CASTOR ward, sold for
$50 sterling This lot was then on the ex-
treme east end OF the town, which was
comprised, as you see by this old
Lincoln and Jefferson streets on
the east and west, and Bay and South
Broad streets ON the north and south. In
1910 the city lot alone was sold tor $1,000,
and in 1855, with the half lot adjoining on
the west, for $4,000.
''The lot on the northwest corner of
Bryan and Whitaker streets, with nearly
all the territory covered by the machine
shops Of the Central Railroad Company,
and As acres in the country, we're sold in
. 1854 for the equivalent Of $40 of our cur
renew.
"Now," said Mr.. Beckett, "we will turn
70 the suburban property of the early
daye-to the hamlets of Ewensburg, YAM
acraw, and st. Gall, as the present South,
North, and Middle Oglethorpe wards were
called. VIM. Even, the original owner
OF the lands between William and Harri-
son streets, disposed of these lots at the
uniform price of no sterling, or $50 each.
AS time rolled on they appreciated in
value until, between 1881 and 1886, we
md them realizing from $4,000 to $4,000
each, according to the value Of the build
ings erected upon them.
lots IN YAMACRAw.
"Yamaeraw lots--that is lots north OF
the extension of Bay street, ranked higher
in value than the last mentioned property,
having sold as early as 1862 at from $l25
TO 5000 each. Wharf lots that changed
hands IN the early history of the town OF
Savannah at prices ranging from $500 TO
$1,000 each, gradually advanced with the
development OF commerce. Take, by way
OF illustration. what are known as num-
bers 1 and 16, west of Bull street, ad-
joining each other, at the foot OF Jefferson
street. The frst formal sale Of these two
lots took place in 1868, when, with
the two town lots on the southeast corner
Of Bay and jefferson streets, and 1900
acres Of land in the body of the country.
they were sold for So, 80. In 1867 the
wharf and town lots, without the county
lands, brought $500. In 11SS, shortly
after the close of the Revolutionary war,
the two wharf lots sold for Sl,S00 In 1901
for $4,000, and in 1871 the value Of one.
sixth Of these lots was fixed by actual
sale at $1,000, or $4,000 for the whole
property.
''The 5-acre garden lots between Bull
street extended and the rhunderbolt road,
north of Gwinnett street, frequently
changed ownership for a consideration OF
60 each. AT modern prices the same
property would now command from $780,