Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-10
REAL ESTATE NArrEBS.



fHE SPECULATIVE MOVEMENT IN LAND IN TEE
EASTERN PORTION OF THE CITY-sTREEr tx
TENSIONS IN THE sCBURBs-sToNE As A
DCILDINo MATERIAL COMING INTO FAVOR
The twelve men who have been engaged in
making the assessment Of the value Of real es-
tate In the District upon which the taxation tor
the next three years will be based hsNs CON-
pleted what is known the teld work and are
now occupied as q board Of appeal in consider
Ing appeals made by property owners who
think that injustice has been done to them In
the valuations made. The board Of appeals has
been in session since the latter part OF June At
the District buildings and will continue TO hold
daily sessions until the Let Of August Alter
that time the valuations liked by them viii not
be changed The general results OF the new as
sessment have not as yet been computed, but IL
has been approximately ascertained that the
valuation VI property in ali portions OF the city
II considerably greater than that of the last Ms
sessmenI In such portions OF the city where
there nave been no improvements OF any conss-
quence and property remains In about the
same condition, the assessment has not been
changed. The assessors with the exception of
three are the same who made the valuation
three years ago and they are on this account an
experienced body Of men ompetent To perform
the work which has been assigned 10 them
As a result, there have been but com par ativey
few appeals made IRON their decisions and
property owners generally have acQuissced In
their Judgment. The increase In the value OF
property IN all parts OF the city il shown by this
new assessment, and while there IL an increase
In the taxable value OF property ia the
north vest there is also an increase in She other
sections OF the city.
The actual results cannot be known iu q gene
raj way until comparison Is made with the
assessments of three years ago, but 1t is proba-
pie that very appreciable increase viii be
shown in the
EASTERN PART OF THE CITY
There has been in operation there for some
time past quite boom mainly OF speculative
character. and the vacant squares lying be-
tween Lincoln park and the Jail have come I'M
the market aud been sold aud resold until
now land Is held there At about S cents per foot
In several Instances entire squares have been
purchased BY individuals with the view no
DOUBT OF the land soon coming into the marke It
As building sites. There IL no doubt but that
the city has pushed out rapidly that way ior
several years back, aud on the streets both
aorto aod south OF Last Capitol street rows Of
SNAIL houses have been erected which furnish
comfortable homes 10 persons OF moderate
n means IAN aad at the same time pay good return
nAs extended " the northeast, and IL h
prooeois that In lew years the city Will nat
uraily grow out to aud cover what are now
great stretches OF commons. confident De.
ilef In the growth aud future greatness Of
Tue city LAS always, Win some periods Of de-
been at all Interested Ia the nations capital,
ano ~ times too hasty anticipation Of the
future has caused the financial ruin OF q great
many sauYuine SPECTATORS.
THK CITY's SUBURBS.
The extension OF the city seems assured beyond
the possibility OF doubt and the aging out Of
the land, beyond the city's boundaries, into
building sites has been carried on extensively,
Ihe constant increase in the value Of the land
proves the wisdom OF those who have Invested
their money, and while all that the sanRuine
specu!utor predicts may not be realized this
year Or next, there Is no doubt OF the city ulli-
nlately spreading over the adjacent territory
just beyond Its borders. 1t is evident To any
one VINO examines the plan parsued in laying
out tue Land, or rather the lack oi any plan III
al, That Congress has made serious mistake
In not providing that All Subdivisions should
conform 10 the plan OF the city. 81 that when
the municipal bounds are extended the part
Included Will be in appearance = well as in
reality, continuation o. the city. individuals
who own the land are naturally averse TO CIV
Ing land IOr streets. with the same i.berality
that Is shown in the plan Of the city But
everybody recognizes that IL Is the generous
streets anu avenues, with ample parks and
parklugS, that constitutes the chief attraction of
the city, aud unless the future city Is lose It's
main distinctive features, Congress Will be
obliged ~ regulate the subdivision OF the subur-
ban land, and remodel what has already been
suodivided, SO that IL will CONFORM to the plan
OF the city. The trouble is that every year ac-
ton In this direction is delayed, adds To the
cost, SO that In a lew years the government viii
have to pay millions for condem nation awards
where now the same thing could oe accom-
plished for comparatively small amount
BUILDING CHEAP HOUSES.
While on the subject of suburban property.
the real estate Market it might not be out VI
place TO refer 10 the grievances Of some OF the
owners, who nnd the pros poets Of their properly
Injured by the policy OF some in erecting small
cheap houses on their land, which can only be
rented to an undesirable class OF people In
some instances rows OF small frame houses have
been built upon a subdivision which has . de-
pressing effect upon the entire locality. Tie
fact, however, that these houses pay ten anu
twelve per cent, and perhaps more, render the
owners indifferent to the interests OF peighbor-
Ing owners, out, Of the ueterip RAJ inn
which follows all property suffers alike, and the
consequences react upon the owners OF tine
small houses. II Is fortunately the Case, that
such instances are not many, and the specu-
Iatiye movement that prevails in nearly all
suburban property has the effect OF making the
ground too high 10 allow the erection uf very
cheap houses " he profitable.
STONE AS BUILDING MATERIAL.
One OF the signs Of the times ia the improve
ment of the city is the increase ia the use of
stone as building material. Owing to the
cheapness of brick and the excellent grade
which is made here, stone has been used but
little for building purposes except for si.is aud
Windows Now and then a course OF stone
would be introduced ~ relieve the brick aud
occasionally the basement walls would be
built OF stone. Recently, however, il has be-
come the style TO make the entire Iirst story OF
stone with Stone porch. and now "A number
OF houses are being built with stone fronts,
The kind Of stone used Is generally brown
stone, and the light Onio stone has been used
10 some extent. A boss stouecutler told "A STAR
reporter that the difference ia making u trout
OF Twenty-Five or thirty feet OF stone as COM
pared with the cost vi "A press brick front was
about $500. The stone work is cheaper than
IL formerly was, aud ii is probable that its use
In building Will grow in popularity. Senator
Palmer's house on X street has a front OF
brown stone and its handsome appearance and
elaborate carved work reminds one Of the
mansions on Fifth avenue, in New YORK city.
Fne new house now being built by Mr.. b. II.
Warder on X street, has the entire front OF
sume seventy feet laid in light Ohio stone
while the row that he has just Ues un On Il street
Will have fronts u undrsssed white marble aud
brown stone.