Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-30
REAL ESTATE MATTERS,
Improvements tn Progress Through
ont the City-The City Growing Out
of It's hounds.

Business is rather quiet" Is the universal CON-
ment OF real estate men and operators some Of
them add that there Is no great demand for prop
erty Just now except in the way OF bargains The
latter are snapped up eagerly when offered and
the supply Is not equal 20 the demand. While the
volume OF business seems 10 be diminished eS,e-
claliy when compared with the condition ofthings
last year. yet IL is evident that the growth IN
population and the extension OF improvements has
not ceased The familiar piles OF brick indicating
new buildings, are seen on every street. A drive
through the city gives better idea OF the extent
OF the work being done than the statistics from
the ONCE OF the building Inspector There may be
permits Issued this month for two or three hundred
new buildings But when you see. in passing alons,
the streets, buildings going up at nearly every
eurn. you are apt 10 get more vivid and enduring
impression or how rapidly, bet quietly. the work
son OF the year when people drive a great deal
about the city In the early hours of the evening,
Ihe extent OF the building operations eNcites gen.
erai comment The lanterns Suspended from the
piles or brick and mortar as warning signals 20
the pasSers are as numerous as bicycle lamps IL
Is noticed that these warning lights rVnain sta
uOnary for month after mJnJh. buildings are put
mp with more care and attention than formerly,
and good, solid construction, As every one knows,
requires time. OF course there are exceptions 20
the rule, and many dwellings, as well as buildings
Intended Tor business purposes, are erected
as cheaply, and in As nimsy a
cheap work is almost entirely confined 20 build
ings intended 10 be placed atonce on the market.
The lcists are thin the timber Is incurred the car
penter work Is a 0otch; but all these defects are
CLOSED over by the skilful application OF paint
and the use OF SNOWY wall paper gas fixtures.
wood mantels, ana tiles Fortunately for this
city, the good taste and judgment of the people, as
well as the restrictions Imposed by the building
regulations, reduce 20 Aluminium the evils arising
from the Cheap-John method of building.
IN THE SUBURBS.
II drive through the city streets tmpresses one
with the rapid march OF improvements, what Is
the effect when the drive is extended beyond the
city limitsf The new houses in course OF erection
are comparatively few, but in nearly every urec-
tion the gashes In the face OF the country show
where new streets have been projected II may
be miles from the center OF the city, but sim one
can see the land divided up into building lots and
VIVA Sites the straight streets familiar In the
city may be seen stretching through what is APP
parently farming land and no doubt THIS spectacle
causes comment and perhaps good natured 1dt
CUE. IL would he ridiculous II there was any
probability OF the city's growth being checked.
But men OF money and OF enterprise see
nothing of this sort IN the future. They are
preparing for the future, they say, and
they are further OF the opinion that
they are not anticipating TO any great extent. IL
Is admitted by men OF good judgment that IN
some cases the eagerness OF owners have pushed
values TO high r point than the probabilities for
several years at least would seem 10 warrant But
stu they claim that there Is no doubt but that
the cityis now actually outgrowing its present
limits. They point to a row OF stone houses
already erected beyond the Boundary, 10 tht
The suburban subdivisions. and 20 the number OF
residences Which are occupied all the yeai
around by persons whose daily business 4.
Ia the city. The ground each side OF
Massachusetts avenue, from the Boundary &
Rock Creeks now nearly all graded and the entir,
area Will be laid OF In city lots. portion OF the
steep hill which oyerlooks the northern boundary
OF the city has recently been pared down and re
duced 10 a grade not much greater than that OF
the city streets which VIII be extended. This
work has been done on an extensive scale at an
expenditure OF large sums VI money. Shrewd mel
OF business are pushing these Improvements
Among them may be named Mr.. Anthony J.
Drexel, the wealthy Philadelphia banker, who Ia,
with two other associates Invested over a hal
million OF dollars In suburban property.
SOME FINE HOUSES.
The vacant ground at the southe asst corner o.
10th and streets has bsen sold TO Mr.. W. Z. Hi
for $4,000. The frontage on 10th street is Is
feet with depth OF 100 feet on street. The
price per foot Was S450 IL is stated that AZ is mol
the intention OF the purchaser TO Improve thl,
ground at present. The vicinity has been hand.
somely improved recently. on the opposite cor
ner Is the residence OF Mr.. Lucius Iuckerman
while at the northwest corner the house of Mr.
Justice Gray is being completed. The fine resi-.
dences of Messrs. John Hay and Henry Adams are
at ION and IA streets, while those OF Col. y. /.
Anderson and Col. Wheeler are at 10TH and b
Streets