Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-11-10
REAL ESTATE MATTERS.
Political Changes and the Effect Upon
the Prosperity Of the City.


the Prosperity Of the City.
THE LARGE SUBURBAN SUBDIVISION OF pErwoRrH-
THE CONVENIENCE OF PROPERTY-owNERs AT THE
TAX OFFICE - THE PROPOSED REAL ESTATE
coSvENrIoN-THK LATE REAL ESTATE Boox
Real estate men, like all other business men,
are glad that the election is over. The gener-
ally expressed opinion is that the choice Of q
President has been a disturbing element in all
business for the past six or eight months. Now
that 1t Is all over, the hope is entertained that
money will begin to circulate freely in the reg
ular channels. As far as the prospects Of bust
ness IN this city is concerned, the opinion of
experts seems to be that q change in the Ad-
ministratiOn does not have the effect that was
formerly the case. 1t is found that the pros
prosperity of the city rests on q surer founda-
ton than mere political favor. Real estate
men therefore while they have their own polit-
ical opinions still do not base their hopes Of
the future market upon the continuance in Of
flee of this or that party. There may be more
liberal appropriations one year than another,
but the general average, they say, shows a
steady increase. During the first three years
of the present Administration the growth
and prosperity of the city made rapid adj
vances. Not only have values appreciated in
| the city but outside, and the beginnings have
been made of that new city which is growing
up ON all sides beyond the present city limits.
Large sums of money have been invested here,
the resident population has greatly increased,
! and fine houses have been built in all parts OF
the city. The development of the suburban
property has been perhaps the most marked
feature. While, of course, real estate men do
not attribute this prosperity to the fact that a
democrat was in the White House, still they
note the personal connection of members of the
Administration with some phases of the real
estate revival. They remember that Secretary
Whitney purchased his country place on the
Tenleytown road in the spring of 1856, and that
year later President Cleveland acquired the
title to Oak View. They recall the following
months when property changed hands in that
vicinity with great rapidity and syndicates were
formed and ground laid out into building sites.
They appreciate the fact that values then sud-
denly advanced have been maintained, and
that improvements of all kinds have been made
or in progress. The extension of Massa-
chusetts avenue about which there was so much
talk, Is not yet completed, but considerable
progress has been made, and the avenue is now
opened beyond Rock Creek. The movement in
property along the extension of the avenue
began before the Tenleytown road boom set in,
and was really the precursor of it. The entire
locality has felt the influence. and there must be
at least COO acres either now subdivided held
for subdivision along Massachusetts avenue ex-
tended and the Tenleytown road But no one
locality was favored. Suburban property
throughout felt the stimulus of the times, and
large sums Of money have been invested and
many acres have been added to the land already
subdivided. 1t is now conceded to be only a
question of time. and the increase of pOpula-
ton, when improvements in the way of houses
Will be extended over this new territory.
Already the District authorities have begun the
work of paving some of these suburban streets,
and the extension of the city beyond the pres
ent bounds can no longer be regarded as among
the uncertainties of the future.
AN EXTENSIVE SUBURBAN SUBDIVISION.
One of the largest Subdivisions of land in the
vicinity of this city is what is known the
Petworth tract. 1t contains 1857 acres. and lies
on the east side of the eth street road The
southern boundary line is the Rock Creek road
The streets and avenues laid out will be in con-
formity with the plan Of the city. This large
property is controlled bya syndicate consisting
of Il. III. Warder, B. II. Warner, NJ. NJ. Parker,
A. A. Thomas, Joseph Paul Lawrence Sands
and others. 1t consists of two distinct pieces
of land, one the old Marshall Brown place, and
the other the country seat of the late B. Ogle
Tayloe. The purchases of these two properties
were entirely distinct. and were made by dis
tinct syndicates, although each syndicate en-
braces several members who are interested in
both. The two syndicates have, how
ever, united for the purpose of max
ing subdivision, which it is
expected will soon be placed on record. 1t is
the intention to begin the work of grading and
laying out streets as soon as possible. and it is
expected that houses will be erected before the
close of another year, The owners of this prop
erty have donated land to the District for
widening both the Rock Creek and the It'll
street roads to 80 feet. In the of the
Rock Creek road the District authorities have
already graded it to the width of 80 feet, and
arrangements are being made to begin the
work Of widening the 9TH street road. Congress
at the last session granted a charter for the
building of a street railway along the It'll street
road from Boundary to the District line. The
incorporators intend to organize at once and
one of the gentlemen who is largely interested
in the road told STAR reporter recently
that it was the purpose to have ears
is authorized to use the tracks of the Metro
politan Co., which extend from Boundary to
the Rock Creek road. As the use of overhead
wires is specially prohibited by the charter, the
new company will use mules until they can
find some other suitable motive power.
The new subdivision. as stated. consists of
two tracts of land. The Marshall Brown place.
which is separated from the Rock Creek road
by Petworth, contains 1873 acres. When it was
purchased by the syndicate in October, 1886,
the price paid was $3.50 per acre. In the fol-
lowing spring a half interest was purchased in
Petworth. which contains some 205 acres, and
in June last the other half interest was con-
veyed to the syndicate. The price paid for the
entire tract was about 81, 1OO per acre. PetwOrth
was owned by the two daughters of the late
Ogle Tayloe, Mrs. Geo. b. Warren, and Mrs.
Jno. w. Paine.
With the exception Of the old Octagon House
at the corner of New York avenue and 18th
street, Petworth was the last piece Of property
in the District belonging to the Tayloe heirs
In the early days of the city John Tayloe, the
father of Ogle Tayloe. was the wealthiest resi-
dent q the District. He built, about the year
1898. the building which is still standing on the
north side of Pennsylvania avenue between
14th and 18th streets, and now owned by Mr..
Joseph Willard. 1t was one of the famous
hotels in the early years of the city. but now
only the store-rooms opening out on the avenue
are used. He also built the Octagon House,
where he lived and died. When the White
House was burned by the British in 1914 Presi-
dent Madison occupied the house for a short
time. His son, Ogle Tayloe, built the house
on Lafayette Square, which is now owned and
occupied by Senator Don Cameron.
CHECKS vs.. MONEY AT THE TAX OFFICE.
The recent decision Of Mr.. Davis. the collec-
tor of taxes, that he will not receive checks in
payment of taxes, affects the convenience of a
large number of taxpayers. custom has
grown up here and has been very general to
pay taxes by mailing to the collector checks for
the amount due. The receipted bills were re-
turned through the same medium. In former
years the collector facilitated the general adop-
ton of this practice by having blank checks
printed on the tax bills, that all that was nee
essary for the taxpayer to do was to fill out the
check and then mail the bill to the tax Office.
II l. Al