Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-26
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.
Some Notable House, Hunters and What
They are Doing.

|
They are Doing.
| EX-ArNIsrER CURRY PROPOSES TO BUILD RESI-
DENcE IN THIS cIrY-rHE THRIVING BRICK BUS
INEss-REcENr LARGE INvEsroRs-rMPRovE-
MENrs ON STREET, ETC.
Mrs. James G. Blaine is looking about the
city for suitable house. She has inspected q
number of houses. both finished and unfinished
and If she can find what she wants she will
again resume housekeeping in this city. II is
| understood that in the event the Blaines do
not rent a house here that they will build one.
As stated several days ago in The STAR, the
ice-President-elect Mr.. Morton, has secured
the Bell house on Scott Circle. There are sew
| eral prominent men who may be connected
with the next administration, or who intend to
make their home in this city because their
friends live here, who are on the lookout for
! suitable houses to lease or buy. and also for
good building sites There is more or less
talk about General Harrison follow
in the matter of having home outside of the
White house. The gossips some weeks ago
| located him on the farm Of the late Mr.. Hutch
lnson near Silver Springs, and while it is ad-
mitted that this would be pleasant retreat for
the new President, yet the owners of the
property denied, as stated in The STAR at the
| time, that there was any intention ON their part
to sell or that they had been approached on
the subject in the interest Of Gen. Harrison
The f1attening out of this story, however, has
not discouraged the gossipers, and according
| to the latest story Gen. Harrison is going to
buy the residence at the head of 14th street,
now occupied by Chief Justice Fuller. 1t
seems to be the opinion Of those best informed
| that Gen. Harrison has not yet formed any
plans relative to his residence in this city ex-
cept that he will occupy the White House, as
his pr decessors have been in the habit of do
| ing.
| SOME FACTS ABOUT BRICKS.
'How many bricks are piled up in the walls
of buildings each year in this city," a veteran
builder in this city was asked recently.
Il don't know" was the reply, II never made
any calculation"
"Well," persisted the inquirer who had made
| the calculation, show many do you Think"
II should say about forty Million" said the
builder after pause.
The questioner smiled and then informed
the astonished builder that the output of all
the yards in this District amounted to 1875 OOO,-
600. Those who are familiar with building
specifications and the number of bricks re-
CURED in the erection of the average house,
can form some idea of the extent Of the build
| ing operations during the past year. OF course
| all the yards did not work up to their full
| capacity last year or sell all they made and
there should be an allowance made on that
| score. This year the brick men are making
| their plans for a busy time. They expect to
| sell all the bricks they can make. This is what
| a STAR man was told who talked with the repre-
sentatives of three of the largest brick-making
concerns in this District. Il Judge this will
| be good year for our business" said one 'be-
cause OF the number of inquiries l receive
| from those who say that they intend to build
| houses. Probably fair proportion of these
will never carry out their plans, but with this
allowance the indications for a prosperous
| building season are excellent"
| "We are selling each year." said another
more bricks than during the preceding year.
As you are probably aware, there is no finer
| brick clay in the country than is found in this
| locality. Our facilities for making them are
the best that improved machinery and skill can
furnish. The result is we turn out an excep-
| tionally fine brick. 1t is conceded that good
brick is better and more durable for founda-
tons than stone. People come here from the
north, where they have not been accustomed to
see anything else but stone used for founda-
| tions. They rather object to the use of brick
| at hrst, but when they come to know our brick
| they acknowledge its superiority to stone For
| ornamentation and variety stone is useda good
deal In recent years In house fronts, but it has
| by no means replaced brick in domestic and
business architecture. and there is no likeli-
| hood that it ever will. Some of the finest resi-
dences and buildings recently erected have
| been built Of brick. Architects recognize its
| capabilities and seem to prefer to work out
| their ideas in brick rather than stone. By the
| use OF this material better results at a smaller
| outlay OF money are obtained than is possible
| with stone.
| TWO FINE HOUSES.
DR.. ]. L. NJ. Curry, of Richmond, Va, who
was recently the minister to the court at
Madrid, owns lot on NJ street, Just east of
Connecticut avenue. He proposes to build q
residence there, and the work will begin early
| In the spring. 1t is probable that Dr. Curry
will occupy the house, when it is completed,
! for his own residence. The lot adjoining is
| owned by Mrs. Jas. NJ. Carlisle, and she intends
to improve it by the erection of fine resi-
| dence.
| AN AUcT1oNEER's VIEW.
| Real estate auctioneers have good opportuni-
ties for becoming familiar with the condition
of the market. In talking with several recently
a STAR reporter was told that there is now
very little property in or about the city that
| may be considered unavailable. '.Some wears
ago." said an auctioneer. sit frequently hap
| pened that property even inside the city limits
was offered for sale and there would be abso-
lutely no buyers. No one wanted the prop
erty at any price. 1t could hardly have been
possible to give it away. OF course this was
only true of localities then remote from the
center of the city. Now it is very different.
There is no difficulty about making sale if the
price is at all reasonable. You will always be
sure of purchaser, although owing to pecu-
liar circumstances there are exceptions now
and then
GOOD PLACE TO INVEST MONEY.
wealthy man living in the west has been
spending few days in this city. He has been
riding about the city as a sightseer, but he has
been SO much impressed with its beauty and
| the promise of its future that he has determined
| to invest largely in property. Before leaving
| for his home he told friend that he proposed
to return shortly and would bring with him
some 100000, which he wished to place in
| Washington real estate. A few weeks ago a
| man who came here as a casual visitor invested
almost an equal amount in land before he left
the city.
| NOTABLE OLD RESIDENCES.
At a recent auction sale Mr. Henry A. Viii.
lard purchased three-story frame house on X
street, between 13th.and 18th streets. He paid
S4.52 per foot AS the lot is lat feet deep, this
| is considered good price. This property ad.
! joins on the east the Holiday house, which
| Mr.. Willard purchased some months ago. Since
| it came into his possession Mr.. Willard has
| made extensive alterations in the interior, and
has transformed the rather old fashioned resi-
dence into one that is more suitable for the re.
quirements of modern life
| The large double house few doors below
which is owned by Senator Sherman, is also to
| be remodelled. There will be bay-windows
| added to the front. which will relieve the pres.
ent extremely plain exterior, and will also add
| to the attractlveness of the interior. This
house which ia now Occuned "a a hoardino