Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-04
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.
The Extensive Building Operations in
East and South Washington.

Inc Extensive Buiid1ng operations In
East and South Washington.
A GREAT DEMAND FOR BRIcKs-PLENrY OF WORK
FOR THOSE ENGAGED IN THE BUILDING TRADES
IMPROVEMENTS OF VARIOUS KINDS NOW BEING
MADE IN ALL PARTS OF THE CAPITAL CITY.
There are but few men connected with the
building trades in this city who are idle. The
demand for workmen is so great that a number
have come from other cities where work is not
SO plentiful. 1t is difficult for the brickmakers
10 fill the orders that come pouring in. Some
of them exhausted early in the season the sup
ply left on hand from last year, and began to
make bricks earlier than usual The kilns
have been opened as soon as possible after the
burning was completed and the bricks carted
away while they were still warm. The manager
of the Virginia Brick company, Mr. C. b. Pear
son, told a STAR man the other day that their
stock on hand of over a million of bricks was
exhausted some time ago. and the first kiln
burned TINS season Is being emptied rapidly.
Other brlckmakers have similar experiences to
relate. and all the yards in the city and in the
vicinity which supply exclusively the home
trade are working to their fullest capacity
One or two of the largest brickmakers. whose
annual output ranges from fifteen to
eighteen millions. expect this year to make five
or SIX millions in addition. 1t is estimated
that the consumption of brick in this city
amounts to about 100000 per day. The total
output of bricks last year is said to have been
more than one hundred millions, and this year,
at the present rate of increase, the figures will
reach still larger proportions. The superior
quality OF the brick made in this city is con-
coded. and it is attributed in part to the char
acter OF this clay which can be obtained. But
1t Is due also to the superior methods employed
IN the manufacture. Brick-making is an in
dustry which has reached high point of
perfection here and this fact is all the
more commendable because it is supposed that
the capital city possesses no industries. The
merits of Washington brick as q substantial
material for building is fully recognized, but
its capabilities for ornamental and decorated
architecture is rapidly being developed. The
late IL. II. Richardson. the distinguished archi-
tect. used Washington brick exclusively in the
erection of three of the four private residences
which he built IN this city, and all the orna-
mentation introduced is of brick made from
special designs. This latter feature of brick
manufacture has become very general, and
molds are now made from architects designs
and bricks of nearly every conceivable shape
and form can be ordered from the yards Sew
eral OF the large brick-makers have yards in the
eastern portion Of the city, while a number are
located In Virginia. near the Long Bridge.
THE EAST WASHINGTON BOOM.
BY far the largest proportion of the bricks
capitol As the active hustlers in that locality
say, East Washington is having its innings at
last" There is no doubt very lively boom is in
progress there. Investment companies and
private individuals are defining the vacant
squares with rows of houses. Especially is this
the case in the northeast, which has hitherto
been the most thnly settled portion of the city,
1t is difficult to look in any direction without
seeing new building in some stage of prog
ress. 1t used to be that if you got out beyond
Lincoln park your view of the Jail and the
architectural beauties of the almshouse on the
extreme bounds of the city was not interfered
with by houses. But this view is gradually be-
coming limited. There is q row of houses on G
street, between 18th and 14th streets south
east. and also row in the square be-
yond. These may be termed the pioneers
Looking over toward the north houses NAV
also be seen on T street. between 14th and 18th
streets northeast. and on 18th street and Ten
nessee avenue, in the same locality. One of
the veteran pioneer builders in this locality is
John II. Lewis. He told a STAR man that for
the past three years he had built on an average
about 100 houses year. He proposes to COM
plete another hundred during the present
year. He is now building eight houses on the
Trinidad property where it fronts on Boundary
between 18th and 18th streets northeast 1t is
not generally known how far east the city has
extended within the last year. But Mr.. Lewis
can give some information on that point. as he
has gone ahead and now occupies the outlying
posts, so to speak. He has just completed l6
houses fronting on Boundary. between 18th
and 18th streets, and they nearly all occu-
pied. Il don't have any difficulty in selling
houses out here" he remarked. 1T is a good
place for a home: it is cheap and people are
beginning to find it out, that is all' Mr..
Lewis is also building six houses on NJ street,
which is extended through Trinidad, and he
proposes soon to begin the erection of eight
houses on Boundary.
IT HAS COME TO STAY.
But these improvements are what may be
called the pioneers on the frontiers OF. the boom
which is sweeping over Capitol Hill. In talk
ing with Chas. A. Shields, the real estate agent,
who lives in this section, The STAR man was
told that the movement in property in the
eastern section of the city was a substantial
one. lone reason for it, he said. lis that we
are enjoying the prosperity which formerly
was confined to one section of the city. Our
streets are being improved. This year over
$500. 900 will be expended in street improve
ments. Maryland avenue is to be paved from
9th street to 18th street, and the paving of
Pennsylvania avenue is to be continued for six
or seven squares. A large number of other
streets are to be paved, and, as is nearly always
the case, the Improvements follow.
A STAR reporter made tour through the
eastern section of the city the other day and
noted down some OF the improvements which
are now in progreFs Perhaps the largest IN
present is Mr.. Oliver Cox. He has over sixty
houses in course of construction. Some of
these are three-story houses, but the majority
are two-stories in height. They are being
built in rows as the following list of Mr.. Cox s
houses will show: Six houses, corner of Sd and
Streets three on LIST street. between d and f
streets; six at the corner of 9th and l. streets;
five on 7th street, between X and l. streets:
eight on Callan street. between 9th and 7th.
X and L streets; seven at the northeast corner
nf IA nt,d Str h
corner of 9th and streets: five on 9th street,
Of 9th and G streets, and eight on K street. be-
tween 9th and 18th streets.
Another extensive builder in this section of
the city is MIR. Charles Gessford. He is now
completing row of twenty-seven houses.
fronting on 9Th street and on NJ street The
latter houses are trimmed with brown stone
and are finely finished Mr.. Gessford is also
building five houses at the southeast corner of
9Th and streets; four houses at the southeast
corner of 9th and + streets, and five houses at
the corner of 9Th and + streets He is also
erecting number of houses i'll the southeast
section as follows: Two houses at the corner
of 9th and G. streets, and Ave at the corner of
Sd and q streets.
Washington Danenhower has for several
years past carried on extensive building opera
tons IN this part OF the city, and this year he
Is building as usual a large number of houses
They are all located in the northeast section as
follows: -Four houses on street, between LIST
and I'd streets; two houses on I'd, between L
and + streets; two I'd, between Massachu-
sets avenue and E street; one on E street, be-
furaa y Il