New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-14
TIE HEST SIDE BOOMERS.

We hear a good deal in the newspapers these
DAVIS about the Oklahoma boomers, ana iaho
fsvers In Kansas and California and other
Western States; but we do not need to go so
far awsy from home to study the methods Oh
| the boomer, and witness the evolution oil the
boom. We have right here in the heart OF
New.York a large and fourishing colony OF
boomers who form picturesque and interest
ing element in the life OF the city. All tne
characteristics Of the real estate Doom may DC
found on the West Side. There Is constant
bIyine and selling, and almost always ab an
advance in prices. There is continual puiiu-
ing. Whole rows and even blocks OF houses
90 I'D ut once, and brokers swarm about, as
busv "a auctioneers selling off the most val
uable corner lots on Kansas prairie. New
s.ttlers are constantly coming in to grow up
| with the country. Every man you meet IS
ready to talk up not only his own property Due
his neighbors, which is unusual in this Wicked
world. Every man who owns q house knows
he could sell at handsome profit. There IS
a great deal said about the future" IL II
lust like Kansas. i-u- -.
There is actually 8 local public
snirt on the West Side, something appar~
emily unknown in any other quarter OF this
great heterogeneous town, which is made up
of tumble of every people under the sun.
| There are associations for the Improvement OF
the streets for furthering legislation at AL
bany in the interest Of that section, and Tor
fighting Jobs that are regarded as inimical. The
sluggish indifference TO most public questions,
even those affecting the pockets Of the resi-
dents. that prevails in other parts Of the city, is
| not seen there. There are we-authenncated
cases Of people living on the West SIDE VINO
| know who their Representative in Congress is
and who is their Assemblyman at Albany. This
| is a unique development in the history of this
CITY. There is probably no part OF the city
where live Western speculator would feel so
much at home as in the region OF from Central
| Park, where real estate offices are more pien1-
| full than saloons where the eye can hardly turn
in any direction without falling upon a fast
growing block Of buildings, where the cheerful
clink of the rock drills heard all day long, and
where the goat, the shanty, the big boulder and
the swamp are fast disappearing, to give place
| to long streets OF handsome dwellings.
Men talk Of Wichita booms and booms in
| Fort Scott, Los Angeles booms and boomS In
Seattle. Where is there such boom as that
of the West sideP The value of the houses
and buildings erected last year is estimated at
more than $4,000, 600, the year before at
moro than 81 20, 900, 600 the year before that at
more than $l5,OO0,OOO. II the figures OF the
real estate men are to be relied upon-and they
are probably approximately cOrrect-the total
value OF the houses and buildings erected in
this district during the last four years has con-
siderably exceeded $4,000, 900. But this IS
only a part Of the increase. The rapid growth
and settlement OF this part Of the city has had
the effect to stimulate greatly the price OF the
land that still remains to be occupied, as we'll
~ TINT which is already built upon. When the
effect OF this increase extending over the great
area from Fifty-ninth to One-hundred-and-
twenty-ifth st. and beyond, is taken into
account, II Is apparent that the increase in the
| taxable wealth Of the city has been enormous
These viyacious Western communities are in
clned 20 vote New-lork slow" but where IS
there another such boom? What If capitalists
In Wichita do buy lots for $4,000 after supper
and sell them for $4,000 before breakfast
What if the California farmer who has no
neighbors within sight can plot of his farm
| into city lots and sell them like hot Waflies
This big, overgrown, Indifferent town can
vaunt itself upon having the boom OF booms'
and can give lessons in the art of getting ny
and getting even to Kansas City.