Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-06-15
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.
Active Building Operations Tempo
rarily Checked by the Recent Floods.

rarily Checked by the Recent Floods.
SECRETARY OF THE NAVY TRACY TO rxLARaE
HIS RESIDENCE N THIS crTY-NoTEs or ~
PRovENHsrs now IN PROGRESS IN pIFFERKSr
/ SECTIONS OF THE CITE. - .,r..
Building operations have been checked con-
siderabiy by the damage caused by the recent
floods. The supplies Of brick from the many
yards on the Virginia side Of the river have
been stopped almost altogether. When the
brick men sent their teams to the city by
way of the Aqueduct bridge. Owing to the
recent rains and the constant use of the coun-
try road between the Long bridge and the
Aqueduct bridge it has become practically i'm
passabie for loaded wagons. The brick-makers
whose yards are located in the eastern part Of
the city have not been deprived of communica-
ton with their customers, but the supply
Of Cumberland COAL which was for
merly brought to the city on the canal
is nearly exhausted. The consequence
is that they have been unable to fill extra
orders: The fact is that for the past four days
at least there has been u sort Of brick famine.
1t Is expected, however. that coal will be more
plentiful next week, and then the brick-makers
who are independent Of the Long bridge can
start the fires in new kilns. As for those who
are on the other side of the Potomac, there is
not much hope or prospect until the roadway
in the bridge is fit for use, and some of the
brick men are afraid that at the present rate of
progress some time will elapse before the work
is completed.
Other building supplies are not plentiful, as
the railroads still confne their traffic mainly to
passengers and perishable articles. Building
has very generally come to a standstill 1t is
believed, however, that this is only temporary,
and so far the stoppage of work has not been
felt seriously, because outdoor work would
have been interrupted by the constant rains
anyhow. Those engaged in building who have
special reasons for wishing to complete their
buildings promptly have been very impatient
at these enforced delays. One builder, a few
days ago, offered a brick man 910 thousand
for brick in addition to the regular price. Al
though the offer was tempting one, yet it
could not be accepted as the bricks could not
be delivered. There has been no advance in
prices as yet, although it is probable that there
will be slight increase.
WHAT BUILDERS AND ARCHITECTS SAY.
Prominent builders are Of the opinion that
the increase in prices will not be such as to
materially affect the cost of building. While
the shutting off of the canal deprives the mar
ket of the supplies of stone. cement and lime
obtained from the country along the upper
Potomac, yet it is thought that the demand
will be met about as cheaply by dealers in the
north and west who have already considerable
custom here. The architects say that they
have not noticed any difference in estimates
made by contractors since the recent floods
and those made before. They seem to think
that there is no good reason why building
should be more expensive.
THE SUMMER REAL ESTATE MAN.
The active real estate man as o rule does not
care to rely upon an estimate of the condition
of the market based upon the business done in
his office. He wants to know how his neigh
Dor is doing and what he thinks. There is per-
haps more inquiry on this subject among real
estate men than among any other class, al
though they are supposed to know all about it,
The best posted men seem to regard the present
condition of affairs as very favorable. They
say that no big transactions are being made,
hands, and while the amounts involved are
comparatively small, yet the sum total shows q
large volume of business.
One real estate dealer told STAR re-
porter the other day that he had a
client who had 100000 in cash which
he intended to invest in real estate when a good
chance offered. HE is not waiting for bar
gain especially" said the dealer, but he would
buy anything that gave reasonable promise
OF turning out well. l know that other dealers
have the same kind of clients, and so you see
this is an encouragement for a man to exert
himself" As the hot weather comes Oh the
real estate market becomes rather languid, and
even the active hustlcrs occasionally feel tired
and sit down in the shade of their offices and
try to get up breeze with fan. They then
begin to talk about joining their families at the
seashore or the mountain, and they generally
announce that they are going to stay away all
summer, business be hanged" Some of them
have their own cottages, while others make
terms with a prospective landlord or landlady.
Two real estate men have already gone.
II - talf
are in Asheville, N. G., for the benefit Of their
health. so they announced when they went
away, but it is currently reported that they are
going to embark III some real estate enterprise
down there that will make the real estate men
in that town open their eyes. If q real lively
real estate boom should strike some place on
the sea side just now it would enlist the active
assistance of good many Washington real
estate men.
SOME NEW M-sTREET HOUSES.
Mr.. W. Bruce Gray is preparing plans for a
residence which DIR. Charles E. Hagner pur.
poses to build on NJ street, east of Connecticut
avenue. As stated in THE STAR. Dr. Hagner
has sold his present residence to Hon. Levi p.
Morton, who owns the large apartment house
adjoining, at the corner Of 18th and NJ streets.
The portion of VI street between Connecticut
avenue and 18th street is being very hand
somely improved-a fine residence is being
built for Mrs. James Carlisle, and adjoining il
DIR. Curry the ex-mnister TO Spain, will begin
soon the building of home for himself A
house being erected in the locality is rather
odd in appearance The entire front is OF buff
brick. with white marble trimmings. 1t is the
only house in the city where bricks Of this
color are used in the exterior. As the com
bination of colors would Indicate the house is
built in the colonial style. Quaint. old-fash.
| Toned carved posts support the frame-wo rk OF
the doorway. The interior is handsomely fin
ished i'll the same style, the woodwork of the
door and window holdings being finely decora.
| ted with delicate wood carving.
ENLARGIyG SECRETARY TRAcY's HOUSE.
On Monday next the work of charging ant
improving the residence of Paymaster Bacon
on Farragut square, recently purchased by
Mr.. Tracy. the Secretary of the Navy, will be
begun. The house, like the adjoining one occu
pied by Judge Cox which it greatly resembles
Is built in substantial manner. When it was
| erected some years ago the French roof was
the prevailing style in house architecture, al
indicated i'll the fine houses erected by ex-Gov
Shepherd. and In other houses in the same
vicinity. The architect, Mr.. John Fraser. fol
| lowed the style, and now he is going tc
remodel the front by taking off the
in its place. The bay window will
and large arch spanning the window. A
| which will be made on the east side of the
house and which will occupy space of IL feet.
| The frontage of the house ut present is 26 feet
and the plan of alterations proposes to add Ii
| feet to the frontage. The present arrange
pf ia Mt moi ha obs