The Washington critic. (Washington City, D.C.) 1890-1890, 1890-02-16
BOOM IN REAL ESTATE.
WoopLEY LANE PROPERTY SOLD
FOR $4,000 AN ACRE.
improvement of PennsyiVania Rail
road Terminal Faciiities--Ma'tby
IIats iIugation- Patrol for
Wasbington--Iinpo sales

S1C.OOO pei acre, i MS IS the MgnesJ
price over paid for acre land in the
District
The property in question Is the five
acres lying ON the Woodley Lane Road,
north of Washington Heights and west
of the residence of Mr.. 9. s. Shedd. IL
was bought by Mr. +. II. G. White of
New York, through Mr.. j. B. Winner
The work of subdividing into lots,
grading and improving will be com
nenced at once, and the property will
be on the market in the spring. 1t
will lie directly upon the route of the
proposed cable railway which the
"Californin syndicate" as II Is known
on the street, claims will be built upon
the extension Of Connecticut avenue.
The Pennsylvania Railroad has for
some time been contemplating import.
ant changes iu its terminal facilities
in this city. Ii is said q determination
has been reached by the company to
change the grade of the road through
the city, probably making the track
above grade. This can be done by
throwing up an embankment along the
present line of route, about fifteen feet
high and wide enough to accommodate
several tracks.
For some time past The company has
been making purchases of property in
South Washington contiguous to its
line from Four.and.a half street east
ward. Agents are still obtaining op-
tions on more valuable property, with
view to holding the same until the
| company has definitely decided its plans
of improvement, which will include, it
is understood. the erection of new
freight depot.
A track passing through this part of
the city above grade, as is done in en-
tering the Broad-street Station in Phila-
delphia, would provide the citizens
with greater degree of safety from
accidents at crossings and enable the
fast express trains to make better time.
1t is likely the big Maltby Flats, op-
posite the Capitol, at New Jersey ave-
nue. and b streets, will remain vacant
for some time to come Numerous APP
plications have been made to the agents
for ten and twenty year leases ON this
property by persons desiring to open the
flats as hotel, but all such overtures
have been refused of necessity. The
agents have no authority to make such
lease on account of the litigation over
the property.
The flats were built by Maltby G.
Lane, a New York millionaire. Al
| though q citizen of New York, he was
vestmeDts. He was one of the largest
stockholders in the Washington and
| Georgetown Railroad, and it is said
was mainly instrumental in the COM
pany obtaining its original charter.
Soon after the Maltby flats were built
Mr.. Lane died. He left an immense
estate in realty, stocks and bonds.
Every dollar of it was willed to his sec
ond wife, whom he had married but
about a year previous. The children
by his first wife and his grandchildren
were cut off entirely. Naturally, they
contested the WILL and the property
now remains dormant in the hands Of
the executors, while the litigation goes
on, and the lawyers are slicing Off
their big fees.
This particular piece of property is a
most desirable one and several persons
are watching developments in the lit
igation to secure q lease of the house as
soon as they can.
The valuable lot at the northeast cor
ner of Massachusetts, avenue aud
Twentieth street, adjoining Stewart
Castle" has been sold by Messrs. Adj
Olson & Larcombe to Mrs. Hunt of New
York, who will soon commence the
erection of palatial residence thereon.
The mansion will be q gem of modern
architecture, it is understood, and with
the big Blaine house, now leased by the
Letters, on one corner, and Senator
Stewart's palace on the other, will make
an imposing group of residences.
Colonel Blount has broken ground on
the lot which he recently bought from
Addison u Larcombe on the north side
of Massachusetts avenue, between Sew,
enteenth and Eighteenth streets, for his
residence, plans OF which are now
ready, and work will proceed rapidly
Colonel Blounts house will be on pal
with the number of costly residences
which line the Avenue in this section
and in architectural design will present
many strikingly new features.
Architect Robert Stead has prepared
which Mrs. Annie Y. Barber will sub
stitute for the brick front of her house
1741 Rhode Island avenue. A feature
of the improvement will be fight o
brown-stone front steps at the approach
to the front door. Two steps will lea(
from the pavement to stone platform
then turn to the left leads to thre,
steps up to broader stone platform
and turn to the right reaches the from
door. The new stone front will eXten(
the entire height Of the house.
The Board of Fire Underwriters O
this city have about determined Il
establish fire patrol or salvage corps
similar to those existing in other larg
cities, for the protection of stocks o
merchandise in burning build
ings. The secretary of the boart
has been in communication will
: the Pittsburg Board of Underwriters
who are supporting q salvage corps
and has obtained an estimate of th
cost. II is learned that an efilcien
| corps can be equipped at cost o
I about $4,000 and maintained for abou
$1,000 per year. Such corps woul
comprise q half.dozen men, hors
and wagon, ladders, buckets, an
, about 100 tarpaulins TO throw owe
. stocks of goods and preserve ther
from damage by water and smoke.
Ifthe board can negotiate with the Con
missioners to give the corps accommC
dations in some one Of the centrally loct
ted engine houses it is probable it will L
established at once. The salvage corr
will respond to fire alarm in the bus
ness portion of the city, and upon a,
r irving at fire will devote its attentio