Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-02
A SIGN OF PROGRESS.
Activity in Real Estate Breaks Out
in an Unexpected Quarter.
IT STRIKES THE FIFTH WARD.
Another Piece of Penn Avenue Property
GObbled at a Good Figure.
PROBABLE FAMINE In SMALL HOUSES

PROBABLE FAMINE In SMALL HOUSES
Activity in real estate has broken out IN
new quarter in the Fifth ward During
last week the square bounded by Webster,
Chatham, Denny alley and Tunnel street.
nine lois with Improvements, changed
hands, passing into the possession OF four
persons. Two of the lots were sold for
church site. Baxter, Thompson & Co., sold
four others tor an aggregate price OF so, ,5O0.
The purchasers will improve.
This IS the first movement toward improve
ment in that part of the city for many years.
Progress was reported in number of other
real estate deals yesterday, but in nearly every
case there was some hitch to serve as an excuse
for withholding information. The most I'M
portant transaction that reached the surface
was the sale of piece of Penn avenue business
property, No. 69l9, two stores and lot 26xl4o,
running through to Krkwood street, aud
owned BY Mrs. S1rah ]. Hamilton. for $4,000.
1t is understood that Messrs. Black q Baird
were the agents, and that the purchaser is con-
nected with one of the street railway COM
panies.
House renters were out in full force yester-
day afternoon. They literally swarmed on
Fourth avenue. From information obtained
from Mr.. Ledlle Gloninger, the demand ex-
ceeds that of all previous years. His firm
closed up about 500 leases during the week,
over 100 of them yesterday. Mr.. Gloninger
says rents have gone up on all classes of houses.
except the smaller tenements on side streets
and alleys. great many people have failed
to secure new quarters at anything like the
prices they have been paying, and ,have con-
cluded not to move.
Ii the present rush continues all the avalla-
BILE houses will be picked up before April !,
leaving the demand largely unsuppled. This
shows the necessity for more buildings to ena.
bic Pittsburg to spread out.
Suggestions without number have been and
are being made in regard to the selection of
site for the principal building for the Carnegie
Library. Here is one of them, made by 4
Fourth avenue Dank officer yesterday: Person
ally have nothing to gain or lose in the choice
OF SITE but in the interest of the people 1
trust it VIII be at neither end of the city, but
near the middle as possible. was talking with
a friend short time ago of the mistake made
in putting the Soldiers monument on the top
of difficult hill, entirely away from the drift
of travel and business have no doubt the
monument is fine piece CT work. but do not
know such to be the fact 1 have never had
time to visit it; neither has the gentleman with
whom was talking.
"The same is true of thousands of others.
To the large majority of the people of these
cities, the monument is more tradition than
fact. They have never seen it except at dis
tance. 1t will be the same with the library If
it had to be located at either extremity of the
CITY, 10 be useful for the people for whom it
is intended, it must be central"
A prominent business man of this city has
had the following rules printed on a card. which
he carries in his inside pocket. He says he has
followed them as closely as possible for years.
and thinks he is the better for it: Always let
your dealings with a stranger be most carefully
considered, A mean act will soon recoil, while
an act of heroism, even though not esteemed.
and perhaps wholly unknown, must inevitably
ennoble the actor. Leave tricks of trade to
those whose education was never completed.
Treat all with respect, confide IN few. and
wrong no man. The way to get credit is to be
punctual; the way to preserve it is not to use it
much. Settle often; have short accounts. Trust
not too much to appearances. Rogues gener-
ally dress shade or more better than well. Be
never afraid to say No; and be always prompt
to acknowledge and recrify wrong.
While there was no special buoyancy in the
regular lines of trade last week, there was
nothing particularly dlscouraging. Bad weather
and heavy roads were the principal drawbacks.
If Clearing House figures are reliable as a busi-
ness barometer. the volume of transactions dur
ing February broke all previous records for
that month. Excepting iron, on which there
were concessions, prices were well maintained.
The speculative markets were active and
lower. Oil broke to the lowest point for six
months under the continued influence of sue
cessful field developments and friction be-
tween producers and grangers. There was
nothing of special importance to affect the
values of local securities. and their weakness
was due to disposition among a few timid
holders to realize.
Sales agents of the various anthracite coal
producing companies will hold their regular
monthly meeting this week. The most mpor-
tant subject which will come up before the
board will be to take action on the April out
put. A canvass of the situation reveals the fact
that all the anthracite producers will agree to
limit the supply to 100000 tons less, unless
the condition of trade shall show signs of i'm
provement before the conference assemblies.
The Supreme Court of California has decided
that corporation for profit has no general lien
upon the stock of its subscribers not dependent
on possession, except to secure the payment Of
assessments levied for the purpose of paying
expenses. According to a decision of the Su-
preme Court of Minnesota mere wrtton ac-
knowledgnent of a sum due is not complete
contract in writing so TO exclude oral testi-
mony to contradict explain it, and the maker
of such a writing is not estopped by it as to
anyone who may purchase the supposed debt.
Railway earnings in the third week in Feb
ruary show the following gains over last year:
Mexican Central S44, ,97l, Canada Pacific SIS 000
St. Louis and San Francisco s2l 100, Norfolk
and Western sl9,096 Louisville, New Orleans
and Texas SIS, 4O7. Denver and Rio Grande
S1l, 900, Chicago and Eastern Illinois 81 10O Mil
waukee, Lake Shore and Western S., ,S62 st,
Paul SIS, 770. and Atchison for the second week
of February gain of sos 76O.
A third attempt to sell the county buildings
at auction yesterday, had the same result as
the former efforts. a small crowd was present.
and very little interest manifested. There was
only one bidder, Charles Humbert. He Of
fered S29.5C0 for the Criminal Court building
and $4,000 for the University building. This
was below the views of the officials and there
being probability of anything better, the
sale was indefinitely postponed.
Commissioner McWilliams said atterward
that the lowest price for the University build |
ing was $1,000 and s5e, 900 for the other.
VALUES TUMBLING.