Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-09

ESTATE oFFICEs-ANoTHERs SITE FOR RAILROAD
DEPors-oTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST.
Large sums Of money expended each
year in making subdivisions of land These
expenditures entirely independent of the
purchase money. The latter is the first outlay,
and then comes the next item of expense. which
is the cost of grading, opening streets. &c. The
increase in the size of the latter item is of
the noticeable features of recent suburban
| subdivision. There used to be a time when the
land was purchased, plot recorded
and in some way the location of
the streets indicated on the ground.
Perhaps in moment of extrava-
gance the owners would order a number of
painted board signs bearing the names of the
| streets to be set up and then he would sell off
the lots and turn his attention to something
| else. The elaborate system of grading and
| bringing the streets down to the level and
I making them of the same width and on line
with those in the city are features of suburban
subdivision which have only become prominent
within the past few years. Under the old sys-
tenn these subdivisions were regarded as de-
fects in the landscapes. and certainly they could
| lay no claim TO beauty But now it really adds
TO the attractlveness of the suburbs to have the
| land laid out with all the care that is bestowed
on hne lawn. The streets are rounded up
and finished with paved cutters like park
streets. Neat sidewalks are put down with grass
plots on both sides and a OF growing trees.
The terraces, when there are any, are sodded and
| their cool slopes attract the eye of the passer
by. All this costs money. but it does not rep
resent either the entire work or expenditure.
For nowadays the suburban resident wants
water In his house. and so beneath the sur
! face OF the ground water pipes are laid and
| sewer pipes. Then he is supplied with cleo
| trio lights or gaslight, and i'll not few i'll
| stances these suburban streets are paved with
| asphalt, Just like the city streets. 1t is true
| that IN proportion to the subdivisions already
| laid out the old style prevails to a larger ex-
| tent than the new style of making suburban
| subdivision. But this only indicates that to a
| certain extent the era of mere speculation has
passed, and now the period of solid improve
ments has been ushered in. or course land is
| still being subdivided without much regard for
the future, except in the particular where the
| law compels the laying out of streets to con-
form with the plan of the city. Nevertheless
! the movement Is very sensibly in the direction
| OF permanent homes in the suburbs. To only
| mention the more recent subdivisions visit
| to lexington, to kalorama, to Washington
| Heights and to Cleveland Heights will show at
| glance the new style in which the subur ban
| SUBDIVISIONS are being done.
THE CITY IN THE COUNTRY.
If the projectors carry out their plans the
| subdivision of Oak View will be of a similar
| character. short distance south. on the Ten
leytown road there is work in progress on the
subdivision known as Farview Heights Fine
| roads are to be made, sidewalks put down,
water and sewer pipes laid and, in order to
| give the proposed new settlement start some
cottages are going to be built. similar work
| Is In progress at Tunlaw Heights which is To-
Gated on the crest of the hill overlooking
Georgetown. The gentlemen interested in
these enterprises claim that they are making
arrangements so that people who build homes
| there VIII not be deprived of the conveniences
| OF city life. In two of the subdivisions men-
| toned asphalt pavements have been put down
! on some of the streets. One of the streets in
| another Is to be paved In the same style and
| there is no doubt that this kind of pavement
| VIII become more general in the suburbs
Inc amount of money that is invested in the
purchase OF the land and then the expenditures
| Tor improvements before sales are made are of
course far III excess of anything that was ever
| thought OF fifteen years ago, when the work Of
| suburban subdivision was beginning. The
| prices, however, have advanced. and now
| where so cents ls asked for land 10 cents was
| then the top price. As much 50 a square
foot has been paid for land outside of the city
| limits. But i'll such cases the land was Just
adjoining and practically an addition to
the city. In Kalorama land is neld
lots selling at 81 and upward On
| Washington Heights large block was recently
| purchased for 30 cents per foot and there have
been sales at S1.25 per foot Recently SI25
was paid for two lots fronting on l4th street ex-
| tended just south of Justice Harlan's house
These prices will serve to show that while
| more money is being expended In making sub
| divisions higher prices are obtained for the
| lots. In fact in the suburbs as well as in the
| city conditions are changing rapidly and busi-
ness and private life are being expanded to
meet the wants of growing population.
IN THE REAL ESTATE OFFICES.
| The bright young men who are employed in
real estate offices are trying their prentice
hands as real estate agents Just now. While
their employers are at the sea side and the
mountains they endeavor to hold up the Wash
| lngtOn end of the business, and In their opin-
ion they get along a good deal better than
| when the really truly real estate agent is at
| home. 1t is true that the business at this sea-
| son OF the year Is not rushing. Somehow
| money has a dislike to warm weather and when
| the heated season begins 1t seeks cooler Chimes
| The investors are not numerous and the real
| estate offices have an air of rest and repose
! that is not altogether unpleasant at this time
| OF the year. The young men in charge are
| clad in ligbt.cool-looking garments and leaning
| back in the Office chairs usually occupied by
| the members Of the firm they receive the
casual visitor with dignity and impsrt large
| areas OF information in such Impressive
| style that the listener feels as if he had been
presented with lot worth at least 50 per
| square foot The young man is apt to receive
with sheer any lntimatOn that the business
Is likely to suffer because of the absence of his
| boss. when he is at home" the young man
is free to state, ''he has to come to me when he
wants to know anything about the business III
l could only catch on to these big fellows and
induce them to invest as my boss does then the
| business would not need him at all" From
| which remark the inference is plain that the
| real estate agent is only drummer for the
business, which is carried on by his young
man. But then, the drummer in this case
rakes In the profits of the business. which
makes his position somewhat more endurable
than would appear at first sight.
| WHAT SOME PEOPLE TALK ABOUT.
There Is considerable interest manifested in
property in the section Of the city south of G
street and west of 18th street. The recent sale
| by the Metropolitan road Of a large part of the
| square at 18th street and New York avenue has
| stirred up the owners of property located there
| and others and there is a great deal OF gossip
| floating about. Ever since the work of re-
| claiming the Potomac river flats was begun
| there has been a steady advance of values in
| that section and at the same time a number
OF improvements have been made A good deal
| OF talk has been INDUCED in lately about the
railroads finding depot sites here. The rail-
| road connection between Washington and
Georgetown Is strongly advocated, and If such
| plan is carried out the road would extend
| along the river bank to the Long Bridge. In
| the event that the various railroad enterprises
| to the north Of Georgetown are carried out
they will depend for the most part on such a
! road for the southern connections. It