Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-20
A CHANGE OF BASE.
Additional Reasons for Cutting Loose
From the Business Center.
GOOD RESULTS POINTED OUT.
Oil Unexpectedly Struck by Tidal Wave
and Advances Seven Cents.
THE NEWS AND GOSSIP OF THE CITY

THE NEWS AND GOSSIP OF THE CITY
The remarks in this column yesterday on
the necessity of enlarging the business area
of the city caused considerable talk in GER
tain quarters. While all admitted the
pressing need OF more room for the transac-
tion of the growing trade of the city, there
were those who held that change of loca-
ton would be ruinous to those who led the
way, and in proof of this cited the instance
OF prominent drygoods firm which moved
IRON Fifth avenue to Wood street few
years ago, and lost so much of its trade that
it was glad to get back to the old stand on any
terms the landlord saw fit to impose.
VI course there are exceptions to all rules.
The firm in question had done business on
Filth avenue for SO many years that it had be-
come attached to it. and probably omitted the
necessary effort to compel success in the new
location. But things have changed since then.
Rapid transit has so multiplied that one street
is as easily reached as another, and il the same
hrm were to repeat the experiment of chang
ing the scene of its operations to the very spot
which proved SO disastrous before, there is
every reason to believe that success would
crown the venture.
AS an offset to this failure to carry trade to
new locality two instances may be mentioned
which had an entirely different resnlt. A lady
in business on Market street was SO oppressed
by rent that she sought and found location
on Penn avenue. Her customers not only fol-
lowed her. but she secured many others, and
prospered SO uninterruptedly that she is now
In affiuent circumstances. Not long ago she
bought two fine properties in the East End.
The other case referred to is that of a dealer
in hone on1nf all nn1c fa,r
pied stand on Wood street. below Fifth ave-
nue., but the rent was SO high that it wiped out
the bulk of his profits. He bought
lot on Penn avenue and nut a fine
building on it. which he has SINCE occupied.
The change was the making of him. as the say
ing is, and he is now classed among the solid
men of the city. Numerous other cases might
be cited where change of location has pro-
duced equally happy results. a gentleman in
business on Sixth street for many years need
ing more room and feeling that he was paying
more rent than he could well afford, secured a
stand on Fifth avenue. few squares beyond
the Court House, and prospered from the
start. He thinks the change was the best
thing he ever did. The territory above Grant
street as far out as East Liberty and Oakland
is SO thickly populated as to afford business
openings in lavish profusion. The West End
and the Southside are also rich in opportunities.
That there must be breaking away from
the present business center at no distant time
is so obvious as to be generally admitted, Does
it never occur to those who cling to the old
will have peculiar advantages in the way of
building up trade. and will secure the cream of
it before their competitors get fairly estab-
lished? The dispersion of business is desirable
in every way. 1t would allow OF indefinite ex-
pausion. reduce rents accommodate BUYERS
and accelerate the material growth OF the city.
Business News and Gossip.
Notes always fall due. Thoughtless people
should make a note of this.
Real estate is in better shape than at the
close of any previous year in the history of the
city.
Mr.. c. Beringer, of c. Beringer & Son, re-
turned from the South yesterday. While there
he closed the sale of 20 600 acres of mineral and
timber land-9,00O acres in Kentucky and Il, 900
in Tennessee. reserving for himself farm of
l50 acres in each tract
Deals IN many large properties which have
been hung up for some time. will be taken
down soon after the New Year bells stop ring
ing.
1t is conceded on all sides that by the middle
of January the money market will be easy
enough to give everybody a chance to show his
mettle.
Black & Baird have just received COM
munication from the largest retail drygoods
firm in New York City, to the effect that they
are desrous of establishing a branch store
here, and asking for a suitable stand on one of
the best streets, Fifth avenue preferred They
require at least 101 feet front. There are no
such places obtainable here at present. and the
firm was SO informed. This should stir up
owners of tumble-down or antiquated buildings
to tear them down and put up good ones
There are many things suitable for Christmas
presents, but nothing would be priced more as
a gift from man TO wife than q building lot
1t would be a nest egg for the entire family.
The largest of e mortgages on file yesterday
was for Sll,OO0 Seven were for purchase
money.
The various savings banks report large in
crease in deposits, but the notices for with
drawAls for the next week are also more numer-
Gus than usual. showing people anticipate
making unusually large holiday presents.
The Building Record.
Builders were so completely knocked out by
the storm that the weekly list of permits will
be the smallest of the year. Three were issued
yesterday:
Mrs. Zern. frame addition one-story dwelling
9xl2 feet, on Spring alley. Ninth ward, Cost,
$50.
Philip Mueller, frame addition one-story
kitchen, 12xl3 feet On Excelsior street. Thirty
first ward. Cost, SlOO.
Mercy Hospital, brick and stone addition two-
story hospital. 2ix2O feet on Stevenson street.
Sixth ward. Cost, $500.
Movements in Realty.
James w. Drape & Co sold house and lot in
the East End. near Ro1p station, for Sc. 900
cash: also two houses and lots in Allegheny
near North avenue. for $3.50.
Brown & Saint sold to F. NJ. Luton lot No
II. in the Bank of Commerce addition plan.
Brushton, fronting so feet on the west side of
Brushton avenue. near Kelly street. and ex
tending back l30 feet to a 20-foot alley. for
Sl,050.
Black Baird sold for George S. Elbourne
new frame dwelling on Ivv street, East End
with lot 49xl20 feet, for S.. 500.
]. b. larkin & Co. sold To Benjamin Jefferson
for Michael McNally, on Gazzam and Ali
Quippa streets. Fourteenth ward, small frame
house with lot 25x96 feet, for $50
Thomas Liggett sold 4 piece of land, one and
one-thrd acres. adjoining Park View plan.
Fourteenth ward. for $500. 1t will be sub
divided.
Allies & Bailey sold at public auction for the
United States Treasury Department all the ac-
cumulated material of the past ten years
around the new postoffice, including the
fence. for $1,000 cash.
A. u. Byers & Co. sold for Reuben Miller to a
resident of Moon township lot No. l in the
Reuben Miller plan of lots Coraopolis. Pitts
burg and Lake Erie Railroad being in size
27xl65, running through from State avenue to
Fifth avenue, for $1,000 cash.
w. A. Heron & Sons sold house No. 2l2
Coltart Square, Oakland, for 81, 800. The house
has nine rooms, all modern conveniences, and
well improved; first story brick and second
story frame.
UP IT GOES.
Oil Advances Several Cents, With Indica-