Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-03
STILL REACHING OUT.
More Light Let in on the Operations
of a Great Syndicate.
THE TWENFY-THIRD WARD DEAL.
Activity in Lands and Houses in as Well as
on all Sides of the City.
NEW DISTRICTS COMING TO THE FRONT

Their latest purchases in that district ioot
up over $780, This is not park prop
erty, but 1t lies along Greenfield and Saline
avenues, the lines upon which they secured
from the city rights Of way for an electric
railway. This, in connection with other
sales extending toward Brown station, on
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, look very
much as though the bridge from Browns 10
Homestead would be commenced within the
year and the cut off of three miles to the
city would be taken advantage of by the pur-
chasers OF the City Farm. Agents OF the
Thompson-Houston Electric Company have
been over the ground on foot, and are supposed
to be stockholders in the road; and now that,
the rights of way have been secured. they do
not hesitate to say that there is no good reason
why 16, 600 people living in Homestead should
not reach the Court House over ive-mile
route at half the present cost In car fare. Sam
s. Brown refuses to sell anything In that part
Of the city, and his holding is the largest.
The Second Avenue Electric Railway Com
| pany naturally expected much of the Home
| stead traffic. but recent movements show that
with bridge from Homestead terminating on
the bluff bank at Brown station, the Duquesne
Company expect to control the bulk of traftic,
and to divert 1t from the Second Avenue and
Baltimore and Ohio to the "short cut'' north OF
| the new cemetery and along Greenfield avenue
to Forbes and Craft, and thence via Forbes
over the main line Of the Duquesne Company.
The recent large transfers in this direction, the
sale Of the City Farm, and the large offer for
cemetery property. coupled with the fact that
Mr.. Burchfield holds the bridge charter and is
still purchasing Tventy.third ward land, means
great deal that cannot be written. Land on
the hillside that was offered in May for 81, 600
per acre, is now held at $1,000
Activity All Along the Line.
But activity in realty is not confined to the
| Twenty-thIrd ward, as some may infer from
| the frequent notices of movements in that
quarter. syndicates, large and small, as well
as individuals, are operating in all parts Of the
city and suburbs, and the amount of property
daily changing hands is larger than the pub
| lished reports lead the public to believe. Con-
siderable of the trading is on the quiet, to pre-
vent owners from getting tips and advancing
prices Movements IN new districts are con-
Quoted with the utmost secresy to disarm sus-
| picion of anything unusual going on. Real
estate brokers work best in fog bank.
Up to quite recent date a transaction on
the southside was q novelty but a change has
| taken place over there, and sales are as fire.
quent as in any other locality in or around the
city. The credit for this improvement is
| largely due to the business men, who are cater
| ing to local pride with view to popularizng
| better class of dwellings,. and the adoption
| generally of better methods of living. They
| have succeeded beyond their expectations; and
| the movement thus inaugurated, as much from
| philanthropic as mercenary motives, gives
every promise of converting the hilltops and
broad reaches beyond into one of the most
| desirable residence localities in the county.
| ayta of nj tran m
progress will hasten this consummation.
| The East End will soon have q formidable
| rival in the district down the Fort Wayne Rail-
| road. of which Ellsworth is the center. 1t has
caught the spirit of improvement and cut loose
| from the conservative policy of the older citi-
| zens, which was safe, but not progressive
| enough to. suit the younger generation. A
| great change has been effected there within
| the past two years, but 1t is only the prelude to
better things and more rapid growth. One
probably two, electric roads will be in operation
| to Ellsworth or beyond in about year. These,
| by affording ample facilities for going and
coming, will hasten settlement and accelerate
Improvement The district is unsurpassed by
any other for healthfulness and beauty Of
scenery. Sales of acreage and building sites
| there during the past six months foot up about
S25O.000 Many handsome residences have been
completed and number of others are under
way.
Everybody knows that there is an active
movement in business and residence property
in the city proper. This is shown by the daily
reports of sales and of the Building Inspector,
| Up at Wilmerding and Walls some heavy
transactions took place during the week. which
| aggregated in the neighborhood of $3.50 O0O
| Extensive improvements are in progress and
contemplated at both places, which will keep
alive the interest In realty and lead to rapid
settlement. These are colonies of the city and
promise to be worthy chips of the old block.
Business News and Gossip.
A perusal of real estate matters In this
column will convince the most skeptical that
there is good deal doing for the hot weather
period
The number of mortgages on file for record
| yesterday was 23 the largest of which was for
| $4,000 Seven were for purchase money.
John B. Larkin & Co. report the fire insur-
ance interest picking up. There is great deal
of new business incident to the building boom.
There were no special features in oil or stocks
during the week. Both were dull and steady
Brokers are banking on a revival of interest as
soon as the weather gets off its high horse.
There is good demand for acreage in the
suburbs. A Smithfeld street firm remarked
yesterday: "We are just itching for large
| tract to sub-divide."
Robinson & Orr sold So 500 Bellevue school
~ per cent bonds at a private figure. Henry
M. Long sold 200 shares Westinghouse Electric
rights at 45 cents.
Nothing has been said about starting a real
estate exchange here for so long that the best
friends Of the scheme have given up all hopes
Of success Twill be ever thus until the barrier
on Fourth avenue is torn away.
A leader is wanted to stir up things IN the
Grant street district. Even st. Peters Church
has ceased to be a drawing card, so much
dead property Is out Of tune with the rest of
the city.
| Seventy-nine new buildings last week did
very well for dog days. 1t was nearly up to the
June pitch.
The streets were full Of business yesterday,
Notwithstanding the intense heat. When for
tune smiles the weather has to stand aside.
| 80
| Movements In Real Estate
Brown q Saint, assisted by Baxter, THOMPSON
d Co. and Hamnet d Meredith, sold IS lots in
Mellon Bros.' plan at Walls station YESTERDAY,
The total sales were s2S.0OO. 1t was their open
ing day for this plan. and special train was
run to accommodate the purchasers from and
to the city. This plan adjoins the property of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. and is
near the new roundhouse and shops.
Peter Shields found customer during the
week for piece Of business property on Fifth
avenue near High street The price was $40,
600. One or two other deals are pending in the
same locality.
The Twenty-third ward deal reported yester-
day grows in Importance. It included the
House and Schwan properties and five acres
belonging to another tract, making 20 acres in
all. The price realized was SIS 900, the pur-
| chasers being the SchenIey Park Land Im-