Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-31
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.
Street Railroads In the Development of
the Suburbs.

tno S0OurOSs
NKcrIcUr AVENUE TO THK DISTRICT LINE-A
CROSS COUNTRY LINE TO THE CONDUIT ROAD
OTHER MATTERS OF INrEREsr
In the development of the suburbs street rail-
ways will assume in the future an important
part The growth in population outside Of the
city limits has been thus far mainly confined to
the sections bordering on the city and along the
lines Of the steam railroads. Branch lines of
existing street railways have been in operation
for some years on the It'll street road and on the
18th street road for short distances beyond the
city limits. The extension Of the former branch
line to Brightwood has recently been effected
and the lexington electric road has been built
These roads constitute all the suburban street
railway facilities which the city now has. But
from the applications made to Congress for au-
thorIty to construct railroad lines connecting the
city with the country i: is evident that the field
Is regarded as promising one. An important
move in this direction is the authority given by
the bill recently approved by the President to
the Rock Creek Railroad Company to build an
electric road The line of this road begins at
the head OF Connecticut avenue and ends at the
District line, where Connecticut avenue ex-
tended ends. The persons owning the controll-
ing interest in this road are also largely inter-
ested In the property along its proposed route,
the greater portion of which has never been
developed. 1t has only been recently that the
lines for the extension of Connecticut avenue
beyond Rock creek have been determined by
surveys. The company intends to open and
grade the avenue from the northern limits Of
Woodley Park all the way out to the District
line. The new road will pass near the main
entrance of the new Geological Park. new
bridge will be built across Rock creek a short
distance south of the Adams Mill road.
1t is stated by those interested in the road that
its construction forms only part of compre-
hensive system of improvements which will
effect marked changes in all that region. The
management of the road is practically identi-
cal with what is known as the California syndi-
cate. The name is, however, something of a
mIsnomer, as the controlling interest in all the
property purchased by what is known as the
u. Newlands of Nevada. who represents the
Sharon estate In addition to having acquired
nearly all the property along the line Of Con-
nectlcut avenue extended, Mr.. Newlands, as
has been stated in The STAR, has purchased
large tracts Of land on the other side of the
District line in Maryland. He owns a tract of
about 1000 acres at the head Of Connecticut
avenue extended in Maryland and here will be
the northern terminus Of the new railroad
line 1t is proposed to subdivide this land and
establish there q suburban settlement. Along
Connecticut avenue extended Mr.. Newlands
owns about $50 acres of land and it is the in
tention to develop that property. The series
OF purchases represented by these holdings
constitutes the most extensive real estate trans
actions ever made In this District, and the
plans now to be carried out comprise not only
the building of the railroad but other means of
developing the property on the same magnifi-
cent scale as that III which the original purchase
was made. MIR. Newlands, through his agents
Ihos j. Fisher Co., has already subdivided
and placed on the market the Oak View prop
erty and has only fairly begun the execution OF
bis plans.
AN ELECTRIC ROAD TO ROCKVILLE.
As may be seen by consulting q map Of the
District the new railroad along Connecticut
avenue will run parallel with the Georgetown
and Tenleytown electric road on the Tenley-
town road, which is now being completed to
the District line. From this latter point it is
proposed by those who have recently acquired
large tracts of land in the vicinity of Bethesda
to build an electric road along the old turnpike
with the view Of ultimately extending il all
the way to Rockville. This proposed road will
form u junction with the Tenleytown electric
road at the District line, or rather will be
continuation Of it. In the event that the Bal
timore and Ohio Railroad Company build their
line from Knowles Station on the Metropolitan
Branch, to the Potomac river it will pass
through this section, that is if the line of the
surveys already made be followed This addi-
ton to the railroad facilities WILL it is believed
be very important
CROSS COUNTRY ROAD.
Still another electric road is being built to
connect with the Tenlytown electric road at
the District line. The Messrs E. and E. Baltz-
ley, who a couple Of years ago acquired large
tract Of land along the Conduit road this side
of Cabin John Bridge, are the projectors of
this new road. Ii will start from a point on
| the Conduit road about midway in their prop
erfv Nvh has fr,n 6
on that road The line will then continue
through the fields, distance of about three
miles, to the District line and its junction with
the Tenlytown electric road. The contractor
Mr.. George Killeen, has already completed the
grading OF the road for about half the distance
and the work of laying the rails on the upper
end will soon begin. The completion of this
road and that of tho Tenleytown electric road
will furnish rapid and easy communication be-
tween the city and the Rhine country of Wash
lngton as the mountainous region of the upper
Potomac is frequently termed The Messrs
Baltzley are building this road for the purpose
of developing their property and enabling the
people OF Washington to enjoy the picturesque
surroundings which the beautiful river scenery
affords.
A PICTURESQUE BUILDING.
Across the Conduit road from the terminus
Of the new road they are now erecting hand
some building, surrounded with pavilions
which will be pleasure resort The building
is finished in the rustic style, and is an elab-
crate piece of work. The architect Mr. Ed
ward Hailowell, has used fir trees in their nat
ural state in the construction Of the peaked
roofs of the pavilions and in the construction of
the stairways and the fronts of the balconies
The effect is pleasing and novel, and the design
of the building is we'll suited to the great nat
ural beauty of its location. 1t stands on high
ledge overlooking the river which ID broad at
this point and diversified with islands The
deeply wooded hills on the Virginia shore and
| the river view in both directions are feat
| ures of the outlook which will commend the
selection of this location to visitors The
Arcade. as it is called, is separated from the
| road by woods, through which a mountain
stream sparkles and murmurs until it finds
rest in the river at the foot of the ledge. On
| the other side of the Conduit road lies the
! main portion of the land in the Glen Echo sub
division. as it is called. The Messrs Baltzley
state that ii is their intention to erect large
! a park where building sites will be laid of.
They state also that several purchasers of lots
intend TO erect residences there.
Mr.. d. II. wARNER's PURCHASES
The Jones tract of land at Knowles Station.
on the Metropolitan Branch, containing 1876
acres, which Mr.. b. II. Warner and others re-
Gently purchased, is now being subdlvided into
villa sites. The name OF the station will be
changed 10 kensington- The natural advan-
taken into consideration i'll making tine sub
division Mr. Warner has purchased the
wheatey and Mitchell places, which are To-
al To ha at of the Jonas tract Thev oop-