The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-06-28
OUT SEVENTH STREET.
CAUSES WHICH HAVE STARTED A
NEW ERA FOR THE REGION.
The Anti-Pool Law and the one-NiIe-
Limit Law Are Having Good Erect
improvements and Developments Un-
der way.

estate transactions is the manner in which
activity in sales jumps from one section Of
the city to the other, and there the interest
Of every local agent is attracted for the time
being. Finally the property is all taken up or
held by the owners at prices too high for the
purchaser Of ordinary means and then new
field is sought. For some time, perhaps, the
market is firm but dull, and few transfers are
made. At first small sales begin to be re-
corded in certain neighborhood, attention is
turned toward the eligibility of this location,
and within a short time there is a boom in
that section and everyone becomes at once
interested in that vicinity.
Real estate investors are now watching
closely the progress of Seventh street, just be-
low Florida avenue, and Seventh street ex-
tended as far as Brightwood. There have
been number of transactions along this
street recently, and people are looking for
ward to the future of the region. For many
years Seventh street, near the Boundary, and
beyond it, has been looked upon as section
that was occupied by class of people who
would have to be removed almost entirely
before any advance in the value of land could
be hoped for. The idea of this section be-
coming prominent one was almost aband-
oned and little interest in it was taken. The
last Congress, however, saw the depressing
influence the nature of the business places
along the street exerted, and by the passage
of two very short acts made the possibilities
of this street equal TO that OF any other in
Washington. The first Of these was the pool
bill, which closed "Monte Carlo" and swept
away from that locality an element which is
always injurious to the welfare of any COM
munity. The effect was immediate, and al
most upon the passage Of the bill wealthy
syndicates purchased large tracts along this
thoroughfare.
Especial interest in this locality was not
really awakened, however. until Congress
passed the bill prohibiting the sale of intoxi-
eating liquor within mile of the Soldiers
Home grounds. This covered an immense
area and speculation in real estate within its
scope became ripe. The first large transaction
was the sale of the Scheutzen Park property
which will be subdivided shortly and placed on
the market Shortly thereafter the large tract
of land containing about 100 acres known now
as Todd & Browns subdivision was opened
for investment.
For some time the intent of the mile limit
law as to where the measurement should be-
gin was discussed by the Commissioners. A
decision was reached and the abandonment by
the liquor dealers of an attempt to test the
law makes its enforcement certainty and the
moral cleaning of the area affected by it an
assured fact. This is the influence which is
directing the attention of the real estate
agents to the probabilities of this section
of the District. With the pool-rooms
and liquor saloons gone its advantages are at
once apparent. The attractiveness of it for
the hordes of negroes whose regulations at
least are dubious is lost, and with the grow
ing demand for their property it will not be
long before this neighborhood is entirely rid
Of this element The accessibility of property
lying along Seventh street, which is always
an important factor, is already settled. The
cable cars run as far as the boundary and
from there line of horse cars run as far as
Brightwood. Besides this the pneumatic
road, which thus far has not proven q success,
is still being experimental with, and those
interested believe they will soon overcome
the obstacles which they have found In their
way. With this road In running order all the
property along it is within easy reach
The last Congress appropriated $4,000 for
the improvement of Seventh street extended
and this work is going rapidly forward. Pre-
vious to this the street had been paved with
Belgian block and brick sidewalks laid as far
as Irving street, which is well toward the top
Of the hill beyond the car stables. When the
work now provided for is completed Seventh
street will be paved with Belgian block and
brick sidewalks will be constructed as far as
the Soldiers Home. Beyond this the grading
for walk on the east side of Seventh street,
or Brightwood avenue, as it is known above
Whitney avenue, is being done at private ex-
pense. Another fact which carries consider
able weight with those who believe that SeV-
enth street is to rapidly improve IN attractive
ness and in the value of property adjacent to it,
is that this street is the great inlet for all the
farm product Of that large farming area in
Maryland to the north of this city. Every day
wagon after wagon passes over this highway,
bringing in all the products of the farm.
Besides the Scheutzen Park subdivision and
that OF Todd d. Brown, number of other
tracts lie along this coming street which have
been subdiVided and placed on the market at
easy prices and in which many sales have re-
Gently been made. Among these is the
Howard University subdivision, from the loca-
ton of which on hill a commanding view
can be obtained of the beauty of the surround
ing country.
Farther out at the intersection Of Seventh
street and the road running along the
northern side of the Soldiers Home is Pet
worth. All the grading Of this property has
been completed and the streets run through