The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-03-22
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.
BUILDING ENTERPRISES WHICH
WOULD PAY IN WASHINGTON.
Maj. Ar mes Thinks More Apartment
Houses and Hotels and Another The
atre Offer Inducements to Inve stors
"A Suggestion for n Great Hotel.

sway back in '70,n said Mai. Armes to one
of THE SUNDAY HERALD's real estate men, ssI
prophesed that Washington would gradually
grow into the most beautiful and thriving
city on the American Continent-not thriving
in great manufacturing way, for Washing
ton is, and always will be, thoroughly social
city, if not great commercial one. To-day
fully realize the accuracy of my foretelling,
and pride myself on living in one of the
loveliest cities that the world has ever known.
Nor has it reached the climax of its beauty.
The spring of enterprise is perpetualin Wash
ington and improvement after improvement
is instituted with increasing and continual
frequency. Before many years the beautiful
hills which abound in the suburbs will be
dotted with villas. Both electrical and horse
car lines will be extended far beyond their
present limits, affording the residents of the
outlying sections easier access to the city,
where they may spend more evenings than
they do at present in pleasant social duties, or
to the unlimited array of amusements Wash
ington has within her bounds
'There is still in this city brilliant induce
ments for capitalists to erect large flats, and
hear that the erection of building of this order
is at present agitating the ever active brains of
some prominent citizens.
81 believe thatin some, though disconnected,
measure the credit of being instrumental in
inaugurating the first large apartment-house
belongs to me. 1t is this way: A long time
ago Ipersuaded my friend, Mr.. Edwin Weston,
of Yonkers, n. Y, to come to this city
aud rent furnished house for season. He
came and was so well pleased with the place
and the glowing future of commercial and real
estate interests, that he built an elegant home
for himself, and shortly afterwards erected the
magnificent Portland Flats.
''While we have numerous excellent hotels
in this city, many of which are of the best to be
found in any country, still it seems to me that
there is plenty of room for others, and | do not
doubt but what there shortly will be others in
the course of construction. There is plenty of
money in such enterprises, as there is in most
of the legitimate enterprises set on foot in the
District. [ know of one hotel proprietor who
has realized $1,000,000, and that in compar-
atively short time. | also think that another
good theatre, although we have several, would
be good investment, and wouldn't be at all
surprised if one should be put up before many
months have elapsed.
81 have recently subdiyided fifty or sixty
acres IN the northwest, directly north of Oak
View. This ground is plateau, which adj
mits of one of the loveliest views imaginable.
Here may be seen the mountains in Virginia,
Soldiers Home, and many of nature's most
beautiful spots
"My idea in regard to new hotel here
would be the erection of palace hotel, run
on the European plan, and containing apart
ments and serving food such as would be suit
able to the purses and tastes of all sorts and
conditions of men and women. There are
thousands of people who do not come to
Washington in these days of ours who such
scheme would bring, not only as visitors but
as residents. OF course it would necessitate
the construction of tremendous building,
but am sure the necessary capital could be
raised were few energetic business men and
capitalists to undertake it.'