Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-19
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.
Some Suggestions as to \ Great Public Hall
in This City.

in Ms Stty.
THE COMING SPRING SEASON IN THE REAL ESTATE
MARKET AND WHAT THE PROPHETS SAT- ABOUT
Ir-''sSAPs' IN REALTY AND HOW THEY ARE
TAKEN uP-oTHzR MATTEBs.
1t is not altogether to the credit Of city like
Washington that when such body as the
board Of trade holds its annual meetings din
ing room in a hotel is the place that commends
itself most strongly for selection. This was
the case, however, when the board held the an
nual meeting last week, and il from lack of a
more appropriate place it becomes necessary to
choose hotel dining room certainly there
could be no more handsome or comfortable
meeting place than was furnished by the ban
quet hall of the Arlington Hotel. The point
is that for the meeting Of such associations
Of citizens as we'll as for q great many
others which are constantly coming together
| there ought to be some suitable hall This is
| not a proposition that will be questioned by
any one who has resided here There is prac-
| tically q unanimity of opinion on this subject
| II on no other Why there il not a building Of
this character in this city is question that is
| not hard to answer The erection of such a
building would involve large outlay of money
! There Is slight prospect that it would ever
bring in a revenue that would pay even a small
| interest on the money to capitalists looking Tor
an Investment Ii such u building is to be
| erected it must be through the generosity OF
publc-spirited citizens who willing to
| contribute their money with but little II
| any hope OF ever getting return except
| In the sense that public benefit is also pri-
| vate benefit to all citizens. Such building, it
Is thought, ought to be in an accessible locality
| with the assembly room a level with tine
| street and ample entrances on all sides, so that
the building could be emptied quickly and
without crowding Provision should be made
| by means OF movable partitions for a hall that
| would seat an audience numbering all the way
from 200 to g. 900 or 1000. with ante rooms and
| committee rooms and all needed facilities of a
| building of this character. Provided with such
accommodations, the advantages of this city as
place for holding conventions and meet
| ings OF all kinds would simply be un-
| rivaled and the city would become to
a greater extent than it is at present
the convention city of the United States. This
plan is one which is believed by practical men
Of prominence in public affairs Of the city to be
| the only one that will insure the erection of
| such building OF course, when it is said
that the revenue for such a building would be
| insignificant it is not intended to be implied
| that the building will be available for the use
| of bodies meeting here free of cost good
big rental can be demanded and will cheertully
| be paid, but 1t Is not supposed that the income
| will be sufficient to do much more than 20 pay
| the taxes, the insurance and to keep
the building in Hpair. II the pros
pect was a bright one for getting
out of such an investment good revenue then
| the building would have been erected long ago
| by private enterprise. II has been suggested
| that the proper way TO accomplish this Objects
| to organize a stock company and to appeal for
| subscriptions to the stock on the same ground
| that citizens are invited to subscribe toward
the inaugural fund or to the Grand Army en-
! campment fund. In such cases the money il
| contributed as duty which citizens owe to the
city, and if the affair can be managed in such a
way as to make II possible to return the money
| subscribed all the better, but il not then it is
| understood by the subscribers that their con-
trlbution Is gift to advance the general inter-
ests OF the city.
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT.
| During the past week deed was placed on
record by Mr.. r. o. Hoffman. real estate
broker, as agent for the owners. transferring to
Mr., Griswold of Pittsburg a lot at the north
| west corner of 18th and NJ streets. This ground
| has the available dimensions of 50x63 feet and
| the price paid 50 per foot. The purchaser
has not fully settled upon the plan for improv-
| Ing tins property but 1t Is probable that he
VIII either erect two handsome residences there
| or else an apartment house.
REAL ESTATE PROPHETS.
1t is rather early to talk of spring prospects
in the real estate market. but as a rule the
| spring activity begins rather early here, geo.
| orally soon after the holidays, and by February
| 'AS ASaA SototS DfoheI5 IutlT tlLn0 pretty
well occupied. Precisely the extent to which
the quiet OF the real estate offices is to be dis
turbed by the hustle of eager customers is a
problem that is now exercising to a greater or
less degree those who have or think they have
| the gift OF prophecy pretty we'll developed.
The unfavorable sign in the horoscope of the
future, that Is even noticed by the amateur
prophet, or more properly, as the figure has been
changed, the amateur astrologist, is the fact
that next year the two great political parties
are 10 Ioek horns In the regular quadrennial con-
Test In other words, next year 10 what is known
as presidential year, and people are supposed TO
have no time for anything except politics.
However, since the civil service law has begun
Its benehcent operations. this city locally. is not
as much affected by political contests az was
formerly the case. Some OF the government
| employees get excited and go home to vote. but
| 1t Is purely matter of choice with them
whether they do either or both. Under the
| old regime it used to be case
do both. Then there is another
favorable consideration, and that is the con tin
| ued demand for houses, which will no doubt
lead to ne erection of good many houses
during the coming season. thus giving employ
| ment to the building trades Ground must be
secured as a preliminary to building and this
will have good effect on the real estate mar
ket.
SOME IMPORTANT LEGISLATION.
If legislation is secured from Congress
along the lines indicated by Senator
Mcmillan in his recent interview in
The STAR the city will get an increase
in the facilities of existing street railroads by
building branch or connecting lines rather
than by the creation of new corporations and
| sections of the city will be provided with means
| OF communication which are not now accessible
| fran The central part of the city. Then, if
| another of Senator McMillan's ideas is
carried out and the cloud of uncer-
| tainty now resting on the old suburban
subdivisions adjoining the bounds of the
city is removed by Congress taking some
| definite action relative to the exceedingly
| important question Of the extension of the city
| streets. there will be strong probability that
this laud will be promptly covered to a large
| extent with the houses tor which there seems
to be growing demand In many quarters
| the outlook for the coming season Is regarded
| as promising, although Of course, there are
| conservative men who are unwilling to risk
| firing an opinion at the target of the future
while the range 10 still SO remote.
! LIKE HOT CAKES.
l. An illustration of the appreciation Of "snaps."
as good bargains in real estate are termed,
was furnished the other day. An owner of a
block OF some nineteen lots in choice
resident section Of the city decided that he
wanted to make O quick turn and sell the lots
He had been offering them for 90 so per foot.
but he concluded to redace the price to So TO-
| A real estate broker to whom the property
Il xra of LAT .u,tl