The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-22
REAL ESTATE
OVER THE BAY.
Rapid Transit Between Oakland
and Berkeley.
The Electric Line to Open in April-what 1t
Is Like-Its Effects on values-A
Healthy Market Notes.

ceulug the late rains, largely cedSeu III tue
week Just passed, and on the whole the
market may now be considered buoyant.
The most noteworthy feature is undoubtedly
the approaching completion of the electric
road between Oakland and Berkeley, and
the consequent activity manifested in prop
erty along its line. A description of the
road VIII not be uninteresting.
The Oakland and Berkeley Rapid Tran
sit Company, an entirely local Organiza-
tion-its officers BENZ +. K. Shattuck. Pres
ident; George W. McNear, Vice-President;
Harry Coleman, Superintendent. and II. S.
Hunt, Seeretary-will have its line COM
pleted and cars running on ten-minute
time before April 1st. 1t Is one Of the most
solidly constructed and Will be one Of the
best equipped electric roads on the CONT
nent. The rails are of steel, forty pounds
weight. with 1850 ties to the mile. The
poles are OF steel throughout the city, and
are comparatively inconspicuous, the wires
strung overhead, attracting no more atten-
ton and no more Objectionable than tele-
phone or telegraph wires. The road is
all the way to Berkeley.
WHERE IT WILL RUN.
From Temescal the tracks branch, one
going out Shattuck avenue aud the other
parallel with this on Grove avenue, reaching
both university gates. The line begins at
Broadway and Second street, Oakland,
thence to Franklin, to Thirteenth, to Grove
and thence TO Temescal. at Temescal are
located the power and car houses,
both being of brick, with iron Cir
ders, metallic roofs and fire proof.
The engines and boilers are Of 800 horse
power. and the entire plant, dynamos and
ali, Is duplicated, SO that In case OF accident
there may be no stoppage. The power
house Is 75x130 feet In size and the car
house 50XI9O, massive and slightly struct-
UTeS. The cars are being manufactured at
Stockton. They are thIrty-One feet long,
lave double trucks eight wheels, are
closed in the center and open al each end,
the inside finish being mahogany and the
windows plate glass. The system under
Which the line Will be operated is the Edi-
son, which Is considered among the best.
The company has also franch Sc for a line
from Twenty-third avenue to Sixteenth
street station, and thence to the Point sta
lion. One Scent fare will take the paSsen-
ger over any part of the line, and a
ten-minute service to Berkeley Will be eS-
tablished An application has been made
10 the Board of Supervisors to have Grove
avenue opened eighty feet wide the entire
distance, and no doubt this viii be done.
As already stated, the result OF the ap-
preaching completion of the road is q de-
cided enllyening of the feeling in regard
10 IFh4 eSlhNt dDI LI1E line, anu many SdlGS
are being effected. In the Mckee Tract,
on the line of the road, which was placed
on the market a few days ago by William.
). Dmgee, already about twenty lots have
been sold almost without effort James
Gamble, the veteran real estate man. has
just plated the Crystal Springs Tract, and
although not yet on the market, inquiry for
choice locations las already begun. 1t is
probable also that Major McElTath viii
shortly place choice tract on the market.
In addition to these tracts half the dealers
IN oakland report sales along the line Of the
read.
ELECTRICITY To HAYwARDS.
As a pendant to this word should also
be said in reference to tine electric road
from Oakland to Haywards, along the San
Leaudro road, the construction of which
is now assured. II is doing as
much to enltven real estate along its line
ana especially in FTuityale and toward
Mills College, etc, as the Berkeley road.
The fine Moss ranch of 100 acres lying Just
this side of San LesndrO, is about to be laid
out in small blocks by o. l. Denison, and will
have big sale in his hands.
The De Wolf tract IN Fruityale has at
tracted a good deal of atte4 lion and many
sales are reported by William NJ. De Wolf
OF East Oakland. j. A. Jones is also
handling a great deal OF Frultvale property,
On which improvements in the shape Of
handsome home residences are in progress.
An event that is being looked forward to
with no little interest is the special auction
sale announced by w. j. Dingee for next
February 2Sth, of choice pieces
of Oakland and Alameda residence prop
erty. Some Of the properties offer splendid
opportunities for investment purposes,
willie there is also a block Of beautiful build
ing lots in Oakland on unusually easy
terms. MIR. Dingee reports sales In the Nc
Kee Tract at Adeline Station, oEthe Barke-
ley branch railway, Of twenty lots during
the week at prices varying from $500 to $500
Tor ffly-foOt lots.
THE BEST OUTLOOK.
{ ". Woodward & Co., 9O2 Broadway,
report the market very good for this time of
the year. They sold thirteen lots in the
Christiania Tract last week, and four lots in
Parsons Golden Gate Tract, also Mr.. Ding
Wells house and lot on West and Twentieth
streets to Mr. Holland of San Francisco for
5000, 40 feet frontage On San Pablo avenue,
near Golden Gate. and some other trades.
They say the outlook for the coming season
for Oakland never was better, and there
will be mere progress and general improve
ments made in Oakland and vicinity this
coming year than has ever been known in
it, history before. I'VE see on every hand"
said member Of the firm, THAT Oakland is
fHst growing tc be an important city, and
will soon rank as one of the first cities on
the Coast at the rate it is going at the pres
ent time and with the general outlook of
things"
w E. Barnard 81 Son report inquiry
active, especially for business property, in
prices ranging from $4,000 to $4,000. They
md it impossible to meet the demand.
During the week they closed two sales on
Ninth street, between Washington and Clay
streets, the one Is feet front at $4,000, and
the other 80 feet at So, 500. They report
also, sale Of 50x80 feet on the corner of
Grove avenue and Iwenty-second street,
on san Pablo avenue, for SIS, 600, or $50
foot Before the purchaser had his deeds
he was offered an advance OF $50.
NOTES FROM THE OFFICES.
II. 3. Plnney reports inquiry active, and
the outlook good he has made several
small sales and reports others perfecting.
Davis, Rowell &c Pelton have sold prop
erty in Castro Valley, above HayWards, for
5000. TO the Sisters of the Holy Name, also
a house and lot on West street, and several
trades consummating, there being quite an
inquiry for LoTia property on the electric
road.
Clnugh & Baker have sold eight lots since
the 18th last in the Mountain View Tract of
fifty lots at Lorin. The unusually easy
terms have helped to this. They report sale
a day so far for the month.
NJ. j. Laymance 81 Co. report a marked
increase of inquiry since the rains. They
have effected a number of important sales
during the week.
brisk inquiry for the new Electric Heights
lots, only few of them being left on his
EaEds.
J. M Merrill-S Co. have found business
brisk and have turned over good deal of
property.
William NJ de Wolf has done good bust
ness on line of electric road and in East
Brooklyn lots.
At Twenty-third avenue the land company
bearing the same name has done a good
business in lots on Seminary avenue and
reports increased inquiry.
Jeffress q White have plated the FIuit-
vale Station tract and will place it on the
market on March LIST, when a mild case of
excitement may be expected. They report
good business.
A. r. Dow is steadily pursuing the even
tenor Of his way with several sales to report
Alameda.
The feature of the day in Alameda real
estate is the demand for homes. While this
has always been characteristic of the
island" city, the popularity of it now is
the cou slant rise in the average prices.
Whereas a $1,000 house was considered a