Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-12

y
square feet and at the
price. 40 cents per foot the sale amounted TO
SIS, 600. The interest which attaches 10 this
sale is due to the announcement that the pur-
chaser secured the property for the purpose Of
improving It. Those familiar with the locality
are aware that this square. which lies between
18th and 18th streets and E and F streets north
east, is considerably above grade. IL is pro-
posed to reduce the entire tract to grade. TO
open new street sixty feet in width through
the property from east to west and put down
sidewalks and make other improvements pre-
paratory to erecting houses. Mr.. Francis
says that the purchaser. who is represented in
the deeds of transfer by John Kuhn, intends
TO make all these improvements in this
property and that be also proposes TO erect
some 172 houses Mr.. Hufty estimates
that between two and three hundred thousand
dollars will be expended in improvements. Ii
Is probable that all the houses will not be
erected this year, but no doubt if the investor
reels encouraged over his venture he will not
stop until he has completed the entire design.
IL all Is carried out that is proposed the total
Investments will be in the neig hborhood of
s4oo.OOO which is rather a good sum of money
70 STOW away In one square of ground in one
season.
THE BUILDING SEASON.
At any event all the building operations in
that section Of the city will not be confined to
that one locality. There are good indications
that the building activity this year will be as
great as last year. and there is no doubt that
the eastern section Of the city, where SO much
was done last year, will be the scene of a fair
share OF the present seasons activity. Bricks
are going TO be cheaper this year than they
we're last Good merchantabIe bricks will sell
for % per LOCO, while last year the same
quality brick was selling for $3.50 and SIS per
LOCO. 1t is likely that the supply will be
abundant, as the new companies that have
lately sprung up are in the market as active CON-
petitors for Whatever business may be in sight
Three large concerns are now engaged in max
ing brick in addition TO those that have been in
business Tor some years past The facilities of
the old concerns have Of course been improved,
and there Is no doubt that the capacity for
brickmaking Of the establishments in this
District Is very much larger than ii was q few
years ago. The annual output il said to be
about l5O 900 600 bricks. 1t is not thought
that there is any fear of brick famine this year
with favor such q prospect, for q scarcity Of
brick results in advancing prices, and 50 cents
OF a dollar additional on a thousand of bricks
makes q considerable item in the increase in
the cost Of house building. Last year about
2,3oO new houses were erected, and there was
expended IN building improvements Of all
kinds the large sum Of nearly 5000 600 II
seems to be the opinion of those familiar with
the market that the record for this season will
be up fully to that of last season.
NEW CHURCH KDIFIcE
The congregation of which Rev Hez Sven
is pastor is looking forward to the erection of
a new church edifce. The church building ON
Virginia avenue near 4th street 10 entirely too
small to meet the needs of this congregation.
which is rapidly becoming one Of the largest
connected with the Baptist denomination in
this city. The new church edifice, like those
that have been erected here in recent years.
will show the changes that have taken place in
the taste for church architecture. With some
few exceptions the old church buildings
architectural standpoint Either poverty or
an indifference to the appearance of those
buildings SO long as they were large enough re-
suited in the erection OF church edifices which
are as plain and ugly and in some cases as un-
comfortable as was possible to make them. lis
unfortunate that the custom of building of two
story structures has been 80 generally followed
and it is welcome change that the modern
structure, as a rule, has the main auditorium
on the first floor.
Important changes are contemplated in the
edifice occupied by the New York Avenue Pres
byterian Church The congregation has ont
grown the present seating capacity, although
galleries have been put in in recent years and
colonies have gone out and organized new
churches. 1t is proposed to utilize the ground
n
trance, and also to include the vacant space on
the New York avenue side within the church
walls.
THE ASSESSMENT OF TAXES.
Last week the three assessors completed the
view of property in Georgetown. Since last
July they have been engaged in the work of
assessing real estate for taxation. After hav-
ing completed their view Of all the property
included within the old municipal limits of the
city they turned their attention to property in
Georgetown. There is still the properly in the
county to be assessed. but as Congress has been
asked to extend the time in which county
property can be assessed to next December. the
assessors expect to be ready by the first Mon-
day in June to submit the results of their
work as far as Washington and Georgetown are
concerned They are now engaged in Office
work, going over the notes which were made
by each one of the assessors when thew in
spected the property for the purpose of fixing
q valuation. Property owners during the
months of June and July will have an oppor-
tunity to inspect the new assessment and then
to tell the assessors how they ought
to have assessed the property. Citizens
who are dissatisfied will be given a
chance to convince the assessors of the error of
their ways. When the collector Of taxes makes out
his bills in November of next year they VIII be
based on the assessment which has just been
completed The new District appropriation bill
makes no provision for the payment of the
salaries of the three assessors after the close of
the present year, and unless q change is made
the assessors will cease to exist officially after
that date, although one purpose of the change
in the number OF the assessors from nine to
three was to have q permanent board of
assessors
NEW SUBURBAN RAILROADS.
The southern branch of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad. which 10 TO leave the Netropoi-
itan branch at Linden and extend across the
country to point on the Potomac Just north
of the District line, has been built for two miles
of the way. At present the new road runs from
Linden, two miles west, to q station to be
known as Chevy Chase, which is located on the
northern boundary of the property owned by
the Chevy Chase Land Improvement Company
Over this new road the rails for the Rock Greek
railroad have been transported and q gang of
workmen are engaged in laying the rails at the
rate OF about a mile . week. The tracks on the
southern end Of the road have been laid from
14th and streets and Connecticut avenue and
Florida avenue to the KlingIe bridge. Nearly
two miles Of track have been laid
on the northern end, and il il ex-
pected that by the 18th Of May the road viii
be completed. The foundations of the power
house, which IL located at the northern end of
the road, have been built and work il in
progress on the streets Of the new town of
Chevy Chase. A sewer and water eystem will
be one feature OF this new settlement num-
Der OF houses will be built at once and by the
close Of the season il ID expected that the new
town, with its electric connection with the city.
will be we'll under way. Mr.. W. Kesley Schoepf
the engineer Of the road, 10 also engaged in
having ont thia nav nettiavnart "a .,,s-S.:.- a.