Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-08
A LOOK AROUND.

| future among our business men2" asked
leading real estate operator yesterday.
| "Well, things look so well that unless there
| is a panic OF some sort believe we will have
| busy and money-making year before us, y,
| was his reply. II will say frankly that for
two weeks after the election it was much
like holiday with US. The men who have
large sums at their disposal seemed inclined
to keep their money in bank. For ten days
past there has been a radical change. can
saw without any qualification that there are
as many real estate operations on foot as
nave ever known in Pittsburg, both as co IN
| dfvfdual importance and aggregate size
| What encourages me particularly is the con-
hdence shown by men who are in position
to know just how the great leaders of both
political parties feel as to the effect OF the
Cleveland administration. These men are
buying every week, taking more and more
property in bulk into their hands and plac-
| ing themselves in such shape that hard
times or serious falling of in business
| would cause them heavy loss. The growth
of the city and the strictly business portion
of the city is confidently looked for by the
| shire WIDEST and most conservative of our
capitalists. The time will soon come when
| the Fifth avenue hill will cease to be the
boundary of downtown activity.
1h1o, ne continued, Is SHOWN ny IHo
constant creeping of the great establish
| ments toward the summit of the hill. From
| Smithfield to Grant street used to be-ten
years ago-a place of very small things.
Now it promises we'll to grow rapidly. am
| told that when Mrs. Thomas Carnegie's
| building Is completed 1t will be largely oc-
cupied by the Carnegie Steel Company and
| the Frick Coke Company for offices. Al
ready there is serious thought of selling the
+ present Cathedral site for a business block.
1t Is true!>as The DISPATCH has said, that
about $1,000, 900 has been offered for the Ca
thedral property. This in itself is suf-
| 1cient guarantee of what is thought of the
hill question. People who can pay mil
lion and half for property do not offer it
unless they consider the future of the prop
erty is most promising Besides this. there
is sure to be a widening of Diamond street
sooner or later, in spite of the foolish pro-
tests against 1t. Another outlet in that por-
ton of the city is absolutely necessary, and
few years will see it accomplished"
'THEY say that in the way of housebuild-
ing Pittsburg has overdone the thing in the
eastern wards" said my companion warmly.
at is all rot. There is not real estate man
in the city who will not tell you honestly
that the demand for houses in good loca-
tions at fair prices, either for rental or for
investment, is greater than the supply.
This is borne out by the line of action OF the
large property owners. I know one man
who is building nearly 20 houses, another
who is contracting for 40, still another who
has signed for 35, and these three men are
among the shrewdest and best informed
men in the city. There will be some kind of
tariff squabble, no doubt, but feel that our
strength in Pittsburg is SO great that We will
nnf ~ kfn,,a fn
continue to mako large returns from landed
investments"
WHAT does the weather man expect to
do for us nextP To inject such night as
that of Tuesday and such a day as that OF
yesterday into December is not fair. De-
cemDer is not fair to those who have gone
in Tor furs and overcoats.
"DoEs anybody skate in and around
Pittsburg nowadaysP" 1 asked q dealer.
"Oh, yes, we have sold some skates this year
and We sold more last winter than for years.
don't know exactly where they expect to
use the skates, but people are certainly get
ting ready for freeze"
THOSE good people who had such scare
on the steamer Spree the other day are sim
ing i'll midocean with five or six hundred
people when a serious accident occurs to
the steamer. l shall never forget my small
experience of that nature. At five o'clock
one gloomy September morning, as lay
asleep in my berth on the main deck,
was Suddenly lifted and tied in festoons
around the pipes and beams on the ceiling
of the stateroom. Iawoke with a stomach
full of salt water and a feeling of astonish-
The cabin had aiOh nf
stopping about and there was a fine lot of
clothes, brushes, hats, gloves umbrellas and
other sundries afioat. With characteristic
presence of mind permitted a bag full of
clean linen and a hat box of cigars to float
by and promptly rescued and hauled into
the top berth a bundle of new um mbrellas.
Through the open eoor caught glimpse
of a stormy sky where there had been a
stout deck. Then there was a sickening,
horrible quiver through the big boat and
women walled and men cried out, "We're
sinking" For an instant it did feel
as if we were going in the wrong
direction, but with sudden lurch the
steamer righted, rolled and then rocked in
the trough of the sea in a way which under
ordinary circumstances would have made
everybody deadly sick, but which just then
was oharmingly reassuring. We had struck
a tidal wave. the sailors said, and the for
ward deck railing and much detailed rig
ging had gone asmash. Thick brass and
iron rods were tied up in grotesque lovers
knots, and teak rails we're splintered like
matches. We had tons of water aboard,
some of which could answer for myself as
freight. The machinery was not seriously
hurt, but 1t was hours before we got Off
again. The catholic nature of our country
was shown by the fact that six or seven dis
tinct kinds of prayer meetings were in
progress at once before breakfast. 1t was
nasty, close shave, and do not want any
more of in mine, thank you
A MOST comical parsonage, very stout,
very dilapidated and very intoxicated held
himself up by lamp post on Fifth avenue
yesterday morning near the old postofice
and persisted in issuing challenge to any
man of his weight in the country to ride on
cable or electric cars any distance for
purse of $500. He ultimately changed his
motive power to a hurry-up police wagon to
the amusement OF the crowd.
In short time understand the plans
will be com mpleted for the entire reconstruc-
tion and realignment of the PittsDurg and
Western Railroad by the Baltimore and |
Ohio. Presidents Meyers and Oliver, Vice |
President King and several other gentlemen |
have just returned from the most complete |