Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-06


and used for this purpose is comparatively
small. The Portland and the one on New
Hampshire avenue and on Iowa circle are the
largest buildings Of the Kind. There is good
| sized apartment house on H street between 18th
and 18th streets and one at the corner Of
18th and H streets, and there are several
in different parts Of the city, but none Of the
size that similar structures reach in other cities
1t Is thought that there is a tendency now to
go into this sort of building more extensively
| than has been the case, and the prediction is
made that in the course OF the next few years
| apartment houses will be moro numerous
Last week reference was made to the erection
| OF an apartment building on 10th street, which
| is designed for the accommodation Of people
who wish to pay moderate rental.
sEvEN-sToRY FLAT.
| The old buildings at the southwest corner of
| New York avenue and 9th street are being re-
moved by the owners Of the property, Messrs.
Barr and Sanner, and it is their intention to
| erect on this site apartment building seven
stories in height. The building will have a
| frontage Of seventy-fve feet on New York
] avenue and the same frontage on 9th street.
The lower floor will be devoted to stores, while
the six upper stories will be arranged in suites
and will be supplied with all the facilities for
housekeeping.
There is some talk Of erecting large build
Ing In the suburbs just outside the northwest
ern bounds of the city, which will be arranged
Tor housekeeping in apartments. 1t will be q
big building at least seven stories high, and it
| Will have plenty Of ground about it, where the
| children Of the families romp and play and
enjoy all the advantages Of Il country residence
| without the backs of their fathers being bent
| with the weight of load of expense and
their mothers will not have the trials of trying
to keep a big house going. This is the
scheme of the projectors, but whether it will
materialize is question that has not
| yet been definitely determined. However. the
ground is available, and no doubt the capital
| will also be supplied IL the plan seems to give
| promise Of being financial success It will
not be the pioneer suburban fiat. il it is built,
for one has been built on 14th street extended
| ut the corner Of Park street where the road
| turns into Mount Pleasant. However, this Sec
the residents, especially since the cable cars
run out and they have begun to build the
| houses in rows.
A BIG LAND SCHEME.
The publication in THE STAR Of the move be-
ing made to bring the various property interests
along Massachusetts, and Connecticut avenues
extended north from Rock creek into one syn
dictate has aroused a good deal Of interest in
real estate circles. As the primary object Of
the combination is said to be the Inauguration
of an extensive series Of improvements the in
/
mere idle curiosity. 1t is proposed. as has
been stated, to organize a syndicate either of
the present property owners of outsiders
and having secured the control of this large
tract of land to begin opening streets and max
ing other preparations for the population
which. it is evident, is ready to flow over the
| bounds OF the city and take possession Of the
home sites that will in this way be made available
The scheme is q big one. but this city has
reached the stage when large enterprises will
become more and more common in the develop
ment OF its material interests. The history Of
the land transactions during tho past few years
| in this very section forms a striking illus
tration of this truth. One Of the large inter-
ests is that which is controlled by the syndicate
known as the Thompson syndicate. 1t owns
about 2s7 acres of land lying along both sides
OF Massachusetts avenue extended from Rock
creek to the Tenleytown road. This property
was purchased some six or seven years ago and
the average price per acre paid was about $3.50.
Now the value Is estimated by the owners to be
about $4,000 per acre. So that what eco, 900
would buy seven years ago is now held to be
| worth about a million Of dollars.
THE SHARON ESTATE HOLDINGS.
The largest ownership in this section is that
Of the Sharon estate, and Mr.. Newland's in
dividual holdings. As the latter is the repre-
sentative and manager Of the estate, these
holdings may be considered as one Three
'
their magnitude created the greatest sensation
between $50 and 700 acres we're acquired, lying
along Connecticut avenue extended from
Woodiey Park to the District line. For this
great tract Of land about $3.50 900 was paid.
which is at the rate Of nearly 81, 200 per acre.
The same interest acquired subsequently, three
tracts Of land on the Woodley road
near the Tenleytown road, aggregatinR
about 100 acres, for which was
paid about 100000. The total investment
from the same source amounted to great deal
more as about ! 900 acres was acquired in
Maryland just beyond the District line. The
Rock Greek Railroad was built and Connecticut
avenue extended for two miles beyond the Dis
trict line.
Mr.. Thomas E. Waggaman appears as large
owner of land in this section, as he controls
Woodley Park, containing about 100 acres. He
purchased this property a number of years ago,
| and probably it then represented expendi-
ture Of about 100000.
THE PLANS PROPOSED.
For the present, at least, it is designed on
the part Of the proposed syndicate that their
improvements should be confined to the area
between the two avenues from Rock creek to
the Woodley and klingle roads. They will.
however, secure the control of land beyond
those limits and will continue the improvements
as rapidly the conditions seem to warrant
One of the plans proposed in handling this
property is to unite all the interests. the value
as agreed upon being the bulk of the capital
stock. Then bonds are to be issued which will
be taken by the members of the syndicate,
| and the cash paid liz for the bonds
will be employed in making the Improvements
to develop the property. Such a syndicate as
may be estimated will control property valued
| at between two and three millions, and it will
be necessary to expend about million of dol
lars to carry out the plans in trst-class STYLE
As has been stated. this schema has not been
fully matured, and it may not be developed as
fully as outlined but still it possible that some
thing of the kind will take practical form before
very long.
OVER MILLION AND HALF.
The past month has the distinction accord
ing to the Building Register, of being the
period when the largest amount ever spent in
building operations in one month is repre-
scented by the permits taken out for the erec-
ton of new buildings and repairs. The total
| is 81 .665. 159. Permits were taken out for 1873
new houses in the northwest section to cost
$780, $50; 67 in the southwest, costing 1921 ,SO0
109 in the northeast, costing S257 100; AZ in the
| southeast. costing S133, 1888. and 108 in the
county, costing 1856, s36. There was a total
of 461 new buildings, to cost 81 ,55S274 The
balance Of the amount is represented by the
cost of additions and repairs.
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT.
Plans for completely remodeling the old