Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-04
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.
An Interesting Indication Of the In
crease in Population.
TIE RENT MARKET AND RENTS
Handsome Residences in the Sub
urbs Owned by Citizens.
SOME ROVEMENTS.
SOME IMPR ROVE ENTS

There are what are known this year as
"congested districts" in the public schools
of this city. While the attendance at all
the public schools Is said to be large. yet
there are schools where the number OF
pupils Is greatly in excess Of the number
last year. The location Of these crowded
school buildings throws an interesting side
light on the growth of the population Of this
city. 1t is found in the first place that the
buildings located from Sd street east to
Florida avenue have q great many more
pupils than was the case last year. The
schools in Georgetown are said to be more
crowded then they were during the preced-
ing year. 1t is not believed that the in
creased attendance Is due to any unusual
or awakened interest in the schools on the
part of the public, but to the more common
place fact that the population in these Sec
lions has increased and that the school
rolls show the influence Of the additions to
the number Of the residents.
1t Is known that the building operations
in both these sections have been active and
that the new houses erected have become
the homes Of families. and that the children
are availing themselves Of the privileges Of
the schools. These statistics OF growth Of
population are somewhat novel. but there
Is no question that they have a meaning
and can be used to convince when every
other. argument fails However, there are
not very many skeptics as to the growth Of
this city during the past year or so. Every
one knows that for several years past there
has been an average annual number Of
houses erected, amounting to about twenty
two hundred. Last year the record showed
fha,r h<nrfC as
and that the expenditure OF money In new
buildings reached the enormous sum OF
nearly ten millions OF dollars.
A Growing POpulatiOn.~
1t Is natural to suppose. even IL there
were no substantial grounds for the suppo-
sition, that there must be an increase In
the population to justify this great expan-
sion of the building operations. This in
crease. however, has taken place. as the
official figures and as figures to be pre-
pared in the future will show, AMI Is go
ing on now. 1t has not stopped, but Is
still in progress and is likely to continue
until this city approaches more nearly Its
manifest destiny, which in the near future
Is to be a population of some half a million.
Some think that the city Is now trifie
over built and perhaps that may be SO.
1t Is q difficult matter to determine. Ger
tainly q comparative small percentage OF
the $1,000 houses within the limits Of the
District is without q tenant. 1t cannot be
denied that there are now more houses
vacant than was the case last year. But
1t does not follow that more houses have
been built than are needed by the popuia-
ton. for II is possible that the condition
Of the times have led people who would
otherwise live as Independent families to
give up housekeeping and squeeze in a
house with other families. Then again there
are many people who will not set up an
establishment at all in this city this winter.
1t will be found that. when the character
Of the times Is taken into considerat ton,
the enlarged lists of houses for rent is due
to these causes rather than to over build
ing.
Houses for Rent.
There has been quite a good deal Of ex-
travagant statement in regard to the num-
Der Of unrented houses in the city this fall.
OF course there is no way Of ascertaining
the exact number except by driving through
the streets and counting the houses. No one
has done this and no one is likely to do it.
and go it follows that no one knows how
many houses are vacant. The guesses on
this subject that are heard in the talk on
street corners and elsewhere are that there
are eight thousand houses for rent. This
means, IL 1t means anything but idle talk,
that almost twenty per cent Of the houses
in this city are for rent. Even the most
casual Information would be sufficient to
show the inaccuracy of such a statement
Another calculation is based on the esti-
mated number of houses for rent on the
lists of real estate dealers and which, of
course. IL only an estimate. IS 1t is i'm
possible to learn without a good deal Of
effort the exact number of houses each of
the three hundred real estate agents in
this city have on their books. With lib
eral allowance for errors 1t is calculated
that there are not more than one thousand
or fifteen hundred houses for rent in this
city. Each day reduces the number as peo-
pie are getting settled for the winter.
1t has been asserted on the basis Of the
alleged existence numbers IN nj
houses in all parts OF the city that rents
would come down. AS rents have not come
down 1t may be concluded that there is
some mistake In the premise upon which
this conclusion IS based. There is no Ques-
ton that some tenants have been able to
| make favorable arrangements this year.
but these are isolated instances and do not
affect the great bulk Of rent payers. As
a rule rents are much the same as they
were last year and 1t is impossible to tell
whether there is to be a general reduction
done gradually. If there is anything in
the statement that the city has been over
built the scale of rentals ought to show it.
MIR. McLean's Country Home.
Extensive improvements are being made
by John r. Mclean in the old Busey place.
which he has leased for a term of years.
There will be a new entrance to the extern
sive grounds from the Woodley road and a
new driveway through the grounds to the
ed but comfortable structure, is being
overhauled in much the same fashion that
the Henderson house the adjoining
property to the east was prepared for the
residence of the President. A complete
heating system will be placed in the house
which will make it available for occu-
pancy in the winter as well as in the sum-
mer. The water supply will be obtained
from a well which is now being dug near
the house. When all the improvements are
completed the house will be as comfortable
and will have all the conveniences and lux
uries of a home in the city.
Mr.. Mclean has his house in the city and
no doubt will continue to occupy 1t during
the winter. but like other residents who
have homes in the suburbs, 1t is probable
that the greater part of the year will be
spent at his country house. The attract
iveness Of residence in the country near
this city Is appreciated by all those who
have spent any time outside the city
bounds and the tendency which has al
ways prevailed to a greater or less extent
among our citizens to establish homes in
the suburbs where they could spend a Dor
ton Of each year. at least, Is growing more
marked. 1t has now come about that the
country is not only sought to avoid the
heat of summer. but is the chosen residence
during the greater part Of the year.
Valuable Acreage.
1t may be regarded that this lease of
place in the country by Mr.. Mclean is an
evidence that his interests in this city have
become so important that he finds 1t impos-
sible to spend the entire summer away from