The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-05-17
VACANT HOUSES.
They Do Not Exist on Whole
sale Scale.

In the last directory of Roanoke, in
formation for which was gathered early
last fall, the number Of vacant houses
in the city was given as $40. Since
that time the croaker has evidently
made merry Of the fact that there were
SO many uncccupied residences and the
opinion throughout the past winter and
spring has seemed to prevail that the
city has rapidly gone back ward and was
still on the down grade
While under ordinary circumstances,
IL Ia not maintained that the number Of
occupied houses is any criterion of the
ctty's population, 1t must be admitted
that house with the large sign ITO
Let" or For Sale" upon is has Father a
bad appearance for q city whose claims
OF having stood up 80 we'll during the
period OF financial depression, have 80
much right to be prod as they have
in Roanoke.
With an idea Of finding out the true
state OF affairs in regard to vacant
houses, TIMES representative was yes
terdav driven into every nook and cor
ner of the city by Col Wilbur S. Polo,
OF the James s. Sim mons Real Estate
Company, whose business in renting for
owners and securing houses for tenant,
insures thorough knowledge of the
situation.
The result indeed was surprising.
Whilo no definite account OF the number
vacant was secured or even desired, tho
survey was sufficient to show that the
vacant house bugaboo has no excuse for
its existence 1t was to be readily be-
lievcd, as has been claimed, that good
rents are scarce, and by good rents are
meant houses we'll kept up, we'll located
and in desirable neigh borhoods
The rental prices have taken big
tumble in the past few months, and as a
result good houses may be secured at
very reasonable figure. Whether new
people como to the city to reside or
whether those here have spread out as
1T were, cannot Of course be told by
casual survey; certain it Is that the
houses formerly bearing the sign of the
real estate renter have grown fewer and
lever, and now do not exist OnlY at rare
intervals
The tide of population Is evidently
moving into the southwest part of tho
city. In the area enclosed by Jefferson
street and Franklin road hardly de-
sirable house Is 70 be found. The few
vacant houses are being filled up rapidly.
In the Belmont addition the small num-
Der Of vacant houses is astonishing in
light Of the recent talk whole rows
Of vacant houces" do not exist there.
In one particular cluster of residences,
numbering about thirty, not over six or
eight are now unoccupied.
East Roanoke, too, is filled up with
cosy looking occupied buildings. On
Commonwealth avenue, however, there
are several houses which are still look
ing for occupants. The NUN Der, though,
is not large. In the Melrose district
hardly vacant house is to be seen
In Norwich several buildings are IN
occupied, "bu: whole rows OF them"
are noticeable by their absence, and tho
ones vacant for tho most part are little
more than shanties or houses badly out
of repair.
In fact throughout the city prepon-
derance Of uncccupied dwellings, was not
found. On the other hand, new houses
are in the course of construction, and
houses partially built when the boom
dropped" are being finished up and pre-
pared for occupancy.
From tho survey OF the whole city it
cannot but TO remarked that this condi-
ton of affairs only bears evidence Of the
fact that Roanoke is not presenting
bad i'm preston after all