Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-12
Some Accurate Figures on Subject
of Passing Interest.
DECISIONS BY TIE BUILDING INSPECTOR
Improved Tone of the Market and
the Hopeful Outlook
PUBLIC BUILDING SITES


shows an upward tendency as is the case
when the opposite tendency is prominent.
This. perhaps. explains the present lack of
public interest In the discussion over the
number Of vacant houses In the city as
compared with some months ago. When
the bears were IN the ascendant then it was
quite common to hear q great deal about
the city being overbuilt. and in support of
this statement statistics were advanced of
unknown origin and authority which show
Ell that there were more houses vacant In
the city than ever before. Some of the
croakers went 50 far to say that there
were five thousand houses standing idle.and
then some person with a taste for figures
calculated the number Of miles Of street
frontage that i've thousand houses would
occupy. and then It was concluded TO mod
ny the figures. However. there has always
been one dtfnculty in meeting these state
mentS. and that 10 no accurate estimate has
ever been made.
While the time has passed when such as
sertions can have an effect on the market
either one way or the other, still the figures
furnished in the tabular statement Of The
Star circula ton. published in last Satur-
days issue, which states by streets the
number OF houses and the number Of stores
and the number OF vacant houses in Wash
ington and Georgetown, is of value because
II gives the results OF an actual canvass. A
summary Of these figures shows that there
are over forty thousand houses in the ter
ritory named. and of this number about
twenty-four hundred are reported vacant.
which is about per cent OF the en- tire num-
Der. II 1t were possible. 1t would be inter
eStIng TO compare these figures with those
or former years. but. unfortunately, no such
canvass Of the city has ever been made be-
fore, and therefore II Is impossible TO say
whether this percentage OF vacant houses
IS more or less than that of preceding years.
The percentage. however. Is not a high one.
and IL Is safe to say that as II includes all
sorts OF houses, stores as well as dwellings.
IN ell stages Of repair, that the market
IS not so overstocked with houses as some
have seem disposed to convince the public.
Improved Outlook for business.
The truth about the matter is that the
bears on real estate in this city have not
had much OF show for a number of years
past. but they display a vitality that is
quite remarkable under the circumstances
and occasionally one is heard predicting all
sorts of dire evils that are to contribute to
the falling out OF the bottom Of the market
As very small percentage Of these pre-
diction5 come true, the prophets are not in
such high favor as they otherwise would
be. 1t Is evident that the market here Is
recovering slowly but surely from the de-
preston that was general throughout the
country, and which was felt In all depart
ments Of business, and that favorable
progress is being mde. II is not asserted
sactions are being closed at good prices
improvements are going on. and In all lines
the arket is showing a decided improve
ment In strength.
Conservative dealers. whose opinions are
generally sound, express themselves as be-
Ing gratifed with the outlook and express
confidence that with the increased activity
In business which is expected when the
ta-in bill becomes law. the market here
Will share in the general prosperity It is
not beleVed that the summer here will be
a dull one II the conditions as outlined
above exist There Is a good deal Of money
awaiting investment end as soon as there
can be feeling Of certainty funds will be
unlocked. and will be poured into the or
unary channels of business. 1t is felt that
the warm season Will not reta-d the early
resumption of the expected activity and
that In spite of the hot weather the volume
Of business will expand.
Appeals From tI,e Building Inspector,
People who are dissatisfied with the de-
cisiOns of the inspector of buildings and at
the same time are unwilling to take advan-
tage Of the provisions Of the new building
regulations which refer disputed points to
commission consisting OF an architect. a
builder and a representative Of the En-
gineer Commissioner. can have their little
case come before the Police Court. They
nave had that privilege prior to the recent
Decision OF the Court of Appeals of the
District. but the only function exercised
by the Police Court in any case was 20 en-
force the authority of the building inspect
or. without going into the merits of the
case, and impose fine as fixed by law.
Vow, however, the judge Of the Police
Court as the decision Of the Court Of
Appeals which was rendered during the
week holds, must hear evidence in tht
case. ana upon consideration OF the
rights OF both sides base decision II Is
not often, perhaps. that the individual feels
So grleved by a decision OF the inspector of
buildings as to wish 20 carry the case to
hui a
are important TO have settled. and 1t is
therefore an excellent plan to provide a
mode Dy which an agreement on disputed
matters can be reached.
sites for Public buildings.
The conclusion reached during the week
BY the House Of Representatives in regard
TO the site for the proposed government
printing office Is only another illustration
Of the importance Of the government adopt
his comprehensive plan which will pro-
Vide Ground for the location of the public
buil!i-Sa needed now and for n number of
years 70 cone = plan that has been quite
generally approved Is that of having the
government acquire all the land on the
south side Of the avenue between 9th and
10Th streets The purchase OF all these
squares N bulk would not only be more
economical, but would lay at rest the per-
picking and annoying controversy which
always comes Up over the selection of a
site for public building. II is thought by
thoSe Witp IaNOr this plan that a mistake
was made when Congress bought by con-
domination the square for the new city
posi- Oilice building, IN not purchasing at
the same tina the adjoining squares
As was pointed out at the time the ad-
Joining property will undoubtedly be en-
hafcei IN value by the Improvement which
inc SJseTnment Is making on its own prop
cry me erect OF IL will be that when
the time comes. as seems probable now
"heh these squares will be needed for the
use OF the government. IL will be necessary
Tor the Onlted states to pay to the owners
the amount OF appreciation in value which
mas been brought about by the expanditura
OF IT'S own money Broadly speaking. II Is
thouSht ny many that II would be better
Tor the interests of the city if the govern
ment should continue to occupy tnadanno -
DuHiingS than to take up anv Of the
srOund which has been Dedicated 10 nubIic
uses, the absolute need OF which il 49,
apparent each year as the population %
the city increases "
Some New Buiidfngs
During the week ending yesterday tvvs,ty-
two permits were granted by the inspector
OF buildings TO erect new buildings. The
total estimated cost of these is placed AT
s<'O.65o. divided among the different Sec
tons OF the city. as follows: Northwes,
eighteen permits at $3.50. 800; northeast. two
permits at 5000. and county, two permits
at $1C51.
The feature Of the week was the permit
granted 70 the Christian Hetrfch Brewing
company 10 erect a new brewing ulan ar a