Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-16
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
A Recent Sale Of a Building Lot and
the Price.
bot WEATHER AND ARCHITECTURE
What is Said About tho New
Assessment Bill.
SOME IMPROV MENTS

Property holders are naturally much IN
terested In the bill which the House Dis
trict committee has decided to report IA
vorably providing q permanent board Of
assessors. The injustice Of unequal and ex-
cessfve realty valuations for taxation pur-
poses has been the ground Of frequent COM
plant In the history of the triennial assess
ments OF property in this District. 1t is
recognized that the defects have largely
grown out Of the system which has been
In vogue here. The laws on this subject
have taken for granted that either the area
OF the real estate In the District was ex-
remely limited or else that men who were
clothed with the authority Of assessors were
thereby endowed with a marvellous power
of physical endurance and activity that
cannot be fairly expressed by the term
''hrstiing." The time allowed for the as
SCISSORS to do their work has been too much
limited. Then, too. the value of the sery-
Ices has not been recognized, and so Il has
happened that men inadequately paid have
been obliged to perform this important duty
within period entirely inadequate The
appointment OF a permanent board with
power to review assessments at any time
is regarded by citizens as likely to remedy
the causes OF complaint that have hereto
fore existed.
considered by the board OF trade and the
District Commissioners. and therefore it Is
believed will prove to be satisfactory in
practice. Some have thought that the
present measure would be improved by de-
ffning the meaning of the term value when
used for assessment purposes. but IL is
asserted that In reaching a conclusion as
to the proper valuation Of real estate for
taxation that judgment and good hard
sense on the part OF the assessors is OF
more importance than definitions. The
first board that made the last assessment
formulated what was considered an ex-
they were criticised for not exercising
proper judgment in applying that definition
TO property In this city.
Lots and Buildings.
A recent sale Of some interest was that
Of an unimprovod lot ut the northeast cor
ner Of Massachusetts and Florida avenues,
being q portion Of the ground about the
residence Of Curtis J. HIlyer. Ths lot has
a frontage of flfty-five feet, and goes back
to a point. and contains about 5000 square
feet. The purchaser. Mr.. John W. Macart-
ney, paid to Mr.. Hillyer for this property
$50 per square foot.
There Is some ak of the erection Of
quite an extensive Luildins at the north
east corner Of 7th and q streets northwest
proposition has been made to ia, owner.
Judge Lowery, TO put up an eight or ten
story building, with frame OF iron. nfed
to use the building for Office purposes.
Hot Weather Architecture.
There are certain defects in house archi-
lecture which are always more noticeable
In hot weather than at any other period ox
the year. Architects. or perhaps 1t In the
fault Of the owners, who are either too
careless or too economical to devote suffi-
cient space to an air chamber between the
roof and the ceiling VI the upper floor, are
likely TO be much In the thoughts Of those
who are obliged to swelter In the heated at
perience OF changing ones sleeping place
on hot night from the close and stuffy
apartments in the upper story TO the cooler
rooms below Is not 50 uncommon in the ex-
perience of householders IN this city as to be
novelty. The discomfort of such a residence
no doubt turns the thoughts Of the occu-
pant to the subject Of domestic architec-
ture. and Ii is natural that they should ex-
press themselves with more or less fervency
in regard to the men who are responsible
for the style OF construction.
In addition to the space for air chambers
beneath the roofs OF houses, the interior
temperature would be very much improved
by having some, IL not ALL OF the windows
especially In bed rooms. swung on hinges.
30 that they could be thrown open ana
there would be nothing to prevent the free
entrance OF air into the room. Under the
present system Of filling the windows with
an upper and lower sash. at least one-half
There are other ways in which the summer
tempera ture Of city homes would be ma
terfaily improved IL those who designed
houses would bear in mind that for five or
Blk months IN the year a full and free ven
tilation OF the living apartments contribute.
very much to the comfort and happiness of
the occupants OF Washington houses.
Progress In Church Building.
A reader OF The Star remarked recently
THAT II seemed that each Saturdays issue
Ger tained a picture OF a church edifice
which was TO be erected. Perhaps this i'm
preston is not entirely accurate. but stiu
1t is sufficiently 30 to Justify the statement.
1t would be a striking evidence Of the pros
per1ty of the city II the statement was liter
ally true. As IL is, however, the number of
improvements Of this character which have
been made during the last few years makes
a remarkable showing. Not only have a
large number Of new church edifices been
erected for the use OF new church organt-
cations. but many OF the old-established
churches have built larger and more impos-
Ing edifices. In instances where new build
ings have not been put up, the old build
irgs have been improved and remodeled
and supplied with the facilities and conven-
fences OF modern edifices. From this rec
sion Ia evident that the churches have
shared with the city and its institutions
in the prosperity and growth which has
marked the last decade OF the nations cap
H.
provement OF church buildings furnish one
Of the significant and important chapters
In the record Of the progress Of the city.
They Make Offers.
One Of the features Of the present condi-
ton Of the market is the appearance OF a
class Of would-be Investors, who make a
practice of submitting propositions for the
purchase of property at prices so much be
low the market value that at any other
time they would seem ridiculous. Az there
Is no great activity in the market at pres
ent. II seems to strike some operators that
an offer of any kind Is such a novelty that
perhaps by some chance one might be taken
up. As such offers are not accepted, how
ever. the tender is of no particular conse-
Quence, except that time and attention is
occupied. and some might be led to imagine
that property values are greatly depre-
ciated. The fact is that prices remain
firm, although the market Is sluggish.
The range OF bargains Is not as ex-
tensive as some might suppose. and perhaps
even as some might have hoped. The spec
ulative character of values, however, has
practically disappeared, and property can
be obtained at figures which are recognized
as fair. This, however, applies only TO
property the owners of which are, for one
reason or another, disposed to sell as soon
as possible The bulk Of owners recognize