Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-24
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
The Building Season Opens With
Fine Promise.
ADVANTAGES OF INVESTMENT HERE
The Deeds of Trust System Not
Considered a Burden.
PRIN TING OFFICE SITE

There is fair amount of work being |
done in the way of building throughout the |
city, and those who are interested in the |
building trades for whatever reason are |
very much pleased with the improved situa-
ton. Last week the record Of the building |
ir spectors office shows that some sixty
permits were taken out for new buildings. |
This is not a bad statement for what was
practically the opening week of the spring |
season. The erection of these buildings
means the purchase Of brick and lumber
and other material and the employment OF
labor so that all branches of the building
trade will feel the influence of the revival
AS the season advances and the weather
becomes more settled 1t is probable that
there will be an increase in the building
business, and II is expected that there will
be employment generally for those in the
building trade Incidentally, all this will
have a good influence on the real estate
market, as lots will have to be purchased
for the location of these buildings and in
some cases purchasers will have to be found
for the new homes.
1t is true that the amount OF building
that will be done during the coming season
will depend to some extent on the demand.
although, of course. it is understood that
invest either in new structures or in i'm
provements in existing buildings, and this
class of work goes on quite Independent of
| what is generally known as a demand"
When there are more people than there are
houses and the population has evidently
outgrown the accommodations which have
| been provided. then II may be said that a
demand in the ordinary sense Of that word
exists.
1t is said in some quarters that the mar
q
are quite a large number for rent, and that
therefore 1t need not be expected that there
will be very much done this year in the line
| of erecting new houses. 1nis, however, is
one of those partial truths which are some
| times accepted as the entire truth.
Building Goes Right On.
1t is true that there is quite an abundance
of houses in the real estate market but that
| is nearly always the case. II is probable that
there never was any period of the year
| when long lists of houses for rent could not
be found In the real estate offices. This
| fact has not stood in the way of the build
ing progress. There may be a demand for a
| new house when there are quite a large
number of houses which are already erect
| ed and are in need OF a tenant. The neces-
/ sity for an Investment, especially when IL is
| Of such a sound character as Washington
| real estate, is more urgent than most peo-
pie realize the average man is not both
cred with devising plans for disposing of
his surplus income. and so he is not apt to
| appreciate the labors of those who have
| such perplexing question coming up an
rually, and perhaps oftener. There is al
| ways money awaiting investment, and that
| fact is a pretty good guarantee that the OPP
| portunities which are offered in the real es-
| tate market here will not be neglected.
! The debate in the Senate during the past
week on the bill reported by Mr.. Faulkner
| to simplify the form of deed in use in this
| District covered a much wider range than
was contemplated. For some reason the
| Senators went into a discussion of practical
ly the entire system OF land transfers. In
/ some respects the system in vogue here is
| different from that in the other cities, due
mainly to the fact that membranes or
| loans on real estate are recorded by deeds
/ of trust rather than by mortgages. II was
said by one of the Senators that in his opin-
ion hardship was imposed on the debtor
| class, because the facts in regard TO the
sale OF their property under the operations
Of the deed Of trust were not passed in re-
view by a court. as in the case Of mort
| cages. 1t was thought that ten days or two
weeks notice was too short a time TO de-
prive a man OF his property. even though he
might be delinquent in the payments.
Satisfied With the System.
| Some inquiry has been made in regard to
the feeling in the city relative to this sys-
| TEN. and 1t is not found that there is any
| complaint of its practical operations The
| president of one of the large trust compa-
MES said to the writer that of loans amount
| ing to about four millions OF dollars. made
| in one year, all but eleven thousand dollars
| had been paid without resort to sales of the
property by the trustees. 1t is a fact that
| although deeds of trust almost Invariably
| accompany the deeds of transfer in every
| transaction and the proportion OF trusts is
| therefore very large. yet there are con.par-
atively few sales by trustees. While, OF
| course. under this system, in any other a
man who is disposed to be harsh and grind
| ing can push debtor. yet il Is claimed that
| the system is not responsible for such e> hi
billions of injustice. II is also said that
| after property has been sold under a deed
| OF trust, If the owner refuses to give pos
| session. he must be brought before justice
| of the peace. and then. in the event Of his
| pleading title, the justice must refer the
| case to the court, where the entire trrnsac-
| ton Is reviewed, just is done in the cas-
| of mortgages. In spite OF the advantages
| which some of the Senators thought this
system gives to this creditor class over the
| debtor, its practical operation in this Dis
| trict for so many years fails TO sharply de-
fine this theoretical conception of the sys-
| TEN.
| The New Printing ONCE site.
The action of the Senate in choosing the
Malone square. corner OF North Capitol and
L streets. for the site Of the proposed new
| building for the government printing office
is probably a step in the direction of uniting
| with the House on this vexed question The
| latter body favors the site at Delaware ave-
nue.. A compromise of some sort will have
to be effected. 1t may be that the site Of
| the present building will be the one selected
| In any event, the people who are Obliged to
| occupy the old building daily will be glad
| when some definite conclusion is reached.
| The New st. Andrews Church.
| The vestry of st. Andrews p. Z. Church.
at the corner of 14th and Corcoran streets,
have accepted the design for the proposed
new church edifice prepared by c. w. Muir
doch and c. L. Harding, architects. 1t is
the intention to begin the work of erection
| at once The new structure will occupy the
vacant ground adjoining the present church
edifice. It will have a frontage of 10 feet
on 14th street and 81 feet Corcoran
| street. The design is Gothic. There is to
be a nave and aisle with a clerestory, and
| rising above the juncture of the nave and
the transepts will be tower, which will be
supported on pillars. The ground plan will
| be rectangular, while the roof plan will be
cruciform The roof is TO be pointed. The
new edifice will join the present structure
| along the east side and glass partitions
| will separate the two rooms The west side
Is to have one large window and a number
| of smaller ones, and in addition there will
be windows in the clerestory on both sides.
The material used in the construction OF
the edifice will be brick, stone and terra
| Gotta, and Ii will cost, roofed in, without
any interior finish. 10000. The seating
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