Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-09
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
The Suburbs and Street Railroad
Transfer Arrangement.
SOME GROWING P0PULOUS CENHERS
The Encouraging Outlook for the
Coming Building Season.
WORK IN Pr IS p Z G. T


various street railroads in reaching an
agreement in regard to general system
of transfers between the different lines
has important bearing, especially on
the interests of the suburban residents
There is, perhaps, no question that has
such vital connection with the develop
n:ent OF the suburbs as this. Since the
suburban movement has left the lines of
the steam railways and has spread out in
different directions through the country,
the necessity for rapid and cheap commu-
nication with the city has become more
pressing.
To meet this demand the suburban roads
We're built. In some cases, perhaps, the
population was somewhat anticipated, but
at any rate along all these roads are seat
tered the homes of people whose business
is in the city. Besides. each year witnesses
an addition to the number who have per-
manentiy removed from the city to the
country. AS a rule, they live there the
year round, the male members of the fam
lily, and in some cases the female members.
coming in to their work in the morning
and returning again at night
Under the present arrangement, these
people are obliged to pay two fares in or
der to come in to the city. According to
the agreement reached by the railroad
managers. which is 10 receive the sane
cents and one-siXth FOR a continued ride
on a connecting line in to out of the
city they will now pay three cents heth-
er this plan is the most equitable that can
he devised, when the interests of the pub
lie and of the railroads are taken into
consideration. is a matter that will prob
ably receive the attention of Congress.
Whatever may be the final conclusion
reached. and without touching upon the
merits of the details of a transfer
rangement it Is. recognized that progress
IS being made toward the settlement of
this important matter.
An Increasing Population.
The statistics furnished by the late po-
lice census of the population Of the SUBURBS
shows the large number of people who are
dependent more less upon suburban
roads for reaching the city. Few are able
to keep conveyance of their own, espe-
cially when it Is remembered that The
great majority engaged in the lauda-
BILE work of buying their own homes. 1t
is agreed by every one who is interested in
the prosperity of the city that home buyers
ought to be encouraged and aided in every
possible way. 1t is found that railroad
facilities form a very important factor in
the estimate made by prospective buyers
OF the desirabiity of the various localities.
1t goes without saying that all this has an
important bearing on land values, 50 shat
not only present and prospective resi-
tercsted in an equitable settlement of the
transfer problem.
The Suburban Movement.
Although real estate, whether inside or
outside of the city, wears an unusually Win
try aspect just now for this latitude, st:ll
the calendar points to the near approach of
the season when public interest is apt TO be
turned strongly in this direction. The
prospects Of the spring real estate market
are not as yet very clearly indicated by
the usual signs. 1t is expected, however
that the coming season will witness con-
siderable activity, both in city and sub
urban property 1t is thought that this
viii be especially the case with the latter
class of property. owing, in part at least,
to the more general acquaintance which
the average city resident is able to get Of
the beautiful country which surrounds the
nations capital on all sides. The increased
travel the suburban railroads during
the spring and summer season COM
pared with that Of the winter, and the adj
dition to the number of places of resort
and other features, all point to the growing
fondness on the part of city residents for
trips in the country.
The Road to Kensington.
1t is stated that the company which
was formed some time ago to build an
electric line from the termination of the
Rock Creek railroad beyond Chevy Chase
to Kensngton. suburban community on
the Metropolitan branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio has completed the grading of
the roadbed and expect to have cars run
ming early in the spring. Most of the resi-
dents in that vicinity have been obliged
to depend on the steam railroad to get
into the city. The new road also will pass
through a section of the country which is
now without railroad facilities of any sort,
and it is expected by property owners
that it will be a benefit in developing their
property.
Encouraging Building Prospects.
In the opinion of Building Inspector
Brady, the coming season is going to be
comparatively lively one in building circles,
and already there is talk of number of
improvements, some of which, at least, are
pretty certain to materialiZe The recent
severe weather has, of course, had the eff
feet of putting a stop to such talk for the
time being, and little has been done while
the ground has been covered with snow.
With the advent of better weather it is
safe to say that things will pick up most
encourag ingly, and unless all signs fail the
coming season will be much more active
in the building line than was the past one.
A tabulated statement, prepared recently
by the building inspector, gives more than
a reasonable ground for this belief. That
statement shows that the building record
for the half year ending with the first of
January is almost up to that of the entire
fiscal year ending June 80 last. During the
entire year which ended June 80 last, 914
building permits We're taken out, and the
value of improvements amounted to ST.
100000. During the first half of the pres
ent year 627 permits We're taken out, and
the estimated value of improvements that
have been completed or are under way is
$1,000, O00 more than throe-fourths Of
the entire amount for last year.
This, too. it should be remembered, is
for the duler half of the year, and it is
safe to say that the next six months the
spring season. will show an even greater
increase. Mr.. Brady says that it is only
reasonable to eXpect-ean increase of at
least two-thirds over. the first half, which
would make the estimate of permits for
the entire year at least 1 GOO, Or more than
20 ncr cent more than last year. This viii!
undoubtedly make great Improvement in
all trade circles, especially as a consider
able portion of the money called for by the
permits for the first half of the present
year has not yet been expended, the
buildings have not all been completed.
All these features. while they may not
exactly bring about BOOM" are GER
ta,nly fell of encouragement
A Half Million of Dollars.
Then there is another matter in which
the building trades of Washington are like
ly to take interest. The District appropri
alton bill as it now stands provides for the
L.,