Evening star., 1895-09-14
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Suburban Property and the Street
Extensions.
IMPROVEMENTS MADE In TIE COUNTY
Complaints That They Are Done on
Patchwork System.
HOUSES AND TEN NTS

! There is little change in the condition Of
| this part of the real estate world over that
| OF the past few weeks, although there
seems to be rather strong inquiry for well
situated inside property from prospective
, investors Holders, however, do not ap-
pear inclined to part with realty whose lo-
cation promises to add materially to it's
| value In the future, and in what are now
considered remote city localities figures are
asked for unimproved lots that do not all
ways seem justified by the immediate SUR
| ro,bdings.
Tie present intentions of the city railways
| TO place rapid transit systems on their lines
accounts for great deal of this feeling on
the part Of owners, and in addition to this
is the firm conviction that Washington in
bound beyond any question to steadily in.
creese in its population, and in the better
ment of the character and financial condi.
| tien of those, composing it.
| Another, and not the least important
cause which leads to a desire on the part of
holders of city property to continue in pos
session of it, is the unsettled condition of
aHairs IN the suburbs owing to the many
| NeXed problems growing out of the pro-
| posed extension of streets beyond the boun-
| dares. There is no gainsaying the fac.
| that the uncertainty now existing in regard
10 this stupendous system of projected i'm.
| prcvenlents has caused considerable embar-
| fassment to owners OF outside property NOT
| already improved in a modern sense and
| mus placed beyond the possibility Of being
lnser1ered with in the plans under con-
| slderation. Persons owning realty in the
| suburbs who wish to sell find purchasers
chary of taking what they regard as
serious risks. 1t is still more difficult for
| membranes.
1t Is not that there is any very general
| lear that the plans of the street exten.
SONS already agreed on by the Commits
| sioners and the highway commission will
not be carried out eventually, but it is on
account of the fact that the money to nav
Tor the improvements as we'll for the
land 1t Will be necessary to take when
| those contemplated are commenced must
be secured through the medium of con-
giessional appropriations. There is always
doubt as to what Congress will do and
when it will do it. There exists therefore,
| almost complete stagnation so far as
| suburban realty is concerned. Investors
who would he glad to put their money In
| healthful sites outside of Washington
| along the lines of present or projected rail-
| reads, and who would be willing to run this
risk of being subjected to condemnation of
| part of their purchases at a fairly re-
munerative figure, are confronted with
| the uncertainty of congressional action,
and hesitate about tying up their funds.
Suburban Street improvements.
Now that the Commissioners are making
| up their schedule of street improvements
| for next year, the owners of suburban
| property are anxious to know how fer they
will be considered. OF course, the pub
lished list has brought down upon the Com
missioners much criticism from those who
do not think their sections have received
intelligent consideration. The complaint
most commonly heard is that improve
| ments are planned for localities where
there are but few houses and but little
travel, while in thickly settled subdivisions
but few streets are named for improves
ment, and in many cases the work seems
to be projected without any definite plan.
One resident of the county, in speaking to a
Star reporter of the work done in his To-
cslity, said: Last year the District Com
missoneIs included in their estimates the
improvement of several streets in the SUBJ
division in which 1 live, and the people
were grateful. for they had felt that they
| had been badly neglected.
Those estimates We're severely cut down
by Congress, and finally only two streets
were decided upon. One of those streets
| was graded and graveled for one square,
but in the change of grade there was q
cut at the upper end of the square of about
twelve or fifteen feet. The street that
crossed at this point was started to be i'm:
proved, and the work went on for about
four squares. but at the first intersection
the people living beyond were left high in
the air, and flight Of steps was built to
enable them to get from the improved
street below to their homes. 1t was sup
posed that in the estimates for next year
those that had been cut out by the last
Congress would be included, and that the
work left unfinished would be completed.
But, no. The only recommendation is
for the improvement of a portion of an
other street. OF course, this street needs
improvement, does all the streets In the
subdivision, but if any work is done upon
it, it should be along its whole length, so
that 1t would give the people an outlet.
This could wait, however, until the streets
| already commenced are finished and made
passable. The feeling of the suburban
people is that the estimates for work OUT
side of the city are made without any per-
sonal examination of the localities. and the
real needs of the inhabitants. but are de-
termined by a mere inspection of the vari-
GUS maps in the engineers Office"
A Demand for Houses.
No doubt there has been a very good de-
mand to rent new houses. This has not
been regarded as significant of anything,
except a general and natural desire Of peo-
pie who live in old houses to move into
new ones. But the past few days have evil
denced growing and healthy demand for
houses. One real estate agent. who makes
a specially of renting, told a Star reporter
that so far his books for September showed
| an increase of business over the September
record. This he said, was not due alto
gether to the return to the city of people
who gave up their houses at the beginning
of the summer and went to the country. A
| large percentage of the inquirers were per-
sons who had been living in rooms or
apartments, or who had been doubling
up" with others. Tie demand for houses
coming now this agent regarded an evil
dence Of better times and a better feeling.
Building Notes.
Architects c. A. Sherman and A. II. Son.
neman, 2O26 / street northwest have pre-
pared designs for two new houses to be
erected on premises Nos. 205 and 207 F
street northwest. to have square bays and
l,rsa rnnf md
modern improvements. w. ]. kolb VIII do
the building.
The same architects have also prepared
designs for a row of four dwellings for II.
NJ Martin. to improve Virginia avenue just
west of 26th street northwest
Not to Admit the Chinese.
The Secretary Of the Treasury has sent
a telegram to the collector of customs at
Ogdensburg, N. " directing him not to ad-
NIT any of the 200 Chinese recently landed
at Vancouver route to the Atlanta ex-
position. There is reason for the belief that