Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-01
thus extending the personal delivery of
mail to the District line in that direction.

real EI8tOtes
While there has been no great activity in
the real estate market, the condition at the
close Of the year is a favorable one and the
prospects for the coming year are encourag-
ing. The building record shows quite q
falling OF In the number Of buildings erect
ed during the year and In the amount Of
money expended. but this has been due to
the general depression in financial circles
more than to merely local causes. The pass
age Of the bill establishing a permanent
beard of assessors. and providing for the
revision OF the old assessment. which this
board Ia authorized to make. was regard
ed as measure of great Importance. Dur
ing the year the map for the extension Of
the streets throughout a portion OF the
northern suburbs was completed and sub
mitted for the approval Of Frederick Law
Olmstead. the landscape engineer. Active
operations in carrying out this extension,
as well as the execution OF the plans OF
sewer extension, will await the passage by
Congress of the proposed bond issue bill.
A syndicate secured a long lease on the
property occupied by the late ex-Secretary
Blaine as home. and permit was taken
out for the erection of theater building
on this site. The cornerstone Of the new
building of the Corcoran Art Gallery, at
18th street and New York avenue, was laid
and good progress was made in the con-
struction.
Building Operations.
The total amount OF money spent on the
erection Of private buildings in Washington
since January 1. 1884. was 81. 972, O2S. against
$780,. 764 during the year 1888. OF the
amount first mentioned, the sum Of $2.122,-
523 was expended in improving the north
west section of the city, $155. 40 In the
southwest, $463, ITO in the northeast, $224,
$50 in the southeast, and $1,OO7, los in the
county. The total number of permits to
build issued was $50. of which 1874 were for
Northwest Washington, So for southwest.
81 for northeast, 55 for southeast, and $50
for the county. The permit involving the
greatest amount of money was issued Feb
ruary 10, to T. F. Schneider, authorizing
him to erect brick and stone apartment
house. II stories In height, at 1852 Q street
northwest, the cost to be s425.OOO In the
southwest section. Robert Portner secured
q permit on November II for brick store
and flats. four stories in height. at the
southeast corner Of Virginia avenue and
eth street, to cost $50. 900. The largest sum
Of money expended for building purposes
In Northeast Washington was by Richard
F. Bowen. his permit being issued on June
ID. for the erection of a brick Office, car
house and stable, at the northeast corner
of 18th and D streets. at an estimated cost
Of $4,000. Gaddis. Bury 6 Dunn, trustees,
secured permit on June p for the erec-
$4,000. at 326, s2s and $50 Pennsylvania
avenue southeast, which was the largest
amount disbursed for such a purpose in
that section. In the county, Baker & Ham,
ilton took out a permit on December to
put up row Of houses extending from 1901
to 1913 Yale street, Columbia Heights. The
cost Is stated at $4,000. which is more
money than was spent on any other build
ing. or single row of buildings. outside of
the city limits during the twelve months.
The records in the Office Of the building in
spector show that since July last there has
been q decided increase in the number OF
buildings over the corresponding period in
1893.
The Health of the City.
The early part Of the year was free from
any serious invasions Of contagious dis
ease into the District, but in the autumn
smallpox appeared. the first case having
probably been brought from Vermont by
family returning from a summer outing.
From this case the disease spread until it
had attacked fourteen persons Prompt
and energetic measures were taken to Sc
cure the incubation Of the citizens by vac
cination, and many thousands were thus
treated within a period of q few days. OF
the cases of smallpox that developed eight
proved fatal. After several weeks, 1t being
supposed that the disease had been abso-
lutely conquered for the season, new cases
appeared. and the city Is now undergoing
second visitation of the scourge. Up to
date there have altogether been twenty
five cases and ten deaths. The need of
new contagious disease hospital has been
les. The general health of the city has
been better, however, according to the
death rate of last year. This, 1t is thought,
is due to the general cleaning of the city
that followed a houSe-to-house sanitary
inspection. Measures are now under way
to furnish the health authorities Of Wash
ington with a supply Of anti-toxine, the
new remedy for the cure of diphtheria.
This disease has proved particularly fatal
during the past year, and there has been
considerable typhoid fever The mortality for
1894 was 1852. as against Clio for the pre-
vious year. OF these deaths this year 1928
were among whites and 1853 colorsd. Es-
timating the population at 27O,OOO, the
death rate for the year Is 21.5. as COM
pared to a rate of PIT for 1888 for the to-
tai population: Among the whites the
death rate was 17.9 and among the colored
people 29.3.
Contagious Hospital Trouble.
Throughout the year the Commissioners
have been endeavoring to secure site for
a contagious hospital, for which authority
was given in the appropriation bill for the
fiscal year just passed. Public attention
was somewhat diverted from the question.
and there was great surprise and consid
cradle indignation among certain classes
of the citizens when 1t was announced. on
the 26th Of November, that the Commits
sioners had purchased lot Of ground on
Pleasant Plains. north OF Florida aver e,
to the east of 18th street and back of T.
Logan's house. An indignation meeting of
the citizens Of Mt. Pleasant and the ada
cent regions was called, and the action OF
the Commissioners was roundly denounced.
The latter, in their annual report to the
President, submitted few days later, ar
gued at some length to show that this hos
pital was intended only for minor diseases.
such as scarlet fever, diphtheria, &C., and
quoted medical authorities to show that
there would be no danger to surrounding
inha bitants The matter there rested for