Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
House Construction of a Substantial
Character in This City.
ADVANTAGES OF SMALL DWELLINGS
Some Of the Improvements Now in
Progress.
NOTES OF IN z r E S 7
NOTES OF IN 7 E r E S 7

It Is evident that the method of building
houses is much more substantial than 1t
used to be, or else builders here have &C
uuired the art of fastening the roofs on
houses more securely than was the case a
few years ago. The results of the recent
violent storm which swept through the city
affords strong evidence of the durable char
acter of the buildings of the city. In only
q comparatively few instances were
houses unroofed. Some years ago
wind storm of equal severity would
have left large number of houses
without this necessary protection from
the elements. Nowadays. however. the
principal damage done Is to the trees.
and some go so far as to express the opin-
Ion that If the parking commission had
sufficient force employed to keep these
closely trimmed the list of casualties after
a wind storm would be materially reduced.
AS the buildings and houses of the city
have evidently been made more secure, 1t
is not unreasonable to suppose that some
thing can be done fer the protection of the
trees. which are important factor in the
beauty and attractiveness of the city.
About Small Houses.
There are advantages about building
houses of moderate size even on expensive
lots and in the most popular residence sec
lions Of the city The majority of property
owners. when they come to build, are of the
opinion that a large house must be put on
a high-priced lot. 1t is claimed that only
by following this course can an adequate
price be secured for the property in the
event of sale, or of sufficient rent If 1t
Is held an investment. 1t is, however,
pointed out by those who have had some
experience in building and renting and
Selling houses that there is quite a large
class of people who like to live in good
house in desirable locality, and yet whose
income will not permit them to keep a
number of servants or to maintain an
establishment the running expenses of
which are necessarily large. A large house
requires a corps Of servants. good deal
of furniture and large quantity of fuel
On the other hand, all these items of eX-
pense are very much reduced when the
house is small and compact.
1t is not claimed that the same rental can
be obtained for a small house as for
large house, even when In the same local
ity, but II is asserted that in proportion to
the amount of the investment a larger in
come can be secured from the small house
than from the large house. This IS ex-
planned In part by the statement that the
tenant of a small house Is apt to be more
permanent than the one In a large house.
for the reason that the former is living as
economically as it Is possible for him to
do If he wishes to remain in such local
ity, while the latter is doubtful on that
cheaper house.
Mrs. Wards Residence.
From plans prepared by w. Bruce Gray
architect, Mrs. John S. Ward is building an
addition to her residence 1I27 Connecticut
avenue. The new part will occupy the
game frontage that of her present resi-
dence, so that the completed building will
have a width OF fifty feet. The addition
will be in the style OF an English basement
house, the front being built of brick and
stone. There will be a music room, as well
as large dining room.
Condition of the Market.
Just at present there are not enough buy
ers in the market to make that degree of
activity which Is especially desired by
dealers For this reason there is compare
lively no demand for real estate, and as
holders are fortunately not forced to a
sale. there Is no sacrifice of property and
the Generalization of prices which are
usually the features of such a condition.
During the period of financial depression
from which 1t Is believed the country is