Evening star., 1897-12-04
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Expected Results From a Uniform
Street Railway Motive System.
EXCELLENT PRICE At A RECENT SALE
Safety in Plumbing as Applied to
Modern Dwellings.
NEW BUILDINGS ERECTED
NEW BUILDINGS ERECTED

in the recent street railway deal in Balti-
! more that it was the intention to equip at
once the lexington street railroad with the
underground system and that later on the
same process would be repeated in the
| case of the Belt railroad have naturally ex-
cited a good deal of interest among proper
ty holders. While, of course, the cnange
from morse cars to the proposed modern
| rapid transit system is of special impor-
tance to those who own property along
these lines and to the residents, yet, it is
thought. it will have broader significance.
The practical result will be a uniform
pal street railroads of the city, it being, of
course, understood that the installation of
the underground plant on the Capital Trac-
ton will be completed in the course of
few months. The conditions of street rail-
way travel will be then materially mod-
fed, and scme look forward to the adop-
tion of Il system by which there W.. be
free interchange of traffic among all the
street railroads of the city. Exactly how
this is to be brought about is not, of
course, definitely known.
Some Current Gossip.
There are some who are of the opinion
that the railroads here will be subjected to
the same process which has become so IA
mlliar to residents in other cities, namely,
that of consolidation and the creation of a
company with an enormous stock to man
age and operate all the lines. 1t may be
said, however, that this idea is rot ad-
vanccd by those who are interested in the
several railroad lines.
Another view is advanced by those i'll
tcrestei in such matters. the practical exc
cutiOn of which would have the same re-
suit. 1t is claimed by some that such re-
latiOnS between the different railroad com
panie5 could be brought about that they
Would agree upon plan for general
transfer system, so that passengers from
one line could be transferred to another at
the various lnterSectinS points. Accord
ing to this theory, the railroads, without
an actual corporate union or being under
practically one management, would give
Il service which would greatly facilitate
the communication between the different
parts of the city as we'll as the suburbs.
Proposed TrackaSe Arrangement.
There is still another plan that is spoken
of by some, and that is the adoption of
trackage arrangements, by which the cars
of one road can be run over the tracks
cf an intersectng road thus avoiding
transfers and the necessity for passengers
changing from one car to another. Some
of the suburban roads are anxious that
this plan should he carried out and that
they should be allowed to run their cars
into the city over the tracks of the ex-
listing railroads. There has been some leg
islation 20 this effect, but 1t has not been
carried into effect
a solution of the entire problem at least
as far as 1t concerns the relations of the
suburban and the city lines, is found by
some in the purchase by the strong COM
panies of the connecting lines, either run
ming into the suburbs into the city, so
what is now practically two sections of
road, in the suburbs and one in the
city. operated by two distinct companies,
would become one road, furnishing a con-
tnufls sef'ice from distant suburban
points to the heart of the city.
1t is, of course, impossible to say what
VIII be the outcome of the change which
has taken place in the transit systems of
street railroads, but it is thought that it
is likely in the not distant future there are
to be railroad deals and combinations and
railroad legislation which will materially
affect all the street railways in the Dis.
trict, not only in their relations to each
other but to the public.
1t Was "a Good Price.
Perhaps the most interesting feature to
the public in the large transaction which
resulted in the transfer during the past
week of the Widdicombe property on H
street to the Columbian University was
the price paid. AS stated in The Star at
the time, the consideration was about 81
pei square foot. This property has been
OF the market for number of years past
and even in flush times no more than $40
was asked for it. 1t was known, how
ever, that it could be had for less, and it
is considered by those who are in q position
to know about such matters that the price
Obtained shows that there has been no
depreciation in real estate values. 1t is
locked upon as beirg a good value even
in more active market, and for this rea-
son the sale is regarded as an indication
of the favorable condition of the realty
market.
About Modern Plumbing
1t is remarked by those who have given