The evening times., 1898-12-24
Advance of the Present Season
Over Past Periods.
STOCKS AND REAL ESTATE
Demand for Moderate-Sized Houses
in the Suburbs.
Important TRANSACTIONS During the
Week - Population Increasing.
Good Prospects for business.

reason to enjoy their Christmas II gen.
eral Improvement in business, and the
prospect OF much more of the same will
make them happy. In former years since
1892. there have been promises" of good
times. but the Improvement has never
actually appeared. There Is no question
that there has been already this season.
a great Improvement in nearly all lines
of business.
The merchants all tell of good holiday
trade. In some Of the shops there has
been the best season on record. In all
the throngs of buyers have been large
and the purchases bigger and of higher
priced goods.
The street railroads have done the big
gest December business in their histories
The cold weather early in the year has
| made the coal dealers and the clothing
and shoe people happy.
These are the advance indications of
prosperity. But in the real estate and
| local stock markets and in the planning
| for building operations there is excellent
| improvement and even better promise
| Good business in the stores is pleasant
as indicative of immediate circulation of
money, but the real estate and stock mar
| kets are much better barometers of real
and lasting conditions.
! 1t is computed by local brokers that
| there has been an increase OF ID per cent
| in the value of the stocks of local cor
porations in the last year. This means an
I actual gain of several million dollars The
buying and selling of local stocks and
| bonds has been more active than for
| many years past.
/ The improvement in the real estate field
is not so marked as yet. but ia the opin-
| ion of nearly all business men who un-
| derstand the situation, it will be even
| better little later on.
| The number of vacant houses is less
| than at any time before in many years.
| 1t is certain that the population of the
| city and district has increased largely in
the last year. No better evidence of this
should be asked than the small number
OF vacant houses while at the same time
such large number Of people are now liv-
| ing in flats"
| The sales of real estate are more nu-
merous. Some brokers complain that as
yet there is very little increase in the
number of transfers OF the average size.
which in reality. they say, indicates the
condition of the market much better than
the few immense sales to wealthy people
This is partly true of course. but ii IS TO
a large extent a wrong view nevertheless
| 1t viii be found by an examination of the
| records of the recorder OF deeds that there
| is an actual increase In the number of
| transfers of all kinds. Especially is 1t
| true that in certain sections of the sub
| urbs there Is large and increasing de-
mand for moderate sized houses, and for
| building lots
i haT hat " paOula al
| ways begin any movement of improve
| ment They have the money on hand and
| they are better able to read the indica-
| tions of returning Improvement. They
buy real estate at the low prices of dull
| times and are enabled TO sell it later with
| good profits
| No year during all times has nearly ap-
| proximated the number OF transfers OF
real estate with considerations over $780,
CO., made within the last six months The
record would be excellent for the mid
die of a boom period Six transfers ag'
gregating nearly a million dollars ir
value have been recorded in this column
recently. During the present week there
has been one sale for $4,000 and another
for $50, 0Oo Others equally large are now
under consideration and probably VIII oS
consummated within the next month.
The great abundance of money must
| in a short time force activity in both
| the real estate and building markets II
is impossible to obtain more than ano
| 5 per cent on first mortgage loans. Or
the other hand, the people who are build
| ing houses find purchasers and tenants
Immediately. Row after row of houses
| go up and are filed with people as sooT
as they are completed. Frequently al
| entire row is sold before 1t is finished.
Prices of real estate now are mucf
lower than they were a few years ago
There can be no question that those whC
buy property now, improved or unim
proved. will do much better than 4 pei
cent a year with 1t in the next year oil
the next five years.