Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-06-17
ENORMOUS WEALTH.
VALUE IN POUNDS OF SOME OF LON
DON'S GREAT PLACES.


Riches Represented In Museums, Art
Galleries. Churches and Bridges.
"Have you ever thought what Lon
don is worth?" remarked valuer to
the writer the other day. land will you
believe me when tell you that all the
money in the world piled up in one
enormous heap would not buy tho treas
ures on which Londoners may gaze at
will every day of their lives?''
There was "oopy" in the idea, and 1
took my valuer friend round London on
valuing intent.
We came to town on the under
ground. 1.-TWO thousand yards of this
railway" said my friend, "cost e.
600, 900, or, If you like to have 1t so,
ESQ all inch. If you wanted to buy this
bit now, you would probably be asked
e5, 600, 900 for it. There is another mile
on the same line which would cost you
something like $4,000, 600, having cost
third Of million to lay down. But
that is comparatively moderate. If the
electric railway were put up to auction
and you were fortunate to get it at cost
price, you would need the wealth Of
seven millionaires to buy it. These 80
miles of railway are worth quite e12,-
900, 900 as prices go nowadays.
"Get out at this station and look at
the monument You would not buy it
for $4,000 In five minutes you will
be at the Mansion House, which cost
mere e70, 900 to build, but is now worth
nearer e750,0o0. The Royal Exchange
as building Of bricks and mortar, is
worth e200, 900, but it stands on land
worth $4,000, 900. Not long ago land
in this neighborhood was sold at the
rate of CO, 900, 900 an acre,
1.-THE Bank Of England would prob
ably fetch e4,000,o00 in the market,
but as there is always 100000, 900
worth of gold in the cellars it's standing
value is about ERA, 1000, O00 Go west
ward over Holborn viaduct and remem-
Der that that short stretch of highway
is worth over e2,OOO,0 900. You would
want nearly e2,000,00O to buy the gen
eral postoffice, which you have just
passed, and the law courts, with the
land on which they stand, are worth
G2,500,00O.
"Walk along the Strand and stand
for five minutes on Waterloo bridge
The property you see here would mako
dozens of your friends millionairos at a
stroke. Two million pounds would not
buy those two hotels, and Somerset
House, at building cost only, is good for
100000. The bridge you are standing
On was disastrous failure when it was
built, but it is worth now moro than
There are seven bridges on either side
of you, which cost between them over
e4,000,00O. The tunnels underneath
the river are worth millions as COM
mercial property, and the cmbankment
is now worth probably double the g.
900, 900 which it cost to make.
"If St. Paul's were private property,
you might induce the owner to sell it
for e10, 100000, but the likelihood is
very remote. Those tattered banners
which you have seen so often would
arouse pretty keen bidding at the sales,
and if you got one for ei0, 600 you might
think yourself extremely lucky. West
minister abbey is difficult to value. 1t is
one of those things that cannot lie
bought, but the sales give US some idea
what historic treasures aro worth i'll the
market, and I should not be surprised il
the abbey-put up in lots-roalizod
$50, 900, 600. Fancy putting a ticket Oh
Jacobs pillar or the royal tonlbs!
"You have admired the magnificent
exterior of the houses Of parliament and
the splendid interior, but'y you will per-
haps be surprised to know that you could
not erect these buildings today for Co.
900, 900. st. Thomas hospital, and tie
Albert embankment running along the
front of it, are worth together over 81,
900, 900, and tho bridge leading to it
cost e250, oo0
"Perhaps you havo never reflected
what privilege you enjoy in being
able to visit so many places free The
British museum, which anybody can
see for nothing, could not be bought up
by all the millionaires in America Ii
it were absolutely empty, it would be
worth 81 500, 900, and it is full of price
less treasures, one collection alone be-
ing worth nearly G250, 900. The Ma
tional gallery is worth millions. 1t cost,
with the new Tate gallery section,
$3.50, 900 to build, and has che picture
which cost GA an inch and 3S others
which cost 81, 700 apiece.
"Thc Albert hall and Royal aquarium
are each worth about $3.50, 600, but the
Crystal palace cost more than three
times the value of both these, the bill
for the palace being e1, 500, coo. Earl S
court, tho great show rivallng the pal
ace, has millions worth of treasures
which YOU can see for / shilling and
even when it is empty the IS acres OF
gardens and buildings are worth f300,
700
1.-The hotels and public houses OF
London could not be bought up for $40,
OOO 900, to say nothing OF the land on
which they stand. Two of them pay
$3.50 week between them i'll ground
rent. Buckingham palace is not very
gorgeous, but it is worth ga, 0OO COO as
it stands, and if you wanted to rent ii
privately you would have to pay 81, Goo
a week for it. Dcvonshire House and
Lansdowne House, in Piccadilly, would
cost you Ell, 900, 900, but you would not
expect the picture galleries thrown III
ut this price They are worth hundreds
ne thousands. ''-London Tit-Bits.