Evening star., 1898-10-29
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
A Significant Indication of the In
crease in the City's Population.
PLANS FOR PROPOSED BUILDINGS
Prices for New York Property and
Condition of the Market.
A P A r Z M E N T HOU 4


Iorded In the annual report made recently
oy Gen. John M. Wilson, the chief of en-
sineers of the United States army. In
discussing the water supply Of the city,
Gen. Wilson said that the present daily
cor sumption of water is about 81 per cent
Of the capacity CT the Great Falls con-
iult Ten years ago, he added, it was about
IS per cent Of the same amount He then
went on to say that the necessity for the
of new conduit between
the Great Falls and the distributing reser-
voir is only question of time Accord
ns to these figures, the population Of the
city IN the course of the next ten years will
have reached such proportions that the ca
pacity Of the present conduit will be in
adequate to meet the demand.
Houses Filling I'd.
There Is another indication of the in
crease In the population of the city and
that is the active market for houses to
rent While during the past few years
few houses have been erect
ed' one reason being that it was thought
the city was over-built, now it is said the
list of For Rent" is growing less with
rapidity
Some, however, attribute this demand for
ana the consequent case in the money mar
ket, which enables people to have more
money to spend, and SO, instead of econo-
mfzing by the crowding of several fam
lies into one house. they are spreading out
But whatever the reason there is no doubt
mat the demand for property to rent is
better than 1t was last year at this time
ana, in fact, there is an improvement all
along the line. 1t is not meant by this that
there is any great boom in real estate or
nj lI1t e+iy
the Improvement in conditions is marked
as compared with the same pc
rlod of last year.
For Business Purposes.
The frame building at the southeast cor
1er of 2Oth and ? streets is being remodeled
~ Mr.. John S. Larcombe for the use of
lohn c. Walker, who intends to open a mar
het store there. The structure is to have
basement of brick and the main entrance
Will be brought on level with the street.
and there will be two broad show windows
FireproOf Constructions.
The building which is being erected at
l2OS F. street northwest by Mr. W. P LIDS
comb contractor for Mr. Charles G. Thorn
IS to be fireproof in construction. While it
Will be raised at present only to the height
Of two stories, the walls will be of sufficient
thickness to allow the building of additional
stories in the future. The iron frame of
the building is to be filled in as far as the
front is concerned, with brick of dark shade
set In white mortar.
An Interesting Plan.
The details of an interesting scheme are
now being worked out for the improvement
Of one of the triangular squares in the
section of the city by an
apartment house The advantage Of this
structure as now planned will be- in the
first place, the utilization of all the space
In plot of land of this character, which is
difficult usually to make complete use Of
and, besides, 1t will accomplish that great
he rooms will be outside rooms. 1t is not
known whether this scheme will be carried
out.
$500 Per Square Foot.
Real estate values in New York city have
more than local interest, for the reason
hat they show, to some extent at least,
he effect on property of large populous
areas. In all cities. as a rule. property
,alues enhance with the growth of the
population and the prosperity Of the COM
nunity, and there is perhaps no more strik
ng evidence of that fact than the history
If real estate values in this city.
A recent sale of property in the business
lection OF New York city is a case in point.
The stock exchange bought a piece of
dining the present building on Broad street.
t was purchased from the Western Union
company. The price paid was about 5000
,er square foot, which may be considered to
,e what the ground was thought to be
worth. as IT is the intention to remove the
present structure. According to the New
ork Herald this price has been exceeded
IN four occasions only in the history OF
cal estate in that city.
An Active Market.
In commenting en- the situation, the same
paper says editorially:
The increased activity observed in the
New York real estate market during Oc-
ober has not only been welcomed as re-
1ival of operations after long period of
lullncss Of trade, but it is hailed by hope
'ul oniookers as a sign OF better feeling
n commercial circles generally.
There are constitutional GROWERS and
who will dispute this. financial
md commercial wiseacres who will cry
Rubbish" to any such agreeable sugges-
lion. They will quote stocks a: you that
nave declined they will whisper of bear
movements that are being nursed for use
n the immediate future, and they will cry
aloud and refuse to be comforted by any
iveiness of demand for houses and lots.
The indisputable fact remains. neverthe-
ess. that there Is a decided reawakening
n the real estate world and that both the
character of the property which has re-
,ently changed hands and the class of buy
srS that have become the purchasers lend
belief to the argument that the better con-
1ition of the market is a genuine improve
nent OF trade that has come to stay. And
t is the opinion of the majority that as
'eal estate is quick to feel the depression
N other markets and slow to recover buoy
ancy until other branches of trade are re-
gaining confidence the resumption of active
reel estate dealing is certainly encouraging
to business circles at large.
Some New Buildings.
Two two-story houses will be erected on
Illinois avenue by D. B. Croft. They
will each be 1Sx50 feet, with press brick
fronts.
John NJ. Henderson will build two houses
at AZ and A Quincy street, which will be
two stories in height, 20x43 feet, with press
brick fronts.
At 22 to 80 Quincy street Metcalf &
Lewis will build row of six houses, two
stories high, sixteen feet front, with press
brick fronts.
Promotion and appointment.