Evening star., 1898-12-31
Mr.. Wizards Purchase Completes an
Unusual Realty Holding.
CHANGES IN F STREET PROPERTY
Opportunities for Investment Which
Are Found in This City.
S T r z T RAILRO AID S

More than usual interest attaches to the
announcement which was made during the
week of the purchase Of the properly l.,,i
and 1888 F street northwest by Mr.. Caleb
c. Willard. Perhaps the main Importance
of the sale, although the price a good
one, lies in the fact that it completes Mr.,
Wizards holdings on that side of the
street, so that he now owns the entire
frontage on the south side of street be-
tween 18th and 14th streets.
The lot just acquired has a frontage of
27 feet IL inches and is L-shaped. extend
ing back about 100 feet to alley. 1t con-
tains 1886 square feet. The consideration
was 100000, and the price per square foot
was about $16. The great depth of the lot
makes the total area larger than is usual
in city lot, but computed ON the basis of a
standard lot, which is 100 feet, the price
per square foot was about 800.
Price Seven Years Ago.
The last purchase on this block, which
was made by Mr.. Willard, took place some
seven years ago, when he bought the prop
erty 1872 F street. The Improvement con-
sisted of three-story brick house, which
was then used for residential purposes, but
which was subsequently remodeled by Mr..
Willard for office purposes, and is now so
used. The building figured as an element
of value in the transaction, which was not
the. case with the improvements on the
piece which he has Just purchased.
The property at 1872 had a frontage of %
feet II inches and depth of 159 feet, but
was irregular in size, and contained about
4,719 square feet. The rate paid per foot
was SIS and on the basis of a standard
lot, the per foot price was SO.
Long Series of Purchases.
Mr.. Willard is the largest individual owner
of F street property, and perhaps pays the
largest amount of taxes on real estate of
any individual in this city. His holdings
have not been acquired by few large pur-
chases, but by long series, extending
from the time when street was almost en-
treiy residence street to the present. He
has paid ali sorts of prices.
He, has seen the time when 81 per square
foot was regarded as Il high figure, and he
has heard without asiomshment that $iJ
per foot has been paid. During these years
he has seen the city grow in population
and in wealth. He has Witnessed a remark
able development in the business interests
OF the city that must seem astonishing,
peciaHy when compared with the conditions
that existed here not 50 many years ago
He has been witness of trans
formation tnat has turned an entire section
of the city occupied by residences into a
Mr.. Willard for his holdings would repre-
sent pretty well this development. AS he
is known as conservative investor, this
addition to his property interests IN this To-
cality may be regarded as a II indica ton that
in his opinion, at least, property there is
well worth having as an investment.
Secretary Hays inVestment.
During the past week the announcement
was made of another large series of pur-
chases Of property for investment purposes,
which will tend to show that the statement
that the investor is beginning to take an
active interest in real estate in this city is
based on fact. MIR. John Hay, Secretary of
State, has added largely to his holdings at
the southeast corner of Connecticut avenue
and l. street by buying number of houses
on each side, fronting both on the avenue
and on !. street.
1t is stated that the property was bought
by Mr.. Hay not for the purpose of making
some large Improvements, but as an invest
ment Ii is quite evident the promising fu-
ture which lays before this city is recog-
nized by shrewd men who desire safe and
lucrative sources of investment for their
funds. This condition is recognized not
only by strangers, but by those who have
lived here and are familiar with local con-
ditiOnS.
1t is sometimes said that the prospects for
the future in this city are more readily
recognized by outsiders than by those who
live here. But it is evident that is not
strictly true. Both investments mentioned
above are by men who have lived here a
good many years There are other similar
cases which might be cited.
Modern Railroad Facilities.
1t is thought by some that local capital
missed a profitable opportunity by not tax
ing hold of the various railroad properties
the control of which has recently been ac-
quired by the syndicate controlling the City
and Suburban railroad and the associated
roads. However that may be, it is believed
the material interests of the city will be
greatly promoted by the proposed modern
lZlng OF these properties, thus supplying to
the public modern street railroad facilities
in localities which have been without a
competent service of is kind. and which,
1t is thought, have suffered especially in
comparison with more favored sections of
the city and the suburbs which have been
supplied with such facilities
Two New Houses.
Two houses are to be erected at 2019 and
202l halorama avenue, Washington
Heights, by Franklin T Sanner They are
to be three stories in height, eighteen feet
front, with fronts of press brick and brown
stone.