Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-18
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
SuggestionsAbout House Construction
From Recent Storm Experiences.
MRS. fOWNSEND'S new RESIDENCE
Development Of the Suburbs
Marking Growth Of the City,
SOME NEW B q ILDIN G S

SOME NEW BUILDING
| It goes without saying that the snowfall
| during the past week did not tend TO IN
! crease the activity in the real estate mar
ket. 1t also may be said that the storm
| had very little effect on the market either
! one way or the other, as there was no
great amount of business previous to the
general shut down in all lines of activity
| that took place while communication
throughout the city was suspended.
Real estate dealers, like practically all
other business men, experienced sudden
cessation in the usual routine of activities,
which perhaps constitutes the novel feature
Of the late meteorological disturbance. How
ever, they had the sidewalks in front of
vacant property in their charge to keep
clean, which was no slight task.
Suburban Developments.
| 1t may be that the cutting off of the
usual means of communication between
the city and the suburbs, as well as in the
city itself, may lead to a change of views
on the part of some in regard to the adj
vantages of a suburban residence, but, it
is held by others that it is hardly likely to
happen again. for the reason that such a
situation as resulted from the storm is alb
normal and not likely to happen again for
years, if ever
1t would probably require more than one
such experience to check even in the slight
est degree the movement toward the sub
urbs, which is such a marked feature of the
modern development of the city. The gen
eral use of the electric roads probably gives
impetus to this movement. but after all. it
must be recognized that the great and i'm
pellns cause is the growth of the popula-
ton OF the city.
Growth of the City.
,, 1t is true that all the building lots IN the
city are not yet occupied with structures,
but neither was the central portion of the
city built up when the movement began to-
ward the urban edges and finally passed the
municipal bounus and entered into the sub
urban region. Fifteen years ago the cor
ner of 18th and streets was looked upon
as being lonS distance from the center of
things, while when Mount Pleasant was
started il was regarded being quite far
out in the rural regions. Now il may be
said the urban limits are at Mount Pleasant
and getting beyond that point
What is true of that particular section
will also apply TO other localities in and
about Washington, so that when people in
these days talk about the suburbs it must
necessarily be of regions contiguous to this
city which are long distance away from
what is known now and in former years
its business center. In other words, WASH
lnSton is a big city, and has NOT stopped
growing, SO that the idea if such "A one is
entertained. that every one must live with
in easy walking distance of the principal
business section is, therefore, 10 longer
practicable.
As to House Construction.
The unusually severe weather of the past
week put to the test the heating facilities
in private houses as well as in public build
ings. 1t is not surprising that the report
comes from some of the best public build
ings of the inadequate work, of the heating
apparatus, for 1t has not been considered
necessary to provide for such a stress of
climatic change as has been the fortune
recently of this locality. To say that the
heating apparatus of a private house or of
a public building has proved to be INSULT
cient during such weather has prevailed
is reason for condemning ii entirely. 1t
is quite probable that not for another
| twenty years will there be such an extreme
degree Of stormy weather as has been the
late experience of Neutrality-suspicious..
However. allowing for all the abnormal
meteorological conditions, there is no ques-
ton that even in the homes of the well-to-
do there was genuine suffering from the
cold. In some cases this doubt due
to some defect in the heating arrangements
as well as deficiency in the heat-producing
power of the apparatus. But, after all is
said, there is no doubt that large amount
of the cold air that made itself unpleas-
antly manifest to the occupants of private
houses was due to defects and mistakes in
Heavier Wall Suggested.
1t is the belief of a good many of those
who are more or less familiar with the
style of building in this city that too little
regard is paid to substantial construction.
In the first place, it is thought the method
adopted in warm climates of building heavy
outer walls might with profit be followed
in this city. In this way houses would he
able to resist not only the penetrating
winds Of the of the
hot air in summer.
1t is claimed that thick walls not only
make the house more comfortable in Win
ter, but cooler in the stress of hot weather.
1t stands to reason that this is so, for if
the cold air enters the house through the
crevices under the windows and the doors
and in other places where the work is not
carefully done it is probable the hot air
of the summer will come in the same way.
If that is the case, ii follows that thick
walls and good carpentry and brick work,
especially about openings of a house, will
contribute to its comfort as place of resi-
dence both winter and summer, and will
also effect a saving in fuel bills, which is
not an unimportant consideration with the
average householder.
Mrs. Scott Townsend's House.
Estimates have been made by number
of the local builders for the erection of
the residence which Mrs. Scott Townsend
proposes to erect on the Hillyer property
and Florida avenues. 1t is expected from
its size well as its general plan that this
will be one of the notable private houses
in the city. The grounds, when considered
for the needs of one house, are unusually
spacious as a site for city residence and
although the plans provide for a large
building, yet there will be lawn spaces on
all sides.
According to the plans prepared, the Hill
yer house is not to be entirely removed,
but is to be added to on both sides, and
in fact, on every side, so that when the
work is completed it will be difficult to
recognize any feature of the house as 1t
now stands. The Improvement will practi-
caliy be new throughout. On one side there
will be spacious wing. where there will
be ball room, and on the other space for
q large dining ROOM The entire frontage
will be unusual for a private house, and
in other particulars it is thought by those
who have seen the elevations the proposed
house is likely to be one of the interesting
specimens of domestic architecture in this
city.