Evening star., 1900-05-26
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Use of Cement as Substitute for
Brick and Stone.
MARKET FOR HOUSES REMAINS ACTIVE
Some Phases Of the Present Situa-
ton Which Are Promising.
RIOUS NJ ATT E r S

There has been some delay in beginning
the construction Of the office building on
9TH street near Louisiana avenue, for the
reason that the iron ties which are to be
used in the walls of cement had not been
received However, it is expected the work
can now be pushed ahead This building
is to be five stories in height and 30xa3 feet.
Owing to the fact that cement is to be
the material used in the construction in
stead of iron, brick or stone, more interest
is taken in the project than would be the
case if ordinary materials were being en-
ployed.
1t is not usual In this city to employ ce-
ment as practically the exclusive material
in the construction of building, but that
is what is being done in this instance, so
that when the structure is finished it will
be a substantially stone monolith. Even
the partition walls and floors are to be of
this material Beginning on the footings,
as is the case with the walls of all build
lnss, the workmen will first of all put down
forms of wood, which will be of the exact
Width of the proposed walls.
Thickness of the Walls.
Then this mold is filled with cement,
which is well packed. Iron ties will be
used to run from side to side of the mold
to prevent 1t from spreading before the
cement hardens. Iron rods or ties of
twisted iron are also to be run longitude
nally through the walls In this instance.
according to the plans prepared by the
arch1tect, Mr.. l.. DesseZ, the walls in the
basement are to be fourteen inches thick
through the first story thirteen inches
while the balance of the five stories will
be twelve inches thick. AS sdon as the
cement in the mold hardens the sides of
the mold are raised to the top of the wall
OF cement which has just been formed
and a new course laid
This process will be repeated until the
roof is reached.
The partition walls are to be built at the
same time and also the floors, which are
TO be OF the same material and as the ce-
ment when 1t hardens becomes like stone
IL may be said that the new structure will
De composed of a series of stone cells.
Although the cement that will be used has
been imported from Germany it is said
that as d building material it is much
cheaper than either stone, brick iron
The Demand for Houses.
1t Is the general experience of dealers
and property owners that the demand for
houses in the suburbs of the city is greater
than the supply. 1t would easily be possl-
bic to rent at good prices large number
OF houses in addition to those already taken
If they were available. The fact is that the
supply is exhausted. The situation is some
what unusual. for while there is always a
market at this time of the year for the
rent of houses in the country, this season
it is remarked that the applications began
to come in earlier, AM also that they have
continued later.
At the same time it is observed that there
are but few houses on the rent list within
what are known as the limits of the city
for practically the bounds of the city and
of the District are coterminous and so, to
be entirely accurate. the section referred
to is the more closely built up portion of
the city. In spite of the increased compe-
tition, so as to speak, which has come to
rented residence property from the great
activity in the erection of flats and from
the facilities of communication between the
city and the suburbs, which has practicai ily
been transformed during the past year.
still 1t is said by those who are in a posi-
ton to know that houses in the city which