Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-07
UNCLE SANS REAL ESTATE
Handsome Increase in It's Value Since First
Purchased.
Substantial Refutation of the Error
PeAhsylvania Avenue.

While the consideration of en- increase in
the value of property in this city purchased
by the United States may not seem of much
practical consequence. for the reason that
Uncle Sam Is not in the real estate bus
iness and does not acquire property with
the view of selling it when chance offers.
1t is of interest to note that the govern
ment holdings in this city show a hand
some advance in the present valuations
over what was paid fer them. This is the
case Of the property on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. opposite the Treasury Department,
which was the site formerly occupied by
the Department Of Justice. and where it is
now intended to erect handsome building.
II the price paid for this property some
thirty years ago is compared with the
present estimated market value the differ
ence would be astonishing to some people
who have not followed closely the enhance
ment Of realty In this city. A more mod
ern instance. however, may be found in
contrasting the price paid by the govern
nient for the square now occupied by the
general post Office building, Pennsylvania
avenue and 18th street, with the estimated
values of the squares on the same thor
oughfare to the east. There has been some
interest shown in property on the south
side of Pennsylvania avenue recently be-
cause of the current discussion In regard
to selecting a location In that quarter Tor
the proposed municipal building.
acquiring squares of land Commissioner
Beach recently had an estimate made OF
the market value Of the two squares on the
south side of the avenue between 9th and
18th streets. AS result 1t was found that
these squares were averaged at about Slo
a square foot. Nine years ago the govern
ment, as a result Of condemna ton proceed
ings, acquired the whole Of the post office
square between 11th and 18th streets for
Sill per square foot. No doubt it could
have purchased at the same time the
squares on each side for about the same
figure, but now, owing in large part to the
improvements made by the government on
this square, there has been an appreciation
evidently in the values of land on the con-
tiguous squares, so that the government
will, In the event these squares are now
acquired, pay to private individuals an in
crease in value, due to its own expenditure
of money. In this view Uncle Sam will
save money If, when he found 1t necessary
to purchase land, he should buy large
block and thus reap himself the benefit
which will accrue from improvements made
at public expense.
Avenue Foundations.
There seems to be an impression that
owing to the absence of rock foundation in
land on the south side of the avenue and
the necessity of using piles upon which to
rest the foundation of structures the cost
of building IN that locality is thereby vastly
increased. The experience of the street
railroad company that erected a large
structure covering the entire square be-
tween 18th and 18th streets and E street or
Pennsylvania avenue and D street, known
as the cable power house, since destroyed
| by fire, does rot sustain such a view.
This building was unusually massive In
construction, owing to the fact that 1t was
| designed exclusively for manufacturing
purposes. The steel construction was not
used and the brick walls were very thick
in order to sustain the great weight. The
floors were borne on immense beams Of
| wood which rested on the side walls and
ON pillars, and this massive superstructure
was on foundations which were carried on
piles.
Altogether there were some 1900 piles
driven, and 1t was found necessary to use
them beneath the entire foundation. 1t is
claimed for this foundation today that it is
strong enough to carry the weight of any
structure that would be found necessary to
erect there. There was expended in the
erection Of the building the sum of 1854 S12.
and of this. amount 1000 was spent in
the foundations. 1t is estimated that Of
this latter sum about $4,000 was used in
buying the piles and putting them in place,
so that the extra expense occasioned by the
character of the foundation amounted only
to slightly more than per cent of the en-
tire cost of the building. 1t is not consid-
cred by builders that such an extra" is
of much Importance in an enterprise of
equal magnitude.