Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-30
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
The Purchase of Ground and the
Erection of Houses.
LARGE REALTY TRANSACTIONS
Some of the Phases of the Market
at This Season.
NJ ATTERS OF INTEREST

In one Of the resident sections of the city
an Improvement has recently been complet-
ed that has aroused good deal of interest
among the residents. 1t is not an elaborate
or costly piece of work, as it involved mere
ly the erection of a one-story brick build
ing in the rear of a yard of a corner house
and the attachment of two tall chimneys.
/ What interests all the neighborhood is that
1t so happens the new building completely
shuts out the light and air that poured
| through the windows in the side of the
house which occupies the lot that abuts
upon the rear of the corner property.
Further, the fact is noted that the two
chimneys, of unusual size for structure
| of that character, happen to coincide in
| their vertical course with the line of the
| window opening on the neighboring house
| The adjoining house was set back from the
party line few inches and therefore does
| not come within the law which forbids ease
ments.
| Not as Intended.
| 1t is manifest, however, that the owner
| did not contemplate that the openings on
| the side Of his house would be dependent
| upon the light and air that would come
| from such a narrow space as is supplied by
/
| brick walls, and so the conclusion is reach
| ed that the owner of the corner property
| does not intend that the neighboring house
| shall use the light and air which fall on
| the back yard, and hence the one-story
| building with the two tall chimneys.
| The owners of both properties are under
| stood to have acted within their legal
| rights. While this instance is rather eX-
| IRENE one Of the unexpected happening in
the case of the utilization of space, yet all
| the time instances are arising showing the
uncertainty as to the future of any piece Of
property.
An Active Building Season.
| Delays in building have been quite COM
| mon this fall owing to the difficulty of
getting iron. The scarcity of this material
| is attributed to the long tie-up of the iron
! mills on account Of the strike, and also to
| the large demand which the revival of bus
| mess throughout the country has brought
about. The building statistics of the coun-
| try show that much money is being ex-
pended in the erection of buildings practi-
cally in all parts Of the country, and in this
activity Washington is by no means at the
| end Of the list. 1t is believed that after
| the cold weather is over there will be
| continuation of this era of improvements,
and the coming spring is regarded as like
| ly to be busy time in this particular. The
| indications point strongly that way, and
| from the plans now being made it is evil
| dent that many building enterprises of inn
| In the meantime progress is being made
with the buildings that are under way,
| and it is likely, as is usually the case, that
some work will be going on during the en-
| tire winter season. The actual interrupt
| lions on account of cold weather in out
door work are not so frequent or long con-
tinued here as might be supposed, SO that
while there is let up, there is no abso-
| lutte cessation because Of the rigors of the
season.
Two Large Buildings.
| Some Of the iron that is to be used in
| the building of the tall office structure at
the northeast corner of 18th and G streets
has arrived, and it is expected that delays
! on this account are about over and active
operations can be begun.
Mr.. Samuel Edmonston, who has the con-
tract for the erection Of the large addition
to the establishment of Woodward & 10th
rop on the orphan asylum site, 10th and G
streets northwest, has been much hindered
by the perSiStency of what is apparently a
hidden stream.
The excavation for the building is deep
one, but in order to secure foundations for
the piers a further excavation has been
made in various sections, which are below
the level Of the proposed basement floor.
Mr.. Edmonston found that as fast as the
| earth was taken out below that level the
space was filled with water. He has been
obliged in each instance to pump out the
water before putting in the footings He
finds that the stream does not rise to the
only uncovered when a further depth is
reached. Mr.. Edmonston believes that the
stream which he has unearthed is an old
one which formerly flowed through the
center Of the adjoining squares to the east
EnIargins Real Estate Omces.
An extensive addition is being built by
Moore & Hill, real estate brokers, to their
Office III 14th street northwest. When the
new part is completed the firm will have
quarters fifty-five feet in depth and the full
width Of that part of the building. The
new section will be only one story in height
and In the rear will be twenty feet in
width This change was necessary in or
der to provide accommodations for the
corps of clerks and give the needed facili-
ties for a growing business.
A change has been made in the office To-
cation of Westcott & Story, real estate
brokers, as that firm now occupies the
building directly across 18th street from
it's old office. The new place is sic 18th
street, and the offices of the firm comprise
the whole of the first floor, which is on a
level with the street.
Two Pleasing Types.
Two houses which are interesting exam
pies of domestic architecture have been
built on the south side of street between
22d and 23d streets. They are both the de-
signs of Hornblower & Marshall, archi-
tects One is fully completed and is occu-
pied by the owner, Prof. ]. H. Gore In
the selection OF the mdIerldlS USED In the
construction of the outer walls character
istic features of colonial architecture have
been in mind. Stone Of a light shade In
combination with brick laid in white NOR
tar and wood work painted white seems to
be the proper medium for the expression of
the simple and unpretentious forms of this
type. The homelike appearance Of Prof.
Cores residence is the prevailing impress
sion conveyed.
Adjoining this residence is a much larger
house, which Is being built for Mr.. j. D.
Patton. The frontage of fifty feet Is rather
a generous one for city house, and makes
possible an interior arrangement which is
spacious and convenient The architects
have made the most desirable exposure the
principal front SO far as the planning of
the interior Is concerned. and the main
rooms are in the south or rear part of the
house and not overlooking the street.
The street front Is occupied on the first
| floor with the staircase hall and q recep-
| ton room. Then on the second fioor Is the
hall with the staircase against the north
wall and a parlor on the east side extending
1 -. soo tho fvoxn