Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-08
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Two Handsome Houses Now
Being Built.
IRON rs HARD TO GET
BRICK WALLS BEING ERECTED
FOR LARGE BUILDINGS.
Masonry is Cheaper Than Steel and
Quite as Durable - Sales
and Transfers.
IRON rs HARD TO GET

and Transfers.
A house is to be built by Mr. ]. A. CHS
holm the east side Of 18th street between
Madison place and @ street, just south of
the Chinese legation building. The new
structure, according to the plans prepared
by Hornblower & Marshall. architects, will
have wide frontage and will be hand
some addition to that locality.
The Anderson House.
+ One Of the largest residences In this city
will be the one that is being built for Mr..
and Mrs. Larz Anderson on the south side
of Massachusetts, avenue between 21st street
and Florida avenue. The site secured Is an
ample one and adjoins on the east the home
Of the Misses Patten. The central portion
of the house will recede from the street,
and the wings each side will form a
court at the main entrance. This will be
guarded by high fence with gates of iron
and will be adorned with plants and flowers.
The court will be the central feature of
the front, which will extend about 100 feet,
while the DEPTH will be 100 feet. The struc-
ture will stand detached and will cover
greater frontage than the Townsend house,
which Is on the opposite side of MaSSachu-
sets avenue, but farther to the west. Di-
rectly across the avenue Is the fine house
just being completed for DR.. McMurray,
and which is looked upon one Of the
best specimens of French domestic archi-
lecture to be seen in this city. While the
house is confined to the rather narrow limits
of a city lot of so feet, still the treatment
is broad and gives effect of generous
proportions.
Masonry VS.. Iron Walls.
Iron is so generally used nowadays in the
construction of large or high buildings
that 1t is unusual to see heavy masonry
walls In such structures. AS is well known,
a thirteen-inch wall the framework Of
which is steel does the work of thirty
two-inch wall of masonry, so that the
difference in the two kinds Of construction
merely in bulk is sufficient to attract at
tention. Perhaps that is the reason the
construction of the eight-story Office build
ing at the northeast corner Of 18th and q
streets calls for so much comment as
heard from the passers-by. Here may be
seen the commencement of the heavy
masses of brick laid in cement which are
to form the outer walls of the building All
the exterior walls are to be of masonry,
while the floor joists and pillars are to be
of iron.
1t is probable the entire framework would
have been Of iron, only just now the iron
market is overrun with orders and it is
difficult to get a supply for a large build
ing. This was the main reason which led
Mr.. Walsh, who is putting UP this build
walls. At the same time he saves money,
as it is estimated that the steel frame Is
less expensive than brick.
Cheaper Than Iron.
Mr.. Carlyle, the supervising architect Of
the building, is of the opinion that saw
ing of at least $4,000 has been accom-
plished by the change. In this case, owing
to the large building site, the question of
economy in space did not enter. OF course,
in structures where every inch counts the
Substitution of the thick walls of masonry
would have added very materially to the
cost of the structure, for the reason that
it's facilities would not have been as great.
AS to the actual cost, it is believed that
masonry is somewhat less expensive than
iron, but the advantages of the latter over
the former, especially in the saving of
space usually overbalance such difference
The security Of building with masonry
walls and interior of iron, as compared
with steel frame building, is thought to
be about the same, really the only ques-
ton to be decided when a choice is to be
made between masonry and steel construc-
ton Is whether the additional room needed
for the wide walls of brick can be spared.
Delays Avoided.
Recently another element has come into
the solution Of such a problem, and that is
to whether 1t will pay to wait until the
steel men find time to furnish the material
For some reason. generally believed to be
the great demand for structural iron in all
parts of the country, it is impossible to
secure within reasonable time the iron
needed for building, although it is claimed
by some contractors that if they are willing
to pay what is considered a fancy price
they can have their orders promptly filled.
1t was practically the same condition that
led to the use of masonry walls in the
great apartment building which Secretary
Hay is erecting at the southeast corner of
Connecticut avenue and L street. The lat
ter, as is well known, is the largest struc-
ture of the kind in the city, and as it will
cover a frontage of over 200 feet and will
rise to the height of eight stories it will
form notable exception to the class Of
buildings which usually have steel frame.
Stone & Fairfax report the following
sales:
For Kennedy & Davis, Nos. 1924, 1898,
1910, 1912 1914 and 1916 Columbia road; for
John NJ. Henderson, Nos. 172S. 1870, 1916,
1888 and 1740 U street northwest; for F. A.
Blundon, Nos. 1912, 1914 and 1916 LIST street
northwest; for George S. Cooper, No. 1929
Howard avenue; for F. L. Sanner, No. 1856
Mintwood place; for Mark Riley, No. ID s
street northwest; for A. c. Quackenbush,
lot 10, block L. Ingleside; for B. H. Gran
ford, No. 340S 18th street northwest; for
VIM. N. Cogan, No $40 Goth street north
avenue; for A. ]. Dodge, northeast corner
Homead and Lydecker avenues; for H. K.
Van Alstyne, lot 20, block 1, Ingleside; for
M. S. farrell, 1919 Wallach street north
west, 1or w. y. thompson, Oh new Jer-
sey avenue southeast; for B. n. Edwards,
509-11 D street northeast; for M. E. Max
well, 1928 Eslin avenue; for Humphrey &
Palmer, Nos 1890, 1892, 1894, 1896 and 1898
Florida avenue; for G. F. Williams, 233
Massachusetts, avenue northeast; for Geo.
Platt, AS H street northwest; for s. B.
Priest, 612 14th street northwest; for A. G.
Belt S02 o street northwest; for Fred
Horning, $40 Maryland avenue northeast;
for F. A. Blundon, 223-25 r street north
west; for r. s. Halpenny, 1880 North Cap
itol street; for Chas. Rogers, 1923 18th
street northwest; for Geo. P. Newton, 1875
Kentucky avenue southeast; for Chas
Myers, 633-37 10th street northeast; for F.
" Kreamer, 207-9 N street northeast; for
M. l.. Johnson, 1851 7th street northwest;
for F. K. Solger, lot 10, square S67.
Other Transactions.