Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-12
Mr. BLAUVELT AGAIN
,TIeKs TO HIS OPINION on LOCAL
PROPERTY VALUES.
COMPARED WITH BALTIMORE.
Expenditure. for Municipal I'm
rro>mcnts I'm Two Citic~-wc Arc
Behind in building Acnvtt,. shy.
This Observer.
,r Municipal Inn

Architect II. ]. Biaurelt still holds to
bis original statement that much of the
real estate in Richmond is held at pro-
sihttiyo prices, and says that he is NOT
alone in these views. lie wants it dis
tluctly understood. however that he Is not
Before the public eye with spirit an
:agonistic to the views of the people.
but has expressed his candid views openly
hoping to provoke n friendly discussion
that Will be IN the end the means OF effect
Eng & remedy for the present evil condi-
zion.
He was not IN a position to say that the
Council. by its methods of distributing
funds for the extension of city improve
rcnts through the ward system, was
sqnandering The public funds and had
'ittle 10 show for the expenditure of If
teen years, but he had made an interest
ing comparison with another city: Rich
rnond apPropiiates yearly S70ooo for the
extension OF such Improvements as wa
Ter, gas. and sewerage Baltimore. how
ever. is spending in the neighborhood of
t2,So0o90 along this line. and for this
reason is able TO house and care for her
people. giving them good. substantial. and
modern homes, at a reasonable cost.
IN BALTIMORE TO-DAY.
In Baltimore to-day. according TO Mr..
Blaureit, III good ncishhorhoods. houses
having five rooms. including bath,
gas, water. and most modern plumb
ing and fixtures-in fact, all modern
tmpruvemFnts-rent for ST. month. On
Calvert street. near Mount Royal aye
nue.. which is an excellent neigh
borhood. houses containing a parlor.
reception and lining room. with kitchen
and pantry downstairs: with two front
bed rooms. middle sitting room. and
bath on the second floor, and three com
Portable bed rooms on the third floor
these rent for $3.50 month.
There is no way that the absence of
suci, houses and renting prices in Rich
mond can be explained. said Mr.. Blauvelt.
except that by the fact that through con-
Gestion the property owners arc able to
hold property al eXorhtant or prohibitive
figures He said to his knowledge, that
northern capitalists Were looking for good
southern real estate investments with
thousands Of dollars. but they were skip
ping Richmond, entering the Carolinas
and the far South. as there Were no in
ducements held out TO thcm here.
ANSWERS HIS CRITICS.
Richmond is one Of the few capital
cities that has business push and en-
1orprise in other than legislative chan
Jals but It is behind in tho building line,
said Mr.. Blauvelt
IN speaking Of the statement of Mr..
George r. Cannon which brought out
Inc fact that six new buildings We're in
The course of erection within a stone
throw OF his residence. Mr. Blauvclt re
marked that if they We're dwellings the
number should be nearer sixty for
town OF this size
Answering two other critics. Mr.. Blau-
Welt said that Asheville was Inhabited by
tourists ana the rich idle class-not the
txage-earncrs-and 50 could not be classed
as n comparative city. Newport News
moreover. had a cosmopolitan future, the
iowr having the second finest harhor on
The Atlantic coast, Naturally, the water
front Of the place. was held n nigh
figure. as Newport News promised 10 he
The New York Of the South. This place
is a seaport town. and the very existence
of the place depenEs N the harloor and
water front and that section vii! al
ways remain high. Richmond, however.
has distinctly another future ana is linn
tied 10 no one district. but could spread
out Indefinitely in almost any direction.
HIS INTERESTS IN SOUTH
Mr. BIaGvelt said he was not native
OF North Carolina. but came from Ne"
York originally. He said. also. that ms
Interests were all in the South. and haG
re,u so for a number Of years lie mas
kept close track of this city's growth fot
The last twenty years, along win o'l'tt
,arthern cities being interested in work
spread over much territory. extending into
several States From: q wide experience
he could say that rents were higher here
than in any city Of this size in the whole
country.
These things are TO be deplored SAID
Mr. Blauvelt, and these men who truly
have at heart the interests and welfare
of the city. will not object TO the idea
OF having d friendly and u tased dis
cussion of the matter. as II clear tiie |
atmosphere SO that the cits noy enter
into d new and healthier growth.