Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-14
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
The Activity Noticeable in
the Building Business.
THE FRENCH EMBASSY
SOME RECENT TRANSACTIONS IN
BUSINESS PROPERTY a oNG 9TH
New Buildings Going Up in Various
Sections of the District-Prop-
erty Changing Hands.
THE FRENCH EMBASSY

cry uS1AS 0duuS.
A man who is extensively engaged in
building as a contractor said the other day
that the present year promises to be the
best he has had since the financial depres-
sion of 1892 He takes contracts only for
the brick work, which represents, Of course
the large percentage of the cost of build
ing. He estimates that by the close of the
present year the amount Of the contracts
whch he has had during the past twelve
months will aggregate $4,000, and says all
varieties of brick are Included, varying
from the salmon at $3.50 to fancy varieties
at $3.50 per thousand, and for this reason
it is difficult to figure the exact number
of brick this expenditure Of money repre-
sents. 1t is his conjecture, however, that
the aggregate is considerably more than a
million of brick.
1t may be said in passing that the bulk
of the money that is going into brick and
mortar at present is for dwellings, The
apartment house rage which prevailed here
last year, and to some extent this year
has diminished somewhat owing to the be-
lief among careful investors that perhaps
it would be wise to wait and see how well
the market absorbs the present supply of
living quarters of this character before
adding to the number. The facility with
which houses are disposed of continues to
be a feature of the market. and that is
looked upon as favorable condition.
Street Railroad Business.
The changes that have taken place in this
city in connection with its ma terial develop
ment are manifest to even the most casual
observer, but now and then a new phase
is presented which is surprising. An in
stance of this will probably be conceded to
be found in the remark made recently
by an official of one of the city street rail-
roads. He was talking about the business
OF the company and especially of the steady
increase in the receipts, which show that
more passengers are being carried each
year than during the previous twelve
months. He added that the earnings of the
company amount to as much the total
receipts when horses were used as the mo-
tive power. That era dates back only about
a dozen years, which gives an impressive
example of the growth of the business of
the street car lines.
If the present earnings of the company
equal the gross receipts of the period as
recent as that, it IS evident that the total
business has practically quadrupled. While
a certain percentage of this growth is I'M
doubtedly due to improved facilities, SO that
the people ride now who formerly walked,
by far the largest increase must be put
down to the credit of an expansion in the
population and the growth Of the city in
all material directions. No doubt if com
parison We're made in the condition that
prevailed in other departments of the ac-
tivities of the city twelve years ago and
that which exists today the same story of
growth and progress would be revealed.
Retaining Waste Land.
With the money available for beginning
the great work of the reclamation of the
Anacostia flats, this year is likely to be
notable for the inauguration of that i'm
portant and necessary work, even If there
should be no other event to mark the pass
ing OF the twelve months. Independently
of the beneficial effect on the public health
which will result from the contemplated
Improvement, large area Of land will be
reclaimed from a waste condition and made
to serve both an aesthetic and useful pur-
pose The great stretches of swamp and
fostering mud which now surround the bor-
GERS or what is termed the Anacostia river
will disappear and In their place will &c
the park land and reclaimed ground that
can be made to serve some good purpose.
Some idea OF the change that has taken
place in the river during the past one hum
dred years may be gathered from the state.
ments found In an advertisement In the Ma
t1onal Intelligencer of October "a, 1901. The
terms are given upon which bridge was
to be erected over the Eastern branch lat
the place where the width of the river is
,543 feet and the average depth of the wa
ter at common low tide Is four feet, ex-
cept one channel, which is IL to IA feet in
depth and the width $50 feet"
The location Of this bridge, 1t is thought
was about where the Pennsylvania avenue
bridge now stands.
The French Embassy.
Mr.. Louis Bernier, the architect Of the
French government, has been in the city
during the past week and has devoted con-
siderable time to a study Of the building
regulations in vogue here. He has also had
borings made of the site recently acquired
for the building which the French
government proposes to erect for the use
of the embassy to this country. When the
large frontage on S street between 21st and
22d streets was purchased last year, about
this time Mr.. Bernier, who was then in this
country, became familiar with the location.
Since that time he has drawn what may
be termed tentative plans,$and the purpose
of his visit to this city at this time is to
perfect the details SO that a building will be
erected that will not only be- an architec-
tural credit to the French nation. but will
be well adapted for the residence Of the am
bassador and the Office of the embassy Am
pie ground has been secured and 1t is ex-
pected that the building to be erected upon
that commanding site will be attractive
addition to the city.
Property on 9th Street.
During the past week several transactions
in property on 9th street between PennsyI-
vania avenue and G street have served to
call attentlon TO That part OF the business
territory Of the city. Mr.. Charles Werner,
the coal dealer, bought through Stone &
Fairfax. real estate dealers, in connection
with Moore & Hill. real estate Dealers
the property known as 40 Aand 442 9th
street. which has q frontage Of % feet and
depth of 81 feet and contains ITO square
feet. The price paid was $4,000 cash. For
the past twenty-four years Mr.. Werner
has had his place of business at the north
east corner of 9th and streets, and he re-
CARDS that locality as such an admirable
business section that he decided to own his
business place, and hence the purchase.
Mr.. Joseph Paul also acquired during the
week large holding on this street-or
rather, he added to what he already owned
there. He bought from Mr.. Anton Eberly
two pieces Of adjoining property, Nos. 612
and 614 9th street. having a combined
frontage of thirty-four feet and an average
depth Of about eighty feet. The total area
Is 2,733 square feet. 1t is understood the
price paid was $50, GOO. which is at the
rate of little over S14 per square foot.
Some time ago Mr.. Paul acquired $40 9th