Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-27
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Iron Scarce, But Can Be OBJ
tanned.
RENTALS STILL BRISK
WALLS OF ST. JOHNS CHURCH
BEING STRENGTHENED.
DR.. Richardson's New Household
Blunt Mansion Rebuilt-New Store
in New York Avenue.


Very much of a scare has been excited
and elsewhere as to a lack of building iron.
Locally the stories to this effect have taken
the form of rumors that pretentious office
buildings were to be made Of brick and
timber construction in lieu of fireproof
construction, and that many notable build
ing projects have been abandoned because
no iron could be procured From inter-
views with prominent builders had by
reporter for The Star yesterday and today
the situation seems to have been grossly
overstated.
Various cause.-the incapacity of the roll
ing and manufacturing plants, a lessened
production from the mines, the present
high price of coal and many others-have
been given by local contractors to explain
the present stringency, for it seems to be
generally admitted that iron is hard to OBJ
tain. But the cause, whatever it is, is not
building project. Local builders speak con-
fdently of getting all the iron needed for
such structures as the addition to the New
Willard. the interior Of the Shoreham, the
Willard Office building on 14th street, the
new office building at 18th and Pennsylvania
avenue, the Colorado building, the new resi-
new apartment houses said to be In pros
pect. The market may be restricted, they
say, but 1T is not sufficiently limited to pre-
vent the construction Of any building
which is needed urgently or which offers a
fair return for the money invested in it.
In one or two specific instances these sto-
ries as to the scarcity of iron have excited
strong denials from the builders whose con-
structfons We're reputedly interrupted. But
the greater number of contra ctors have
gone on with their work without paying any
attention to them This latter course was
conspicuously adopted by Messrs. Richard
son and Burgess, who have contracted to
erect Mr. Thomas F. Walsh'S new office
building at 14th and G streets. The story
in connection with this structure was that,
Notwithstanding it's great size and the cost
of the ground on which it was being erect
ed, 1t was to be of brick and timber. But
the chief contra ctors have gone on planning
for iron construction and the subcontractors
from whom the fireproofing is to be OBJ
tanned are still engaged in shipping terra
Gotta to Washington according to the origi-
nal specifications.
Brisk Renting Business.
The entire field of real estate agents
seems to be occupied with rents. From re-
ports heard everywhere the renting bust
ness in Washington has never been so act
I've. In the middle Of August out-of-town
people were flooding local agents with In
QulTleS Tor houses OF the better class ana
this business has continued undated. Sew
eral fine residences, notably that of Mrs. F.
S. Burnett on Massachusetts avenue, have
been let for several years at very good
prices. But the rush has been most mark
ed in dwellings which net the owner from
$40 to s75 a month. These are now nearly
all filled for the next year.
AS consequence of this activity the rental
of smaller houses has been much acceler-
ated. The construction of numerous apart
ment houses does n off cd
this market In the least, Notwithstanding
that several new ones were practically filled
before the doors were formally opened In
deed the market for houses of six rooms or
Whereabouts continues to be so good thai
several prominent building and real estate
firms are planning extensive operations of
this kind, to be begun late in October
Repairing st. Johns Church.
Much interest is manifested by those who
worship or pass by historic St. Johns
Church, in certain improvements now being
made on the old building. These are in the
hands of William P. Lipscomb and consist
chiefly of reconstructing butttresses of the
two main walls of the transcept. Built into
these walls are the arches which support
the lantern or upright skyight, which
surmounts the roof in the form of a small
cGpola or tower. 1t was apprehended these
two walls, which are as old as the city Of
Washington, had grown weak, and this new
construction was ordered entirely a pre-
cautionary measure. The builder expects to
finish by October 10. Much decorating must
then be done. wherefore many members of
the congregation calculate the whole work
cannot be completed before November IS
The completion of the exterior work on
the residence of DR.. Charles W. Richardson
at No. 1917 Connecticut avenue has excited
much interest in the building as a whole
1t Is regarded as particularly pleasing ex-
ample of adopted colonial architecture
Of 1ff1
proportfons-the building is forty-tWo feet
wide and rises to a height of four stories
but its chief interest depends on the design
which is product of the Marsh and Peter
once. It's front Is of brick, laid in Flemish
pond, with white joints. relieved by char
acteristic ante-revolutfonary DOORWAY for
NAL, severe and chaste in proportions, but
notably hoSptable.
There are several openings on the south
side of the building, where portion of the
lot has been left to adjon a similar reser-
walton next the residence of Dr. r. s. Lee.
Al! the wood work in the house is to be
nnlshed In ivory white The chief point of
interest in the arrangement is that the
front room on the second floor the library
extends the entire width of the structure
and adjofns the parlor and dining room,
twenty-five feet long and fourteen feet
wide each.
Important Residence Construction.
Fine new residences, which will prove
tentious homes, are being constructed for
Mr.. Lars Anderson on Massachusetts ave-
nue. near the new home Of Mr.. Thomas f.
Walsh and for Col. r. B. Russell at No.
1916 18th street. In the first instance the
architects are Messrs. Little & Brown of
Boston, which city furnishes the builders
rs well. Col. Russell's new house was de-
signed by Messrs. Hornblower & Marshall.
Mr.. Charles H. Cragin who recently pur-
chased the Blunt house at BOLT o street.
has just completed the renovation of the
entire construction, having spent over So, 600
In repairs. 1t Is now one of the largest
and most substantial of the old fashioned
homes in Georgetown. There is a propo-
sition on foot to utilize the rear ground as
an exit to an alley in the rear of a long
line of street houses which are at present
without rear alley facilities.
Messrs. Moore & Hill have sold to Mr..
James NJ Green a lot on the north side of
Massachusetts avenue northwest, between
18th and 18th streets. This property has
frontage on Massachusetts, avenue OF at
feet and an average depth of 1913 feet TO
an alley, and contains 4,O74 square feet SO
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