Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-22
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Prices Paid by the Railroads
for Property.
MUCH BY PRIVATE SALE
WORK OF IMPROVEMENT THIS
YEAR ON COUNTRY ROADS.
The Old Van Ness Mansion May Be
Preserved-Various Matters
Of Interest.

| Interest.
| AS the deeds for the properties bought by
| the railroad companies in this District for
| use in carrying out the improvements in
| connection with the union depot project
are going on record from day to day, own
ers have chance of learning something
about current values. 1t is stated on good
authority that in the case of property
| transferred to the railroads during the past
few months the actual consideration is
named in the deed of conveyance, the prac-
| tice of naming only nominal consideration
not being followed in these instances.
From this ~ource of information it is evil
dent the railroads have paid good prices
for some of the property acquired in this
way. In the southeastern section of the
city along New Jersey avenue and in the
neighborhood of E street as high as $4,000
was paid for a residence property. For
unimproved ground in the same locality as
much as 81 per square foot was
paid. 1t is not meant to be implied that
In all their purchase an equal scale of
prices has been maintained. for 1t is also
apparent that there was paid in other in
stances prices that are recognized nearer
the present average values.
Still to Be Acquired.
The theory on which the corporation
have proceeded is evidently that it is bet
ter to pay too much for piece of property
than to incur the delay or uncertainty of
the legal proceedings in order to secure it
by condemnation. On the other hand, the
companies have refused to pay what they
considered an eXorbitant price for property
and allowing such cases to go before
jury of condemnation. In addition to Of
fering a fair market value for piece of
ground the companies have also been
known to propose defrayfng the expense
of applying to the court where such a
course necessary in order to effect a
sale. While there is a large area of land
to be considered by the various juries that
have been appointed, still In comparison
with the entire amount secured, it seems
rather small.
Some deeds were recently placed on
record transferring tracts of land in the vi
cinity of the Reform School and south of
the BladenSburg road. According to the
figures given the Manor Real Estate Com
pany, to which all property bought by the
Pennsylvania Company is transferred, paid
about 81 600 dollars per acre.
Improving Country Roads.
At this season OF the year a good deal
of work Is being done in the Improvement
of the country roads, county roads, as
they are technically known, in the depart
ment of the city government which is pre-
sided over by Mr.. Morris Hacker. In this
term is also embraced number of thor
oughfares which have city pavements, and
are not strictly country roads, but they
are so included because they happen to lie
outside of the original boundary line of the
city. The Importance of the country roads
in this District is sufficiently indicated by
the fact that during the current fiscal year
some $4,000 are to be expended in what is
called repair work; that is, in making good
the ravages to the surface of the macad-
n 1xr t1a,
time.
In addition to the expenditures for MAIN
tanning such roadways, which is annual
charge of considerable size, there is good
this year. For example, 1t Is the
purpose to carve a slice off of the
top of the hill which crowns the ascent of
the Tenleytown road, as it comes out of
Georgetown, and passes the railroad power
house Some thirteen feet is to be cut off
of the top of this hill, which is known as
Deep Cut Hill, thus making the climb less
difficult.
Two Important Thoroughfares.
The culvert which passes under the cut
on Connecticut avenue extended between
Pierce Mill road and Grant road, is to be
heightened, so that when the money is
provided to fill in the valley at that point
that feature will be in readiness.
There is to be no further work done on the
extension of Massachusetts avenue this
year. The culvert which spans Rock creek
has been finished, and the earth which was
needed to fill in the gorge of the creek
at that point is in place, and now the
process of settling is going on. Consid-
cradle grading has been done on the west
side of the creek along the line of the
avenue, that the thoroughfare is now
opened up far the circle surround
ing the grounds of the naval observatory
The Improvement Of the roadway of Mas
sachusetts avenue, which has been left
In rough state will not be attempted
until money has been provided One of
the streets which lies to the west of the
avenue and which is still on paper as are
all of the streets in that locality. is to
be opened this year. This is w street
but it is to be graded only about thous-
and feet from the line of the avenue The
other end will be near the place of Mr..
ElverSon.
A Central Parking.
The improvement of the Adams Mill road
will not be in the usual fashion, as a CEN
trail parking Is to be provided in the broad
surface of this thoronghfare, which is one
hundred feet in width, There are to be
two twenty-foot roadways on each side
of the parking. with sidewalks. 1t is
thought this method of treating the street
is especially appropriate, as it is a favorite
approach to the Zoo. which, as every one
suburbs, so distinguished for great natural
beauty.
In the section known as Meridian Hill
and Mount Pleasant several of the streets
are to come in for some attention from
the District authorities during the year
Messmore street, which runs north through
Meridian Hill from Erie street to Column
bia road, is to be graded, while Ontario
street from Florida avenue to Superior
street is to be graded and regulated How
ard street between 18th and 10Th
streets, Mount Pleasant Is to be
graded and macadamized. Farther to
the east in Petworth, Kansas avenue
from Trenton street to Utica street
is to have the curb set and is to be macad-
amized. A macadam pavement is to be
laid on North Capitol street from street
to Michigan avenue and v street is to
be graded from North Capitol street to
Lincoln avenue. In the subdivision of
Langdon Goth street is to be graded This
thoroughfare connects Langdon with Rhode
Island avenue, running through the subdi-
vision of Ellaston Terrace.
The work of improving the macadam of
the Bladensburg road is to be continued
this year, and the resurfacing is to be
extended beyond the Queens Chapel road.
About $500 win be spent in work on the