Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-23
NEW UNION STATION
First Step Toward Clearing
Away the Ground.
HOUSES AT AUCTION
THIRTY-TWo BUILDINGS WERE
SOLD THIS MORNING.
Prices Ranged From So to $500
Structures Were From Shacks to
Brick Dwellings.

The first step toward clearing the ground
for the construction of the union station
was taken today, when 81 of the 400 houses
occupying the proposed site of the struc-
ture were sold at public auction, to be
torn down and removed within thirty days.
The houses sold varied from substantial
brick structures to dilapidated shacks. and
brought prices ranging from 81 to $40
The SALE which was conducted by Auc-
tioneer James w. Radcliffe. began at 10
o'clock. and continued without abatement
until nearly 1. The first house sold was in
the Sherman row on F street northeast.
The railroad company has bought by pri-
vate sale four of the houses in this row.
and desires to expedite the construction of
the station by selling the houses and hav-
ing them removed within thirty days.
House No. ia was the first sold. When
Auctioneer Radcliffe started the sale with
crying that he had received bid of 500
for the front wall, the rear wall and
everything that was inside the house he
was laughed at by the crowd Of some
thing like $50 men who had gathered for
the sale. He stuck to the price. however,
and twirled 1t over his tongue in lively
fashion in order to get some one to raise
1t s.. IN give you just So" shouted
some man In the crowd and this was the
price at which the real bidding started. 1t
went up s. at a jump until $50 had been
reached, and was finally knocked down at
this price. The next house. No. 122, in the
$40. although 1t was exactly the same.
The next door, also the same. sold for
$40. The next. also the same, brought S115.
Some Cheap Houses.
The crowd was then piloted around the
corner to an old wooden house, No. FOG 1st
street. which was eagerly bought up for
SO. No. 10. still more dilapidated, went
for 81. Nos. ia and 116 went next for ST
and $12 respectively. A white-haired wo-
man, the only female among the eager
buyers of bricks and mortar, was the next
purchaser. She bid in No. S33 LIST street, a
small brick house. for 500. Up to the next
block and across the street the man with
the hammer next led his audience and sold
No. OPS. a two-story brick. with one side
wall. including green blinds, for $50. No.
929. wooden structure of two floors. was
started at SO, and after much persuasion
was disposed of for one dollar more. No.
935, a two-story wooden house with brick
foundation. brought SIS without much
trouble.
A double shanty on H street was next
visited The numbers, 20 and 81, had near
ly been worn from the doors, every pane
Of glass was broken, and about all there
was to buy was a dirty coat Of red paint
and a new gutter the roof. 1t was
knocked down for 81 No. 81 H street. a
two-story red brick, brought $40 after the
experts in estimating brick had taken
careful survey of 1t.
and Nos. 113 and us. being a double two
story brick structure, brought $50. A
frame house which bore the number 119
was only considered worth so by the
crowd. No. 127. which was in somewhat
better condition, brought just double the
money.
On Delaware Avenue.
Eleven houses scattered along several
blocks on Delaware avenue were disposed
OF next. Nos, 1905 and 1907, being two-story
frame houses. brought $21 each. No. 1913.
a two-story brick, sold for $40. while No.
1921, also a two-story brick. brought $40.
the banner price Of the day. The bargain
hunters then tramped across the vacant
lots and bid on little shack. which ordi-
narily the railroad company would have
had to pay $40 for it's removal But the
spirit Of buy" had seized the crowd and 81
was realized on the place with it's open door
and dirty floor. Nos. 90s and $40, being
two-story frame houses sold together for
$40 Across the street there was a frame
house In bad condition, with a brick annex
and innumerable sheds. which was started
at $40 and run up to $40. The two-story
brick at No. 800 brought 500. No $50 sold
for $50, No. 500 for "a and the two-story
brick at No. 500 F street being the last
house in the lot. sold for 500.
The purchasers of these houses were re-
cash and give a $500 bond or the same
amount of cash security to guarantee their
removal within thirty days. These same
conditions applied to even the 50 houses
which were bought.
Another Sale Soon.
The prices obtained were regarded as ex-
tremely high. The total obtained for the
thirtytwo houses was s2.O5O. AS soon as
the railroad has acquired another batch
of the 400 houses to be torn down another
sale will be held The agents Of the road
stated today that for the houses purchased
by private sale they had given on an aver
age of 30 per cent more than the property
was worth.
Some of the owners, 1t was stated, were
holding off with the understanding that
the condemnation proceedings. which could
be resorted to- would be conducted by a
jury of citizens who would naturally in
cline to high prices for the property. This
1t was stated. was mistake, that the con-
domination proceedings were to be con-
Quoted by a commission of three to be ap-
pointed by the Supreme Court of the Dis
trict. 1t is the desire of the roads to have
the station site cleared as soon as pos
sible that the work of actual construction
81 N hHEtn NJ