Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-31
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Market for Houses for Buyers
and Renters.
MATERIAL PROGRESS
SOUTH SIDE OF THE RIVER FOR
MANUFACTURES.
Frame Buildings Giving Place to Stone
and Brick-The Effect on
Insurance.

| 1t will not be a source of surprise to any
| one who is at all familiar with conditions
| here to learn that the makers of the d.
| rectory estimate that the population of the
| city has received considerable additions
| during the past year. This estimate is of
course based on the increase in the num-
| Der of names which go to make up the is
| sue which has just been completed. 1t Is
| evident the growth of the population is the
main explanation for the demand for
| houses both to buy and to rent, which has
| been such feature of the market, in spite
| of the fact that during the previous years
| the building of apartment houses, both
great and small, had been going on at a
| rate never before equaled in the history of
| the city.
In addition to the accommodations which
| were thus afforded, the building of houses
| had been going on. AT one time fear was
| expressed that the city had been over
| OF apartment houses. The result of the
| past year, however shows not only has
! the fupply of houses been taken up, but, Is
| usual, the complaint was heard that the
| supply, especially of houses of moderate
| rentals, was not equal to the demand.
The Demand for Houses
The feature of the read estate market
during the year has therefore been supply
| ing those who were in search of homes to
| rent or to buy. The number of home buy
! ers In the market has been noticeable and
| has given, as it alwaysy does, stability to
market conditions which is regarded as one
| of the best phases of active trading There
has also been considerable building done
for business uses, either in charging exist
ing establishments or providing entirely
new ones.
The movement of Improvements outward
| from the center of the city has continued
while within the old urban bounds there is
not so much vacant land as was observed
few years ago. The city is becoming more
compact and a the same time it's area is
expanding A good deal of money is being
| spent here by the government for new
buildings, and in some instances large
building enterprises have been started and
others are soon to be under way. The out
| look for the coming year is promising and
there is prospect that there will be more
money spent IN improvements during the
coming twelve months than was the case
last year.
Fire Risks and Premiums.
Reduction of the fire waste in cities or
rather the risk of such disasters, is one
| that is occupying great deal of the time
and attention not only of fire insurance
men, but of property holders as WELL It
| mas come to be pretty well understood that
! there is relation between the reduction
| of rates and risks, and a very Intimate one
| ana therefore the question has become a
| very practical one as to how there can be
| an exchange of premium reductions for risk
reductions. In this city a good deal has
| been done by the municipal authorities as
well as Individual property owners toward
| changing conditions which surround prop
| erty with the view of lessening the danger
| from fire.
A short time ago the District Commits
| sioners adopted as the regulations of the
| District relating to the MIA pncy Of oil trjo
wires in buildings, the rules which had been
prepared by the electrical experts employed
| by fire insurance companies.
AT various times notifications in the
| building regulations are made which have
| been suggested by the experience of men
| who are familiar with fire risks and which
commended themselves to the sound juds-
| ment of the District authorities.
As to Frame Buildings.
Changes are made by individual owners in
| their properties with the intention Of les
SEEMING the risk as viewed by the insurance
men, and while in some cases these efforts
| do not meet with the reward which they
are thought worthy of. especially by the
men who spend their money to make them
still something is accomplished in the way
of reducing the cost of fire insurance as
well as an alteration made in the condition
of the fire risks.
In this connection some figures brought
together by the insurance press are of in
terest showing the extent of frame con-
struction which still exists in many of the
cities of the country. 1t is predicted that a
vast amount of reconstruction will go for
ward in the next twenty years, in order to
replace the frame structures in cities with
| buildings of brick and stone. The statistics
on this subject are not complete as to all
places, but some of the cities mentioned
are given below. with the figures relative
to this city, secured from the records of the
District Office. The list follows:
Brick or
Stone. Frame.
San Francisco ................. 1880 "a, 429
Chicago ....................... 112 500 1860
Boston OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 26,390 5S, 1893