Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-12-17


again, and here we are at an
other Christmas. Again we
have to size up the situation
and evolve conclusions on what the
rast year has done for us, and what
,he outlook Is for the future IN the To-
cal realty field
We'll. as far as real estate IN con-
cerned Il Is doing pretty well, thank
youl A few fellows who for some years
hack have been laboring under the de-
fusion that they could 80 out and pick
things up at their own figure have had
the breath taken from them In trying
to carry out the performance. II didn't
come on just exactly as advertised"
There are two kinds OF individuals al
ways with us; First, the fellow who
Is mighty anxious to buy but wants to
glye about half what any ordinary cltl-
zen would pay for property. Second.
the fellow who Is alfred, anxious to
sell, but wants Just about twice as
much as any man In town would take
for the same property, Both these
men are known to every real estate
agent In town. Then, Of course,
there Is that other very inter-
estIng and well known character
generally a woman-who Is dy-
Ing to get rid Of her property, but
always backing out when someone
comes along who is willing to buy.
However that's another story. This
article, while given a wide range In
latitude, isn't supposed to describe a
real estate mans museum OF curiosltles.
II II were, a much larger and more
yarIegated list Of curios could be out
on exhibition.
To return to the market: II goes
without saying that being presidential
year. when business by common con-
sent is supposed to be of" the real
estate pot couldn't be expected to bub-
bic over Yet It has so far surpassed
what It's most intimate friends In Salt
Lake predicted for It, as to surprise all.
Better than the fact OF healthy. az
gressiye market has been the other fact
that It has not been a speculative or
boom order Of things. Business prop
erty and residence property has chang
ed hands so rapidly that probably
not one dealer has been able 10 keen
track OF half OF IL Yet precious lit
tie Of this property after the first sale,
has been upon the market again. II
has been retired from circulation"
In other words. II has been bought for
use Nor Is evidence OF this use lack
Ing Business houses and homes haye
taken the place Of weedy lots. Ugly
bill boards which defaced the fronts
OF central locations have been pulled
down to make room for cut stone.
pressed brick and plate glass. Indeed
The advertising agencies are complain
Ing that some Of their choicest locations
have been fllched from them by selfish
citizens who had no higher motive than
to erect buildings that would return
seven or eight per cent interest. And
now the poster man does hate TO see
the vacant lots occupied by permanent
improvements On the other hand.
how much better 1t Is, from a public
point OF view, to see a piece Of ground
Yielding an interest return than fur
nlshing two or three free passes each
week TO some theater. That's the diff
Terence between the improved lot and
the billboard lot.
BUILDING IN 1904.
1t Is no rash hazard of opinion to say
'hat more building has taken place dur
ing the year 1904 in Salt Lake City than
IN any year OF It's existence. II has
come without any splurgc, without any
newspaper hurrah, without that fuss
and feathers which accompany
speculative movement. II one lets his
mind revert to another notable year In
ouildlng-the year Of 1s9O-he would
see at a glance the difference between
The two. Then improvements were
undertaken, not for their own need, but
10 help boost somebody's scheme. A
syndicate would take options on ground
on two sides Of a block. Then, TO
boom prices, hotel would be pro-
]ected' excavations made and founda-
Tons laid, BY that time the syndl-
cate would have sold It's optioned land
az big advance, the hotel would be
stopped and another scheme launched
somewhere else. But the present year
mas seen big block after big block erect
Cd without ripping the waters Of spec
uatIon. Salt Lake would have been |
alire with excitement in 1890 II big |
government block, a structure like the |
Utah Independent Telephone building, |
luxurious apartment hotel like the
new Emery-Holmes flats, massive
y NJ, c. A. building, and magnih-
cent library home like the Packard |
had been In progress at one time. But |