Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-20
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Building Operations of an Ex-
tensiVe Character.
A N A R M Y 0 T NJ E N
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE IN
VEsTMENT OF MONEY.
Houses and Unimproved Lots IN
Various Parts of the District
Find Purchasers.
A N A R NY OF NJ E N


operations now being carried on by the gov
eminent But it is only one such
locality for on the mall in what are known
as the smithsonian and Agricultural De
partmeny grounds, there are going on opera
tons which are quite as extensive. The
aggregate of the expenditures represented
10y the buildings now IN progress in these
two localities runs up into many millions.
The national museum building Is to have
the largest frontage of any public building
in the city, except the Capitol, and the
Agricultural Department building will cost
several millions.
In addition to the office buildings for the
Senate and the House which are being
erected on each side of the park to the east
pf the Capitol there is the new union depot,
which is in the near locality, that the
three big enterprises in progress in such
close proximity is unusual.
Slicirg Off the Earth's Surface.
Just now the most interesting piece of
work to the general public is found on the
site of the proposed Senate office building,
which will occupy the square to the north
of the Capitol building, bordering on the
grounds about that structure. \ big steam
shovel is at work burrowing its way
through the square and lifting great piles
of the earth and landing them in the cars
which are pulled by little engines that haul
the long train over to the site of the union
depot, where the earth is used in filling in
the space that will be about that great
structure.
This method of excavating by using ma
chlnery to do what was formerly done by
men and horses and the rapdlty with
which the operations go on, is remarkable
TO one who is not familiar with such plants.
on the other side of the Capitol square the
foundations are being laid for the House
office building, which is likewise to cover
an entire square and which will also cost
several millions. The erection of these two
big buildings gives employment to large
force of men and when those who are en-
p'oyed on the union station near by are
taken into account, 1t will be seen at once
that there is quite an army of workers in
that section of the city
Demand for Houses.
It is also a fact of some consequence that
all of the three structures just mentioned
are to be located on ground that for the
most part was covered with houses. The
of these buildings to make way
for the improvements has resulted in add
ing to the number of people who are in
search of homes. There were quite large
number of houses taken down in order 10
make space for the depot and its APP
proaches and both the squares where the
congressional office buildings are to be
erected were built up with homes.
II Is not SURPRISING JildC the market mas
been good for houses during the past year
or two in view of these circumstances as
well others which have had an in
nuence. The increase in this particular is
nowhere more noticeable than on Capitol
Hill, where the houses have pushed out far
beyond what was recently the limits of the
closely built up portion. What was known
up TO a few years ago as the commons
have practically disappeared, and now the
city extends in fact well as in name
nearly all the way out to the borders of
the eastern branch.
Chances for Home Buyers.
The market for houses continues TO be
promising and a feature that is looked upon
as specially favorable is the increase in the
number of home buyers The opportunities
for buying are better because of the fact
that property is offered not only on reason
able terms, but at a reasonable price. Men
who build to sell satisfied with a profit
OF $500 per house and often they take less.
With a margin OF that size the purchaser
comes about as near as it is possible for a
third party to the original cost price.
Property at Auction.
Sales of real estate by auction are well
attended nowadays, those interested
find out, and it is seldom necessary TO with
draw property because of the failure of a
buyer to appear because the price Of
fered does not come near enough to what
is regarded as the market value. A great
deal of what is known small property is
handled In this way and it is the experience
that investors note carefully the announce
ments of sales 10 come and make a point
10 attend. The attendance at these sales
during the present season is said to have
been unusually good.
As an indication of the conditions in this
particular may be taken the experience of
James W. Radcliffe auctionecr. who during
the past thirty days has made the follow
ing sales:
Thrce-story frame house, No. 1903 New
York avenue northwest. sold to T. J. Nc
Mahou for $3.50. by order of Cross & Stew
art, trustees. Lot on 23d street near n
street northwest. sold to Mary c. Avery
and RebecCa j. Bennett, for s.. 12J, by or
der of MILAN & Williams, trustees. No.
~ "a street northwest sold to German
American Fire Insurance Company. for
1900. by order Of Branard II: Warner,
surviving trustee. Three-Story brick and
stone dwelling, No. 1924 Baltimore street
northwest, sold to Thomas r. Riley, for
$500. by order of Rheem Swartzeu
dwelling No. 1925 Baltimore street north
west, sold to Thomas r. Riley, for S7,G70,
by order " same.
Houses Disposed Of
Three-story brick and stone dwelling, No.
1928 Baltimore street northwest sold
to Thomas X. Riley for s7,T20 by
order OF the same. Three-story brick
and stone dwelling. No. 1890 Baltimore
street northwest, sold to G. S. Rees, for
1910. by order of same. Three-story brick
and stone dwelling. No. 1892 Baltimore
street northwest, sold to Alexander L. Hen
sey for S7,i20. by order of same. Three
story brick and stone dwelling, No. 1884
baltimore street northwest. sold to Thomas
Eagan. for $3.50. by order of same. Three
story brick and stone dwelling No. 1856
Baltimore street northwest. sold to Alex
ander r. Hensey. for 81, 400, by order of
same. Three-story brick and stone dwell
ing No. 1858 Baltimore street northwest
sold TO William H. Gottlieb, for S7,72o, by
order OF same.
Two-story frame house. No. 46S
street northwest, sold TO T. l.. Schmidt,
FOR s.. 100. by order of. heirs. Two
story brick house. No. 40 y street north
west, solo to T. l. Schmidt. for 81, $50 by
order of heirs: Two-story brick house. No
2435 III street northwest sold TO Lizzie Lee
Wiley, for 81 600, by order OF Fafiue *
Williamson, trustees. Lot on X street be-
tween 1Ith and 18th. improved by No. l746
sold to j. H. Winner for $40. 90 by order
OF owner, SOL per square foot. Brick
houses Nos 1858. 125J. 1857, 1883 f street
northeast and Nos. $50. 53s, so 18th stree:
northeast sold to Il. +. Saul, for $1,000
BY order OF +. IL. Thomas. Irving William
son ana Oscar Luckett, trustees.