Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-27
Present Year an Active One.


The period of twelve months given in
the table is the fiscal year of the District
government, beginning on the 1st of July of
each year and ending on the Both of June.
The record, therefore, stops with the close
of the last fiscal year, June 80, 1904. Since
that time a period of ten months the
building of apartment houses, or rather the
getting out of permits. has gone right on,
and there are indications, especially if the
present rate is maintained, for the remain
ing two months of the year, that the cur
rent twelve months is going to come near
beating the record, or at any rate, the year
to end is likely to stand second, if not first,
in the list. Already permits for thirty-five
apartment houses have been granted and
the cost is put down at 81 ,952:5Go.
1t is, of course, recognized that under
the heading of apartments" which is the
official designation, classed all struct-
ures of the sort, both large and small so
that in this list may be found the two-story
fiat costing a few thousand dollars and the
large seven-story affair that has taken per-
haps half million of dollars to build, In
fact, there is no variety of this sort of
building, as far as known, Of which some
example is not to be found here. The rents
range all the way from twenty and even
less per month to 200 and more per month.
Millions of Dollars.
The census of these buildings foots up
nearly five hundred and the money that
has been expended amounts to a number
of millions. 1t is not surprising that this
phase of the building activity of the city
has attracted attention, for it is proba BILE
that in no city In the country has the de-
velopment of this form of living gone SO
fast and taken such a variety of forms.
Mr.. Pyle's Residence.
A residence is being erected at the cor
ner of oath and Newark streets, Cleveland
Park, by Mr.. F. b. Pyle. 1t is intended
for his own use, and as he wants to make
his home there this season he has not lost
any time since he made up his mind that
he would have summer home near the
city. Last Monday week he bought the
lot and the foundations are now laid and
the superstructure has been begun.
The house is to be of frame, resting
stone foundation. 1t will be simple in its
plan and is intended to provide a place
that will be convenient and comfortable
when the days are hot as well as the
nights. The principal feature of the inte-
rior will be a large living room, which
will be in the center of the house with the
front door opening into it and door OPP
poste leading into the rear lawn. The
window openings on each side will be so
arranged to afford a sweep through of
the air. The house will be- of course en-
tirely detached and will have a lawn
about it.
A Big Demand for Brick.
If there should chance to be any skep-
ticism on the subject of the activity of the
building in this city almost any one of the
brickmakers could give convincing proof
that there is a good deal going on. An
actual famine in this commodity has been
the unusual experience, and that fact will
make the present season one of note in the
records. 1t is not expected that this con-
diton will continue much longer, as the
bric karS confident of being n hlp n
catch up with the demand in a short time.
They state that the rush of orders began
with the opening of the building season,
when conditions were such that out-Of-doOr
work could go. The amount of new build
ing that was begun was very unusual. The
result was that the supply of brick was not
equal to what proved to be an eXtraordi-
nary demand and hence the deliveries have
not been full or as prompt as is usually
the case In some instances builders have
gone outside of the city and bought brick,
in order to avoid delay in the work they
had under way. In other cases the con-
struction goes along and the brick is used
as it can be had.
Will Beat the Record.
AS was anticipated earlier in the season,
and stated in this column, the present sea-
son is going to be far ahead in the matter
of the consumption of brick of any preced
Ing one 1t is believed that the high record
of a hundred million Of brick, which repre-
sents the consumption in a single season,
is going to be exceeded this year.
Owing to the fact that a good deal of
work has been authorized by Congress in
connection with the construction of public
buildings here, it may be concluded that
the state of the market is due to the
of brick in buildings of that kind. The fact
is that the use of brick has not as yet been
begun in the public buildings, as they have
not reached that stage The foundations
are being prepared in the case Of some four
or five of them. and even with the union
depot this material has not been used
as yet to any extent. 1t Is evident the
present demand comes from private sources
and Is entirely independent of what is pro-
posed to be done for use of the public
The erection of houses and apartment
houses and new business buildings and
enlargement of existing buildings-that is
the explanation of the source of the pres
ent demand made upon the brickmakers.
Biggest Apartment Building.
The biggest thing in the line of apartment
houses that has ever been attempted In