Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16


on the west side of 18th street between
Roanoke and Yale streets. Columbia
Heights by Kennedy & Davis have been
sold with the exception of one. Stone &
Fairfax real estate brokers. during the past
week sold one for $4,000 In addition to
the three stories the width is sufficient TO
permit of two suites of rooms on each floor
The sales made thus far have been for
investment purposes.
Meaning in Architecture.
TIE scaTolding from around the walls of
the building that is being erected at the
northwest corner of Pennsylvania avenue
and 18th street for the home of the Ameri-
can Security and Trust Company has been
taken down from the south front, and the
effect of the structure can be appreciated
for the first time. 1t is evident that 1t
meets fully the requirement, which is often
insisted upon by critics. that the exterior of
q building ought to indicate its uses.
There is no question. one looks at the
massive. walls. their solid front broken only
by one opening In the lower portion, what
the purpose of such structure is. 1t pro-
claims safety in its strong lines and secur-
ity in its massive walls, and, besides all this,
the structure is a graceful piece of archi-
lecture pleasing to the eye whether viewed
from the point of an artist or a practical
builder. SThe design is good and the con-
struction excellent.
The effect of the 18th street front has not
as vet been revealed as the scaffolding is
still in place. but it will no doubt prove
equally as attractive when the massive pill
lars of it's arcaded front come into view.
The Lack of Back Yards.
It is found by some property owners that
there is a certain disadvantage in owning
lots as deep perhaps a little deeper than
the standard lot. The additional space be-
yond that required for the house itself is
apt to be looked upon as merely represent
ing an additional number of dollars for
each square foot that is thus represented
which the prospective purchaser sees no
prospect of ever getting back. 1t seems
quite natural to suppose that where lot IS
of such dimensions that it practically all
can be covered by the building 1t would
strike the man who builds to sell as much
more profitable purchase than where there
is what may be described as extra space.
There is doubt that where houses are
put up to sell considerations of this charac-
ter have to be taken into account. and are
of considerable Importance, for nowadays
there is said to be not very wide margin
of profit in house building. 1t Is explained
that this is owing in part to the competi-
ton and in part to the uncertainty of the
market. but whatever the reason there is no
doubt that better house is being placed on
the market for sale for the money than
ever before in the history of the city. At
the same time there more buyers and
the number of house owners are consequent
tly increasing.
The House Buyer an Influence.
The aim of builders is, of course, to put
up a house that will sell; one that will
attract the fancy and appeal to the judg-
ment of those who want to buy. There is,
in all probability, a class of builders who
erect house with as little care as to con-
struction and the selection of material as
their experience teaches them the buying
public Will stand. On the other hand there
are those who offer the very best that the
money will produce in the houses they put
the market. and with this class il makes
no difference how much house costs them
as long as they can md purchaser for 1t
who is willing to give them back their
money with a fair profit
To certain extent the character of the
house that is built TO sell is determined by
the public. II the public is willing TO put
up with houses that have no back yards and
inferior means of securing light and Ven
tilation in the interior then naturally, of
course, that is the kind of house that they
Will build. If people who are looking for
houses lay stress upon the absence of back
yards and comment upon the advantages
OF having an abundance OF space IN the
rear of houses, then II will be found that
yardIess houses will not be as numerous.
Large Building Lots.
The same is true of the custom that pre-
walls OF covering. as far possible. the
entire building with the building,
whether intended for a dwelling house
for apartment house. If tenants refuse
to occupy suites that contain rooms which
have means of getting the light and air
directly from the outside. or at least made
Quate means, il will be found that buildings
of that kind are not being erected.
In other words. while to some extent it
may be said that the public is obliged to
take what 1t can get in the way of house
aCFDInnOtll ODlnlOn
of those who live in these buildings has
good deal Of weight. for, after all. they con-
stitute the market for investments Of this
character and the aim always is to suit
the market. whatever II may be.
Possible Building Regulation.
1t is possible that result of the
discussion that has been raised about the
height of buildings, and. in fact, of the en-
tire question of the erection of tall struc-
lures in this city, some new building regu-
iatiOn Will be made which will not only fix
the height Of large buildings. but also will
have something 10 say about the proper
provisions for securing to the interior light
and air. 1t Is not at all unlikely but that
something Will be done to require a larger
area not only in the rear of buildings but
also at the sides, so that. If il is desired TO
put up big building, ii will be necessary
for the protector OF such an enterprise 10
have larger building lot than is the case
at present.
Fire Precautions Discussed.
1.-THE path of safety from exposure fires
for Office buildings and the like writes a
practical engineer, lies in a window casing
formed that we can attach TO 1t shut
ter of form similar to the ordinary inside
house blind. Our ordinary business build
ings have walls thick enough so that by
making the shutter in four folds or leaves
Two being hinged together, and these two
IN turn attached to the wall. making each
fold in the shutter only about fifteen inches
wide. the window will be wide enough for
al practical purposes. and fold the
hutter back within the window jamb very
lauch as we do the inside blind.
To do that with the present ordinary tin
clad shutter would be almost impossible be-
cause of the thickness OF that form of shut
ter II can be done with a steel plate shutter
without ribs, and the radiation from the
inside can be checked by some thin incom-