Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-09
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Mr.. Bliss New Residence on
Sixteenth Street.
AN ITALIAN GARDEN
WILL BE AN ATTRACTIVE FEAT
URE OF THE INTERIOR.
Other Evidences of the Growth of the
City-Millions Spent in
Buildings.

A large residence IN the pleasing type of
the modern French style is to be erected
by Mr.. Alonzo c. Bliss on the east side of
10Th street just north of K street. The
lot, which is wide one, lies next to the
residence of Senator Hale, on the northeast
corner of 10th and K streets. 1t is the
intention of Mr., Bliss to put the house on
the northern portion of the lot, SO as to
have a wide lawn space between the new
structure and the side yard which is about
the house of Senator Hale. In this way
there will be ample open space on the side
of the Bliss residence. which Is most de-
sirable in winter in this climate, and that
is on the south.
There will be openings on this lawn the
entire depth of the houses, which has made
1t possible for the architect, Mr.. A. Goen-
ner, to utilize the full width all the way
through. The main entrance will be on
level with the street and in addition to the
entrance. hall and various rooms on this
floor there will be the staircase with the
domestic department in the rear. The land
ing of the wide stairway the parlor
floor will be in a large hall which will
separate the parlor at the front of the
house from the library and the dining
room, which occupy the rear portion. The
sweep on this floor will be impressive,
1t will take in the entire depth of the
and not restricted in width, which Is un-
usual in a city house.
The italian Garden.
Another feature which will add to the at
Effectiveness of the interior is the loggia
from which the garden or lawn can be over
looked and which will be approached by
broad windows that open out from the
central hall. The lawn is to be arranged
Italian garden wi nd
fountain.
The drawng-room or parlor, which will
occupy the entire space Of the front por-
ton of the house. will have easement win
dows both to the west and to the south
The dining-room will be large and spacious
and when needed 1t can be made to in
clude the breakfast room, which will be
taken off from the north side. There will
be library between the hall and the
dining room.
Other Improvements in View.
The materials used in the exterior of the
house will be stone and brick of light
shade, with terra Gotta used In the orna-
mentation, which Is not at all profuse as
it Is in some examples of the extreme type
Of this class of architecture
Mr.. Bliss is the owner of quite a good
deal of property on 10th street and this
proposed Improvement, which Is to be be-
gun as soon as the weather permits, is the
nrst in the series which he has in mind
and which will result in adding several
buildings to the section of that thorough
fare lying south of Scott circle.
Evidence Of City Growth.
1t is presumed that people who pay taxes
on real estate are aware that the assessed
value of realty in this District is increas-
ing. The individual experience, unless It
covers a good many years or else relates
n fu 0P
acter, would not give much information as
to the sure but gradual growth which has
been going on in this particular, and which
Is still in progress. AS a rule figures do
not mean much, that Is to say they do not
nave much significance to some minds. Still
there is something to be learned from them
and they furnish guide posts sometimes
indicating the rate of progress that is be-
ing made.
Such is the case with the figures which
give the assessed value of real estate in
the District. Taking these returns by
decades and going back not more than
twenty years, the contrast between the
total of today and that of twenty years
ago is striking. In the year 1856 the total
assessed value of real estate in the District
was about 500, 000, COO while ten years later
in 1896 it was about SIS, COX, 600, and at
the present time it is $239,00o0O0
Millions in Buildings.
1t will be seen that the change in these
figures during the past ten years has been
about five millions per year. and as the
value of the new buildings erected each
year for several years past has varied
from three to four millions of dollars 1t
will be realized that the taxation Of the
new additions to the buildings has almost
been sufficient to account for the increase
in the total valuation. although there Is
still a margin which accounts for the ad-
ditions to the amount of the individual tax
bills.
1t seems likely, owing to the growth OF
the city, that the assessed value of prop
erty is going to continue to roll up, and
while that means an increased taxation, yet
1t also means enlarged business and other
resources of the city. The five or six mill
lions per year which is raised from taxation
of all sorts from the people of the District
are met dollar for dollar by the contribu-
ton from the general government in recog-
milton of the fact that the large amount OF
real estate in the District which is owned
by the government is not subject to taxa
ton.
Cost Of Running the City.
The annual budget for city expenses
amounts to about eleven or twelve mil
lions, according as Congress sees fit to pro-
ri do tf,a Az, Lawn