Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-25


for the class of property mentioned, there
Is not the proper sort of car service for else
there Is some other disadvantage which
precludes and prevents the workmen OF
from renting. Moreover, the man who is
willing to go out that far and is perma-
nent resident of the city can usually buy
his home for just about what he would
have to pay to rent 1t.
Moderate Priced Apartments.
So the demand appears to be for moder-
ate priced apartments. Apartment houses
with flats which rent from $40 to $25 a
month are as scarce about the national
capital as the proverbial hens teeth. There
are any number of localities where they
could be constructed and there does not
seem to be any doubt about the profit OF
such investments if they are built on mod
ern lines which have been adopted in New
York, Chicago and other cities Building
regulations. of course. prohibit the owner
Of such structure from going up very
high, but with the proper economy of space
the right sort of courts and thoroughly
modern, up-to-date buildings, such in
vestments could not hardly fail to pay a
good percentage on the speculation.
The new automobile district which is
about to be created on the wide and spa
cious New York avenue block between 18th
and 14th streets is attracting attention.
Automobile District.
There will be several automobile estab-
hshments on the block, which promises to
be one of the most active and interesting
business quarters in the city. The new war
college built by the government at an ex-
pense of 100000 at the extreme end Of the
arsenal grounds is nearing completion, and
will be finished in a few months. 1t is a
tractive building and excites much interest
among the thousands of tourists and ex-
cursionists who crowd the river steam
boats these days.
The activity in suburban building con-
tinues. Twenty houses in Cleveland Park
In twelve months and eighteen new resi-
dences in Chevy Chase give an idea of
what is being done.
Anticipate Active Season.
Active preparations for the fall business
continue in the shopping district The Star
told of the improvements that are being
made along F street last week. On G street
which, observant real estate men say, will
soon be only second to F street as shop
ping thorous hfare-there are several new
shops in course of construction, and many
merchants are repairing their places Of
business and putting in improvements for
the anticipated fall rush, which. 1t is proph-
esied, will be larger this autumn than at
any time in many previous seasons.
Mr.. Thomas J. Walsh's new building ad-
joining Epiphany Church will be completed
in a very few days. The structure is al
ready practically finished, and it stands as
one Of the quickest pieces of work that has
ever been done in this city. The building it,
self was erected in less than thirty days
1t is three stories, and the lower floor in
cludes two roomy stores, with handsome
fronts. The building is not a permanent
one. A clerk in the employ of Mr.. Walsh
is authority for the statement that 1t was
only put up temporarily to spay taxes. 1t
was the original intention of the owner to
put up handsome building on the site. He
was deferred from doing SO, however, by
the labor troubles which have in no small
measure handicapped the building progress
in the business district. AS 1t stands, how
ever the two stores which make up the first
floor of the building capacious, and will
have very handsome fronts.
The property at the corner of 9th and H
streets, owned by B. H. Warner, is in
course Of rapid Improvement The corner
building will include some offices, and on
the second and third floors there will be
some attractive small flats. Two small but
attractive stores with modernized fronts
have been constructed in the adjoining
building. Mr. Fischer, the art dealer, is
clude a new front to his shop. on 18th
street. The entire street from Pennsylvania
avenue to H street Is undergoing meta
morphosis that will entirely change its pro-
file In the course of the next few months.
Some of the new apartment houses that
have recently completed are noteworthy
not only because of their architectural
beauty, but because they contain all the
modern cOnveniences and luxuries which
the apartment occupant insists upon hav-
ing these days. Conspicuously attractive
among these are the Alabama and the
Champlain.
New Real Estate Exchange.
The suggestion made in The Star last
Saturday in relation to a Washington Real
Estate Exchange created a great deal Of
comment among the brokers and dealers
There seems but little doubt among the
dealers that there will be such an in
stitution here eventually. Some of the
dealers recall that the city once had a
so-called exchange, but they frankly con-
fess that 1t was not Of much consequence
as far as its usefulness to the trade and
the convenience to Its members was con-
cerned Its influence, they say. could best
be described with the one word mil"
Almost without exception, however, the
dealers say. that an exchange at this
time. run on proper lines, could not be
other than exceedingly beneficial both to
the renter, buyer, owner, broker and the
trade generally. In other cities where
exchanges are maintained and supported
they have been found to be of the greatest
benefit In addition to the great advan-
tages to be had from general sale list
anc auction mart 1t Is possible for the
board of governors to control the business
on lines that would mean a benefit to all
legitimate dealers.
1t Is a well-known fact that there are
many dealers in town who are doing bust
ness under cover. and in some instances, 1t
Is declared, without even license. The Of
fees Of these itinerant land tradesmen are
under their hats, or else they pretend to
engage In some other business, and under
Its cover carry on their realty enterprises.
1t can readily be seen that this is not fair
to the legitimate broker who pays his high
license and maintains an expensive office
force, half dozen automobiles and all the
other equipments necessary for the great
mass of details essential to his business.
There are any number of people all over
town doing real estate business, some of
whom doubtless do not know that license
is needed. All this practice could very read
lily be stopped by a properly governed real
estate exchange.
Some of the dealers who are seriously
considering the advisability of starting an
exchange are anxious to be informed Just
how much expense would fall on each firm
having member of the exchange. There
are over three hundred dealers in town who
would, of course, want to Join such an In
stitutiOn. Say that each subscribed 800
this would give q lump sum Of $4,000 on
which to start the Institutions sum more
than sufficient Annual dues of So or SO
would suffice to support the exchange
There seems to be nothing that is not FEAST
BILE about such an institution, and that It
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