davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07

First-CLaSS Flats
For CoIored Tenants
Young Boston Architect Building TWO-Family
Apartments for Them-tias Erected One
House With Eight Flats.

ible from the central hall. thus avoid
ing the long. dark. narrow passageways
so often found in small apartment
houses.
All the rooms are spacious, and the
plumbing is all open" thus insuring
sanitary conditions. Each apartment
has four rooms and a bath, and the
entire building is fitted up with atfac-
tive gas fixtures. The entrance 10 the
building is through a large concre,s
court onto which the apartments OPEN
on the three sides Of the court The
structure is of brick and finished IA
Carrying out his ideas as to santa
| tion In such houses, Mr.. MOcbs has ar
ranged every room Of the two-faulliy
| Is what would be called an outside
room"
Best Lighted and Ventilated.
He says that the seaton street houses
| are the best lighted and ventilated
/ houses OF the tWo-lat type in Washing
/ ton. In them. as in the eight-fiat apart
ment. each room branches from cen-
/ trail hall, thus again avoiding the objec-
tionahie. long. narrow hallway
| The houses now going up on First
street southwest viii each contain two
four-room and bath apartments The
rooms viii be large and the equipment
/ v-fI. h OF a high class. Each apartment
] q n have = large rear porch and yard
/ Mr.. Moebs, Who is interested in pro-
I yidi1g good buildings for the coIored
POPULATION. contempiates the eoHsIIuc-
/ ton of d number OF otheF l4at Duli'lllIs ;
/ for the better element Of them, some
! Of which viii be in the Northwest sec
I tion In addition 10 his buildings tor
coIored people. ne is also preparing pans
! for a large apartment house in the
/ Eorthvest This structure viii be mod
err in every detail and will be for the
best class Of tenants
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
MANUFACTURERS RECORD
ON STEEL PLANT MOVE
Trade Journal Gives What Is Stated 10
Be Authoritative Mountaineering
uTes Less Than Those Published.

Referring to the proposed coming 10
Washington OF the Firth-SterIing Steel
Company, the Manufacturers Record
says,
THE Manufacturers Record has re-
ceived authoritative advices regarding
the steel plant which the Firth-Sterling
Steel Company. of Pittsburg. Pa. has
been reported as TO build at Washing
ton. d. c. The company sells large
amounts OF material 10 tee War Depart
ment of the Government and the plant
10 be located IN Washington viii assist
in meeting that demand. A site OF about
twenty-five acres on the Potomac river
viii be occupied. and there win be erect
ed a l25x300-fOOt building and s5Nl5O-
foot building, together with several
smaller structures. all of substantial
steel structure frames and brick walls.
4 modern equipment Of machinery viii
l. installed and the product VIII be
arnor-pierCing projectiles. Capacity and
number of men 10 be employed cannot
be stated as yet j. r, Rose is the con-
struction engineer in charge. and pro-
p0ssls for material are now being re-
ceiyed. The Firth-SterliEg Steel Com
pany was organized IN 1850. and it has
| a large tool steel and arnor projectile
plant al Demmler, Pa Its Offices are at
Pittsburg. and Lewis J. Firth is presi-
dent
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07

nation in favor of the owner Of vacant
land as against the home owner is even
more striking than in the city. I'm
prOyements are assessed at from 30 TO
20 per cent of their cost, while land is
assessed at from 10 10 80 per cent of its
true value, an average of not more
than % per cent.
For example, land in block p. Pet
worth, purchased three years ago Tor
a. cents q foot. is assessed at y cents.
The land in blocks 81 and 81 Is assessed
at , 3, !. and cents Il foot. None o.
this land can be bought for less than
from to L times the assessment.
Land in block % was purchased for IS
cents a foot about three years ago,
and for % cents foot about eighteen
months ago. and frame houses costing
probably s., 30 and 81. 600 erected thereon.
This whole block is assessed at cents
a foot, not more than 10 per cent OF
true value The improvements are as
sessed a. about 80 per cent OF cost
Very recently land in blocks % ana -,
on which about forty brick houses are
being erected, sold for 80 cents a foot.
Three-fourths of the land in these blocks
is assessed At cents a foot, the balance
at and cents.
The assessment on the land in Pet
worth is from 10 10 30 per cent OF true
value averaging about % per cent me
improvements are assessed at Iully %
per cent. -
Let no one imagine that the owners
Of vecant land in Petworth have been
specially favored. An examination OF
tbe assessors books will show that the
same discrimination has been made IN
favor of the land Spectator in every
other section OF the District. Ml!llons
OF square feet, which cannot he bought
for less than from 10 10 20 cents ioo.'
are sed at from I to 10 cents a loot
and thousands of acres which cannot De
purchased for less than from SZ.OD, 70, 20
= Oh an acre are assessed At from sfoJ
TO 81 $50 an acre,
There also appears 10 be very large
screw loose somewhere in the personal
tax appraisement machinery This class
OF property in Washington Is alleged
to be assessed at 100 per cent OF true
value and on that basis amounted 10
S26.575.S19.66 last year.
COMPARE our S26, 500, GOO assess
ment on personal property on a 100 per
cent basis with such cities as CleFe-
land and Cincinnati on a 60 per cent
basis. with san Francisco en- % per
cent basis, and with Detroit on a leo
per cent basis, and consider what the
great difference between the assess
naents in those cities and Washington
means Does il mean what has been
frequently charged by Senators and
REPRESENTATIVES in debate on the floors
OF Congress. that this District Is the
para fse for tax dodgers"
The following arc the assessments
on pArsonal property In the cities
named (see Census Bulletin No 20
mage AN. for the year 1903:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07

David Moore reports that activity II
his sales department during the past
two weeks. Though the holiday season
is usually considered a dull one the pre-
dietion made in the real estate section
of The Times when Edwin II. Plllsourg
assumed the management OF Mr.
Aioore's sales department that 1t would
be a case of hustle has been fully
demonstrated, as the report of the fol-
lowing sales made through this ONCE
during the past fortnight viii verify;
For Joseph Paul, Nos. 90 and "a V
street northwest.
To Alexander Millar, lots Nos. i, Is
and a in block s. Moore & Barbour :
Addition TO Washington situated on
Rhode Island avenue, between North
CapftoI and First streets northwest 1t
Is Mr.. MiIlar's intention 10 Immediately
improve these lots with three-stoTy
dwellings.
street southwest.
To John F. Pyle, premises 40 L street
northwest
For Job Harris. part Of lot No. Ia
square No. SOL. situated on . street, be
tween First and Third streets northwest
For John b. Rueth, 1898, 1875 and l2S7
( Georgia avenue southeast.
For Samuel Ross, the desirable prop
ertv situated at the northeast corner OF
Ninth and Z streets northwest. fronting
100 feet on r street by a depth OF -
/ feet on Ninth street The owner of this
proDertv does not desire the purchase
price mentioned but II Is understood tC
I be close TO 100000. It is the intention
of the purchaser TO Immediately improve
/ this lot for bushes purposes. This is
/ the third large sale that has been made
I in this same square within short pc
Rod. Mr.. Pillsbury having closed sale
of the adjoining eighteen feet front for
! SIS, 600. This property viii also be I'M
proved for business purposes
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
MOORE & HILL REPORT
SALES FOR LAST WEEK

The following sales were reported by
the real estate corporation OF Moore <
Hill during last week
For Osterman < Butler, TWO OF their
new houses Oh Douglas street. which
was formerly yelling place, Columbia
Heights: for Harry NOrdman, 24l5
Eighteenth street, Washington Heights.
being the last remaining house unsOld in
this row; for Charles F. Wallran. POS r
street northwest; for Mrs. Mary j
Walker. 1Ml Y street northwest; for
Harry ". Sherman, - L street north
west; to Edward 5. Stacker. 1886 E.lev-
enth street northwest; for JOHN F.
Lynch. 1925 Newton street, formerly
Howard avenue. Mt. Pleasant; for is
terman & Butler, the apartment building
1896 b street southwest; for Francis J.
Carmody, two Of his apartment buildings
on y street, between Twenty-second and
Twenty-third streets.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
PLANS FOR CAPITAL
TRACTION IMPROVEMENTS

The Capital Traction Company. Thir-
ty-sixth and n streets northwest, has
had plans prepared by Wood. Dom q
Deming. architects, for d carbarn and
office to be erected on Fourteenth
street extended.
The building will be 200x560 feet.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
GUY NORMAN BUYS ON
MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE

The property at 1I25 Massachusetts
avenue comprising about lo,o1o square
feet has been transferred to Guy Nor
man by Mary B. and Sarah y. cum
mings. the price, il is said, being $50
600. The house, q modern structure,
is surrounded by its own grounds.
Every side has ample light and air.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
VALUABLE CYPRESS TREE.

A certain sypress tree standing near
Pinhook, timber estimaters claim VII!
furnish fully 1900 superficial feet OF
lumber TO the owner. From the ground
10 the first limb the apparent distance
is l25 feet. This tree is a giant among
giants and is perhaps several hundred
this tree is worth 135.-ApalachicOla
CFla.) Times.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
Purchases by Private Parties.

The sale to private parties OF 1900
square feet of ground at the southwest
corner Of square 236. at Fourteenth
and L streets. was noted in the city pa
pers of August 26. 1905. and the price paid
for the corner was given as Sl9. 600. The
assessment on this land is s., 300, and on
the Improvement. since torn down, was
s.. 600. Assuming Sc, 600 to have been the
true value OF the building. the amount
paid for the land was Sl3000 or about
four times the assessment.
BY deeds placed on record in Deem
Der, 1906, the Anheuser-Busch Brewing
Association secured from the Bakers
Cooperative Association Il 600 square
feet of ground at the southwest corner
Of North Capitol and T streets The
city papers of December . gave the
price paid as S55, 600, or s. a foot The
assessment on :, 80 feet Of this ground
Is 30 cents a foot and on the remainder
S, 250 feet-65 cents a foot, averaging III.
cents foot, making the total assess
ment on the land S7,sS7.50. The improve
meats are assessed at 81, 500. After de-
Quoting double the assessment on the i'm
provements (of little value to the pur-
chasers) from the total amount paid. II
will be seen that the price paid for the
land was about Sab a foOt-nearly six
times the assessment.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
WILL BUILD F0UR-ST0RY
APARTMENT HOUSE HERE

Plugge. Leitz & Plugge will erect
four-story brick apartment house at
1861 Calvert street TO cost about S25'-
OOO
Appleton p. Clark, jr., is the architect
and builder.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
David MOOre's Sales
Department HuStLlng
Made Remarkable Record During Holiday
Period Under Management of Edwin h.
pillsbury-One Deal Involves 100000.

Mr.. Moore SAYS he has several large
deals now pending which viii be closed
within the next ten days.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07

Cleveland. only one-fourth larger in
population that Washington. in 1903. on a
basis of only 90 per cent of true value,
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07

Work has been in progress for about
two weeks on a row OF five two-family
apartments which are being erected on
First street, near / street southwest.
The houses are intended for coIored oc-
cupants. and several applications have
already been made by prospective ten
ants for "refusals" of some Of the flats.
The houses were designed and are
being built by Joseph J. Moebs. a we'll
known young architect and builder OF
Boston. Mass, who recently estab lished
himself In Washington. II Moebs IN
tends 10 hold the fats as an investment
and is putting into them first-class ma
teriaI. He is personally conducting the
building operations.
This class OF structures is something
Of an innovation in Washington, SO far
as the coIored population is concerned
but Mr.. Moebs. who is "a pioneer IN the
construction here Of first-ciass apart
ments for colored tenants. declares him
self perfectly satisfied with the result Of
his experiment
Within the few months that he has
been operating in Washington. MI
/ Moebs has erected an eight-fiat apart
ment house on I street. near First street
southwest and a number OF two rarnily
apartnlents on SeatOu street northwest.
All these structures are intended for
{ respects. They were designed with IS
pecial regard to provision for light anc
! Ventilation and are modern IA every re
sDeCt
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07

assessed double the amount of personal
property assessed in Warrington IN lyi9.
on basis Of 100 per cent of true value
on the Washington basis the assess
ment IN Cleveland would have been
about SIS. coo, CO. about three and one
third times our assessment san fTan-
cisco. not much larger than Washing
ton in population. in 1903, on d basis OF
% per cent OF true value. assessed over
four times as much as our assessme
in 1905. On the Washington basis or IOc
per cent the assessment in San Fran
cisco would have been about SlI2 100000.
six and one-half times the assessment
here in 1}05.
What Is the trouble with the Wash.
iugton personal tax machinery Is IL
with the machine or with the engineers?
If the trouble Is with the machine then
Congress should reconstruct IL. II not.
then the assessors should rigidiy en-
force the law. and all those within It's
reach should honestly obey IL and ''ren-
der unto CatNar the things which are
Caesars
The Single-Tax Theory.
President HadIey. Of Yale College. la
Johnson's Univ. eye. vol. S. page 3.
says.
'Unimproved real estate should be as
sessed higher and improvements Tela-
lively lower than at present What
eye- may be thought OF Henry Georges
Single-taN theory as whole. there can
be little question that relatively high
assessment of ground rent, with CORE
spending relief for those who have made
improvements, is much-needed re
( form
How TO Abolish Sums.
In 1902 the Washington Board OF Trade
passed a resolution presented by its cOm-
mittee on taxation favoTing the eXenp-
ton 10 the extent Of 81 600 OF the value
! of houses occupied by their owners, toT
the following, among other, reasons
1.-THE effect OF such exemption would
be TO increase the number of home own
ers Ia the District. "A" The COnstTUC-
I ton Of more and better houses viii be
stimulated and every industry connected
Herewith viii feel the quickening effect
I OF such a step, and the whole COM
munlty consequently share in Its oene-
fits In facilitating the purchase
I by our citizens Of better houses than
l they now occupy the tendency Of this
measure will be gradually but surely to-
WC.d the abolition OF slums and raising
the standard OF morality
How to Beautify the Capital
/ II the exemption of only $l,O00 of the
/ value of improvements would accomplish
the good results predicted by the Board
/ OF Trade, then why not duplicate the
! good results by eNempting $500 Of the
! Naiue OF 80 sum luitueI anu get inc lu1l
/ benefit by eXempting improvements en-
! tirely from taxation and raise the need
/ ed revenue by tax on land values, on
| franchises and on such occupations as
| it may be deemed wise 10 tax for the
public welfare Such a system OF taxa
| ton would do more TO eliminate oui
slums and beautify the National Capita
! In the next ten years than viii be &C
complished in the next fifty years under
the present system.
! However, what the people of the Dis
trict now desire and should have, is ar
equitable assessment of property and ar
| equitable distribution OF the taxes paiC
into the District treasury.
f. ". OYSTER.
| January l, 1906.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
Land Values.

a comparison of the assessments with
the selling prices OF land will convince
any fair-minded person that the above
examples are not exceptions to the gen
HeTal rule that is, that the selling price
OF land in the city. which must be some
where near the true value. is not less
than from two and half to four times
the assessment on it. and that large and
expensive Improvements are assessed at
from 10 20 so per cent lower than small
ones IL proportion to value.
The land in the square Immediately
north OF the Treasury Department is as
sessed at from 81 to $50 square foot,
the northwest corner Of Fifteenth street
and Pennsylvania avenue being the $50
corner. and. in the Judgment of the as
SCISSORS, the most valuable parcel OF land
| in the District. 1t no doubt cost its
present owners nearly three times the
assessment.
Square No. 222. between Fourteenth
and Fifteenth streets and New York
avenue and II streets. Is assessed al
! from 81 To SO a foot. Toe nOTthetS. Ger
! neT OF Fifteenth street ana New Yorb
avenue being the most valuable Tart OF
/ the square
The Equitable Building grOuni at FIT.
| teenth and q streets. is asst ssed at g.
/ foot, the Commercial Rank corner
| Fourteenth ard =, at so foot, and the
| Bond Building corner, az SIS a fC OF
| Taken as a Who'll. this square is said
/ to he the most valuable Ticre CT land
! in the city.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
Innovation for Washington.

The eight-fat building is the only one
Of that size in the city built for ne
groes. 1t is planned so as 20 have al
outside rooms. thus afording eXtraordi-
nary good ventilation and sunlight The
rooms are so arranged as 10 be access
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
Land Values in Washington.

The value of the land in the District
OF Columbia is probably 70 per cent.
certainly not less than two-thirds, Of
the total value OF land and improve
ments. and should therefore bear not
less than two-thirds of the tax on real
estate. The total assessment on this
class of property is 1898. .9S5, the
assessment on land being $136.S45,419,
on improvements S102, 1865. Had
land and improvements been fairly as
sessed ~ proportion to value. the as
sessment on the land would have been
not less than S159.641,394 and on i'm
prOvements not more than s79,S20, Sol.
The discrimination against improve
ments and in favor of land could not
be justified at any time. and surely
cannot be justified now, as the law I'M
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
Government Purchases.

For instance, the Government paid
five and half times more than the as
sessment for the land on which the new
Government Printing Office stands and
three and a half times more than the
assessment for the land on which the
House and Senate buildings are being
erected.
The assertion is frequently made that
/ the price paid for land by the Govern
ment is not a fair test of true value, for
/ the reason that the United States is al
/ legged TO be more generous in the pur-
/ chase OF such property than private par
7 ties. However that may be in other
cities, the facts do not sustain that con-
I tention IN regard TO the District Of Co
| lumbia.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07

The assessments on improvements
range from 40 to 80 per cent Of true VAL
ue. averaging about so per cent. The New
Willard Hotel is assessed at $500, 600 The
Colorado Building is assessed at $3.50, OOO
The Star office and the Loan and Trust
Building are each assessed at S200, 900,
and are among the few large structures
assessed up TO the average of so per
cent of true value. 1t is safe to say
that neither the Willard Hotel nor the
Colorado Building is assessed up to the
average for improvements.
The most valuable private residences
in the city stand on adjoining squares
on the south side of Massachusetts ave
nue. northwest. One is assessed at $3.50.
900 and the other at 1925. 900. probably
not more than one-third of their cost.
! Outside OF the city limits tina discrim-
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
E. w. Oyster Objects
To Taxation Methods
Contends That System in Vogue in District
Is Inequitable and Fosters "IaxDodgers.
Practices of Other Cities.

der which the present assessment was
made provides that hereafter all real
estate in the District of Columbia sub
ject to taxation. including improve
ments thereon. shall be assessed at not
less than two-thirds OF the true value
thereof. and shall be taxed l y per
cent upon the assessed valuation.
The Jaw is both positive and clear,
and was intended to prevent in the
future the unjust discrimination in
favor of land-grabbing syndicates,
spectators, and monopolists. Had the
assessors obeyed the law in making
the assessment of real estate for the
next three years improvements would
have been assessed at about Sl25, 00o,-
coo and land at about 1875. Gee, 900.
This would have produced. at $3.50 on
the S1O0, 81 10000 or about double the
amount desired 10 be raised from that
class OF property. Il is not necessary
at this time TO enter into a discussion
as To whether or not the law is just
what il should be, but If the assessors,
with the provisions above quoted
staring them in the face" assumed
the responsibility Of ignoring or evad-
ing ii TO the extent of raising only
such an amount OF revenue as they
think necessary, then they should have
ignored or evaded ii to the same eX-
tent in favor of improvements as they
have in favor Of land.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
Land Values in New York.

The last assessment in Greater
New York shows that the value OF
land in that city is $3.50. $50 935. and
OF improvements $1,1OO. 657, S54-the
land values being "a per cent of the
whole
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
Alleged Outrageous Discrimination.

But, great as are the inequalities In
the assessment Of improvements, the in
equalities in the assessments Of land in
different sections OF the city and coun-
ty, and even in the same locality, are
very much greater, and the discrimina-
tion in favor OF the land speculator as
against the home owner and home seek
er is sinDIv outrageous
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
Disagrees With the Assessor.

Notwithstanding Mr.. Darnellles as
sertion that both large and small
properties are assessed on the same
basis" under the new assessment. an
examination of the assessments on a
large number OF improvements in diff
ferent sections Of the city has demon
strated to my satisfaction that the as
sessments on that class of property
vary from about 40 10 co per cent OF
true value. and in exceptional cases
still higher on small Improvements,
averaging about 80 per cent for the
District. the advantage. as usual. being
in favor Of the larger and more valua-
BILE building.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-07
Should Have a Square Deal.

An assessment OF one-third the true
value Of land and improvement s-say,
SIS, 10000 on land and SCI 500 90 on inn
prOvementS-wouid have raised a larger
revenue than Will be raised under the
inequitable assessment made for the next
three years. Such an assessment would
probably raise a howl from those who
are holding vacant land out OF use for
speculative purposes. but should, and no
doubt would. meet with the approval Of
all owners Of improved property who
believe in the principles of justice and "a
square deal"
The assertion that land values are not
less than twO-thirds the value OF both
land and improvements is based on ac-
tUal sales in different sections of the
District in comparison with assessed
values.