Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
TREND OF INVESTORS
Decided Preference Shown for
the Northwest Section.
HIGHEST PRICES FOR LAND
Acreage Not Now Available at Mod
crate Figures.
HELD BY WEALTHY SYNDICATEs
Gradual Advance In the Quotations
Beautiful Woodlands and Hand
some Suburban Homes.
HELD BY WEALTHY SYNDICATES

unquestionably the growth of Washing
ton Is toward the northwest WHY this
should be true not only Of Washington but
OF almost every other city OF the United
states Is something Of mystery. Possibly
IL Is because the most OF the rivers-those
OF the Atlantic coast at any rate-run from
northwest to southeast, and when a city
starts, as it usually does, at the head of
navigation. the successive Generations OF
builders naturally strike back toward the
higher and more desirable ground for fresh
building sites. This higher ground is natu-
rally to be found toward the northwest.
and thus the city grows most in that direc
ton. This seems to be about the nearest
to logical explanation Of a generally es-
tablished fact
The growth of Washington toward the
northwest has made the land toward the
northwestern corner OF the District the
most desirable. and consequently the high
est priced around the city. 1t Is probably
true that at present there Is no more
ground left in the northwest section than
can be bought by the acre. OF course
there are transfers from time to time In
acre quantities, but they are mostly the
purchases of the government or Of wealthy
individuals and syndicates from wealthy in
dlviduals, who bought in the original tracts
and In most instances the purchasers want
to subdivide and sell by the foot to the less
opulent small home hunters
There Is a good deal of land wasted In
making a subdivision. The street land is
waste. so far as the promoter is concerned
30 are the alleys that have to be con-
demned and cut through each block. This
wastage Is estimated by real estate specu-
lators at a third of the whole tract. Yet
when one comes to cut up an acre, which
contains 43, $50 square feet and sell II by
me square root, they can afford to deduct q
third or II, and yet make the ground paw a
dividend at what seems a low price per
Ioot, even when the acreage price was high.
Hard TO Strike Avaroro
1t Is not easy to strike an average for the
acreage property that is still left In the
northwest section. One acre of a not par
about two years ago northwest OF George
town at 81 200. Probably there is not an
acre inside the District line in that dIrec-
ton that can be bought for less than 81 500
From that 1t will run to so cents a foot
1t Is impossible to strike an average But
there are no big tracts left. There was a
man in Washington this week looking.
for 500 acres or less in a single tract that
he could buy at acre prices and cut mn
for town lots. There was nothing an
preaching that size to be had under single
ownership. Those who had tracts Of any
size were holding them for further rise
The recognized subdivisions of the north
west numerous, but not so numerous
as the potential ones. There Is, to start
at the FLYER. Glen Echo. Burleith, the Pal
isades Of the Potomac. Tunlaw. Teniey-
town, Fernwood. Wesley Heights the
American University. Oak View. Cleveland
Park, Friendship. Dumblane. Reno. Blag-
denis and the immanse holding OF the Cali
fornia syndicate. AL Of which Is between
the outer edge of the city at she entrance
point of Connecticut avenue and the Dis
trict line where Chevy Chase proper COM
mences.
Between these various subdivisions are
scattered handsome country homes Of the
more wealthy Washingtonians. One Of these
which Is now one Of the show places Of the
,nrfh t1 ha .H NJ owl
Glover. just northwest Of Georgetown. It
IL a tract with fully ilfty-ave acres all
told, part of which Is under close cultiva-
ton around the house and part Of which
Ia still virgin woodland. The bulk Of the
tract is In woods, and while 1t is just on
the edge of the city 1t looks to one stand
ing in the middle of 1t as though 1t might
be hundred miles from civilization
A Pronounced Feature.
That is one of the beauties of almost any
building site beyond the northwest edge OF
the city. The country Is SO high and roll.
ing that any house with an acre OF ground
around It IL cut of from sight of its neigh
were in wilderness. AT the same time the
terrace formation of the country back from
the river gives 9. hundred choice views OF
the valley OF the Potomac and would al
most induce one to think he was enjoying
the only such view to be had In all that
region Of country.
North and east OF the big Glover place -
the big tract known as Friendship. the
property Of John r. Mclean, one of the
finest pieces OF park property around WASH
inRton. There are close to ninety aGrAs In
this tract. and the beautiful homo that Mr..
Mclean has built In tho midst II really q
mass Of additions and sudaxas to the main
old house that has been standing on the
place close to q century.
Like the Glover estate. the McLeanStract
was acquired before tha real estate boom
really set In around Washington. Ground
was then comparatively cheap by the acre.
and while the prices were then considered
high they were mere nothing to what the
same ground Is worth today. For instance,
the Glover place when Il WAS Arst bought
was mere corn field. with nothing at