The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-01
MARKET IS ON THE BOOM Montgomery Real Estate Sound Investment. BIG SALES ARE RECORDED Past Years Business Conspicuous
 in Firmness. Large Building Operations Did Not Suffer From Effects of Panic
 Civic Improvements are
 Steadily PrOgressing.
 

Taken almost universally as the key note to commercial strength, as an unerring pointer to accuracy regard ing prosperity. and the foundation of the face value of community, real estate value Is recognized as the gauge of progress. The real estate market tn Montgomery today is steady, sound and fraction above par: taking pre- palent prices before the panic of the past year as the par value of the prop erty marketable.
 Forced to bear the brunt of every decline in commercial values, abso- lutely unprotected except by the bus mess done on or about it, helpless as an individual entity, the fact that the real estate market In Montgomery only suffered by not advancing further, not suffering a single decline during the past year. when land boomers were without work. and banks tottered and fell. is a compliment to the Capital City's commercial forces, to their in- tegrity, and a priceless proof of the sterling worth of Montgomery land.
 Money invested in lots, houses. and other land areas a year ago in Mont gomery. bore interest throughout 1908 when the most exalted financial insti- tutions in the United States were trem- bling in their shoes. and fin some cases falling, because the stockholders re- fused a further assessment
 Not a single case is reported dur ing the year where property here was sacrificed because of the panic in oth- CT parts of the country that decimated commercial values and forces less stably based than those of Montgom- cry.
 Today one who owns real estate in Montgomery can sell 1t for what was paid for 1t. and in majority of cases at decided advance.
 Among the many buildings, work on which was started before the panic, not an instance is recorded where work permanently stopped because of the owner not being able to borrow enough money on the land to finish the struc- ture. Money was tight here. not so tight as elsewhere, but never was 1t refused when Montgomery real estate was offered as the security.
 Market Active Again.
 With the last of the panic dwindling away as a memory, the real estate mar ket here which had simply remained passive while the clouds blew over is becoming active again. Not in struggle of It's own, but home seekers new enterprises and other interests now able to collect money to invest in manufactories, etc, are asking for prices preparatory to building. Aware of this windward anchor. the city has gone steadily ahead with paving. drain- ing and other municipal improvements, knowing that further improvements on streets only enhanced the value of property and the work was Justified by the land values, to owners and the community at large.
 With the paving of each street. not only enhancing the value of abutting property. but increasing that on adja- cent streets because of the better highways. taxes on real estate have, or are soon to be. advanced, and own CTS are accepting tho advancement, knowing that 1t Is just.
 Knowing the value of property in the downtown districts, owners only smil- ed and shook their heads when last winter par value offers were made them by speculators who knew that land SO bought would double in value in a year or so. These spectators did not take into consideration the fact that the owners knew it. too. and so very little real estate changed hands in the last twelve months.
 One of the few large transfers of the year was that of M. w. Stuart to J. A Murray, ninety feet on Dexter Avenue, between McDonough and Hull Streets. for the consideration of sl2.500. This sale shows that values here have not decreased. The transfer of forty feet on Monroe Street between Perry and Lawrence. by W. F. Haygood to R. g. HilI, for the consideration of S1s.000. and the purchase by The Ad- vertiser Company from J. NJ. starke, for s17.000 of twenty feet of land on Dexter Avenue adjoining The Adver- user building, seems to indicate that property on the city's principal thor oughfares is at a premium.
 Big Sales Recorded.
 The influx of peple of the better class to the city, recognizing it as the coming headquarters for Southern ad- vancement, has done much to enliven the residence branch of the real es- tate market. Most noticeable of the transfers in the residence section is that of the Beauvoir Club property which brought $34,500 the record price for residence property in Montgomery. Report has it that this record Is soon