The San Francisco call., 1909-10-23
ATTRACTIVE HOMES
LINE TEN BLOCKS
Three Hundred Houses Erected
by Mrs. Mary A. Fritz in
Ashbury Heights

artistic houses in the city of San Fran
cisco. This woman is Mrs. Mary A.
Fritz Of Iz0I Masonic avenue. Through
out the section known as the Ashbury
heights district her name is a house
hold word. In that section alone she
has constructed more than 500 houses
OF these il may be said that out of the
entire large number mentioned no one
is like any other.
Rising above Frederick street are
heights having contours peculiarly
susceptible to architectural and land
scape gardening effects. Mrs Fritz is
artist, nnancier and builder all in one.
Possessed Of this happy and upusual
combination of faculties she has pro-
duced that which, up to date. is un-
paralleled in the city OF San Francisco,
and probably unparalleled elsewhere,
as the result of any one woman's en-
terprise and endeavors.
INTERESTING HISTORY
How all this came to pass makes an
interesting story. The friends of Mrs.
Fritz say that she is probably the
brsiniest woman fnancier on the Pa
cifie coast However this may be. her
architectural addition and other adol-
tions to San Francisco make UP an eX-
hibit which speaks Tor itself AT the
request OF the writer, Mrs. Fritz an
swered a few questions in relation to
what has been accomplished and also
regarding herself.
She was born in Boston and always
was fond Of art. The dead similarity OF
houses in many Of the streets in San
Francisco DO not meet with her ap
proval She believes strongly in max
ing yards and gardens throughout
whole neighborhood mutually attract
i've to all spectators To have a neigh
borhood constructed on one general
plan Il was necessary as preliminary
step TO secure a large tract OF land.
Some years ago she acquired 10 full
blocks in what is now known as the
Ashbury heights district, bounded on
one side by Frederick street, on one
side by Buena Vista park, extending
over to Clayton street and to the foot
Of Mount Olympus at Sixteenth street
HER FAITH FIRM
She listened to no one who tried to
make her believe that the region Sc
lected could not be made a residen-
tial district. Nor did she turn any but
deaf ears TO those who subsequently,
said that buildings constructed on such
lines as she proposed, with seeming
disregard for economy OF land, would
never pay. Through her 10 blocks,
which were sandhills, dotted here and
there by a few scrub oaks, she ran
wide streets. she put in q sewer system
and water mains, she graded and
curbed and expended s60.0e0 in the pre-
liminary work of making the tract
eligible for immediate building.
The period OF hard times came along
just about then that affected the en-
tire country For a little time it
seemed that the predictions Of various
supposed experts in real estate might
come true. The lots did not sell read
lily Mrs. Fritz was not 70 be discour-
aged She concluded to try the exper-
iment of building, and building artis-
ticslly. Through a series of succeed
ing years she has adhered to this plan
OF campaign and large success has at
tended her; and the portion of Ash
bury heights ia which she labored has
become one Of the show places in San
Francisco.
HAS ENTIRE BLOCKS
Entire blocks have been lined by
the Fritz homes. Every one of the
houses has been made to stand back
from the street line. in some instances
as far as IS feet back. All were con-
structed. or practically all. on the IN
stallment plan OF payments. BY this
means ready money has always been
coming in to construct new buildings.
Now II IS announced that the greater
part OF the tract has been built up.
In her efforts Mrs. Fritz has been
abby seconded by Mr.. Fritz. who is a
practical builder, and by her son. Eu-
gene Fritz Jr., a graduate Of the Uni
NerEity of California, who is the archi-
of cfr ri .
Jr. modestly attributes all the credit
of the construction to his mother. Mrs.
Fritz and her son consult concerning
all plans. From his mother Mr.. Fritz
has inherited architectural ability. The
singular part of this story is that
Fritz Jr., when in the University of
California, did not study architecture
or snythSpg allied to it. His course
was social science, commonly known
among students as the social snap"
which is frequently selected by stu
dents because il is the easiest course.
STAGE EXPERIENCE
Subsequently he was a theatrical
manager and is known TO have taken
rart, as an actor, with Nance O'Eeil,
with considerable credit. Now he is the
raost enthusiastic Of all persons in
admiration OF and cooperation with
his mothers plans. Taken as a whole
there Is nothing ike the Fritz plan OF
placing buildings on lots to be OBJ
served anywhere else in San Fran
cisco Houses are faced Intentionally
TO avoid having the windows command
anything that is unsightly. In one in
stance seven houses. every one of them
commodious for the use of one family
each, have been placed on a lot 100
feet by IS feet in size.
It would take a diagram TO show
how this has been accomplished. II
would take wise householder to de-
termine where his land adjoins that OF
his neighbor. All over the Fritz tract
fences are dispensed with. A plan has
been adopted as near as II can be de-
scribed in a general way OF so ar
ranging the houses in clusters where
the land has been limited in size, as TO
leave all possible open spaces prac-
tfcaIiy concentrated in one.
Not only this, but every appearance
OF primness and rigidity in laying out
or ground has been so successfuily
avoided that the spectator, looking al
the combined yards on two streets
sees that which resembles a parked
area. The effect is just the same. prac-
tically, as il the buildings had beer
placed in a park. The great variety Of
architecture, the abundance of flowers
and lawns and ornamental vases
palms and occasional fountains have
made the entire Fritz section worth
visiting