Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-18

Inc DuliQlng OF houses is gong on
without much interruption. although
there has been something of letup
owing to the winter season. According
to the calendar and the usual experience,
it would be impossible to do much out
door work at this season OF the year.
But it happens that both experience and
the calendar do not harmonize with the
facts at this time. and there Is no reason
why building should not go on This 10
| the line of reasoning and Of action that
most of the builders have followed. and
| the consequence is that ii Is not unusual
at this time to see the ground broken for
the commencement OF a new row of
houses.
Single houses are also started. as well
as apartment houses, but at this time.
as well as during the earlier periods OF
the last two seasons, the principal fea-
ture Of the building business. has been the
erection of residences. Some of those
who are more or less actively in the mar
ket are somewhat Disguised because there
| are SO many houses built in rows instead
| il individual buildings, but it IL quite
evident that the present phase of the
activity Is an effort to meet q demand
| which exists.
y. Two Large Houses Planned.
During the past week a beginning was
| made in the erection Of two large houses.
| In the case of one, which will be built by
A. J. Parsons at the northwest corner
OF 18th and r streets. the excavation for
the foundations have been made, while
| for the house to be built by w. w.
Lawrence on Kalorama road the plans
are still in the hands of the contractors.
Few new apartment houses are being
| the supply OF such structures Is about up
| to the demand.
The activity in building. however, has
| been somewhat checked by the diminish
| ing supply of money. It is said that the
sources from which there came an album
dance of money earlier in the season have
dried up. Not because OF any lack OF
faith in the present phase of the market.
but for the excellent reason that the
money has been loaned out and there is
but little more. In other words the
money market today is tight, and 1t is
| harder to get money to finance undertake
ings than 1t was q few months ago. 1t
Is believed that this is a temporary con-
local retail trade growing out of the
holiday season.
Will Open New Streets.
There is q close connection between the
efforts to meet the demand for houses
and the number of applications that will
be made to Congress at this session ask
ing for authority to condemn property
for the extension of streets. The interest
In this subject is very great at this time,
because ground available for building has
q good market and also good prices.
" Hen the land is purchased at current
figures naturally the new owners want to
make use of it as quickly as possible. The
only method or doing it in the modern
real estate market is by improving II with
the erection of houses and. OF course. the
streets must be opened through the prop
erty. -,
Some Of the land owners are willing to
donate from their holdings the guam
tity needed for the streets, but others
are not and in order 10 get the required
land it is necessary to have condemnation
proceedings. But, first, there must be
specific authority Of law for such pro-
ceedings, and hence the many street ex-
tension bills that come before Congress.
It is estimated by e. NJ. Talcott, the
engineer in charge of street extension.
that the aggregate of the cost involved by
the measures of this sort that have al
ready passed through his hands is over
three-quarters of a million of dollars. or
course what percentage Of these bills will
reach the stage of enactment 1t is i'm
possible to say, but 1t Is likely that a
large number Of them will. for while
street extensions cost money, yet not one
and in consequence it is not difficult to
get bills of that sort through Congress,
or rather not as difficult as IL they carried
appropriations of money.
Cost Falls on Property Owners.
The streets that are to be opened. as
enumerated In these bills. are in all parts
Of the District, showing that the present
material development is not confined to
any one section.
To defray the cost OF the land both
benefits and damages are assessed. not
only in the case Of the owner Of the prop
erty but also in the case Of other land
owners in the vicinity whose holdings are
supposed to be benefited by such a public
Improvement. The benefits in such cases
must balance the damages. so that the
property and that In the immediate vicin-
ity pays for all expenses.
In most cases the extent of the street
to be opened, as well as the cost,
do not run either into long stretch |
es or large amounts. Perhaps the
largest item of the sort In the entire list
is the extension of Vermont avenue. which
now stops at Florida avenue in the vicin- |
ity of 9th street. 1t Ia proposed to carry
thu avauu0 about n block to the north. '