The San Francisco call., 1909-06-05
TENDENCY OF ALL
TO BUY AND BUILD
City Will Soon Have More
Houses Owned by Individ-
uaIs Than Any Other
Prophecy of A. S. Baldwin
Made After Fire Fast Be-
coming True

more homes owned by individuals than
any other city of the same size he little
realized how near he came TO being
prophet
At that time the outlook for build
ing homes was not propitious. Every
thing was extremely high. Labor was
scarce. and it was as difficult to get
material as it was to secure men. Not
withstanding the discouraging aspect
Baldwin insisted that the tendency of
the times was TO buy and TO build.
He said that this was equally pro-
nounced in all classes Of the commun-
fly, for the great disaster had been
forcefuI lesson to our citizens that
the man with a lot and a home was
comparatively safe from penury. Our
italian colony had learned this long
ago, and A p. Giannini in talking OF
the wonderful growth of the Italian
quarter expressed it in this wise;
Our people, he said, are not spec
ulators. They believe in owning prop
ertv and are thus able TO rebuild
Neither Baldwin nor Banker Gian-
mini thought then that within two
years from that time the sum OF
$4,000, 600 would have been expended
on houses alone IN the city.
It was known that shortly after the
fire there was a big demand for lots
OF the cheaper kind. and people in
moderate circumstances bought prop
ertv on which TO erect homes. Newly
opened tracts were bought out speed
lily. and a new class Of tax payers was
brought into existence, but at the same
time there has been another and a
much richer class buying and build
ing. and it is this class which is cred
ited with having spent over Sl,00o,o 600
on fine houses in less than two years.
Fhis amount represents Improvements
solely. and does not take into consid-
Grafton prices paid for lots.
NEAR THE PRESIDE
Within this time several new residen-
tisl districts have been Tormed, and the
number Of large and beautiful houses
that are being built near the Preside
wall is astonishingly large. 1t is in this
section of the city that over s1,o00,o0o
has been spent, and real estate men
say il is simply the beginning Of build
ing out there.
There is no city in the United States
which offers such exceptional advan-
tages for the home builder as San
Francisco. If he requires TO live among
class OF people who have moderate
means he can find a spot which has
every advantage, so far as car service
and scenery are concerned, and so far
from the haunts Of wealth that 10 all
purposes he may be in another town
ship.
II he seeks a spot where he can build
q modest cottage there are new tracts
which offer him many facilities TO buy
and TO build.
. If he wants to live as far out as is
possible and still not leave the city his
wishes can be accommodated, for ne
can find a home amid rural surround
ings. and still have all the accommoda-
1iOns OF city.
But the part Of the city which has
made the greatest strides within two
years is that near the Presidio. Mag
nifeent residences have been built re-
Gently in Locust and Spruce streets, and
to give an idea OF the expansion of the
city it may be mentioned that previous
10 the FIRE there were only two resi-
dences in Preside terrace Since then
nine have been completed Seven new
homes have been started in the last
four weeks. which, it is estimated, VIII
cost a little over S175,00o.
VAST SUNS IN IMPROVEMENTS
According to A. S Baldwin $500. 900
has been spent already on improve
snents in the terrace, not including the
cost of the lots. Nor IS this expenditure
confined solely to the terrace, but there
has been a great deal of building in
washington street, Jackson street and
First avenue within the last two years,
which would bring up the expenditure
for these buildings to over $L00O.0O0.
NJ Fisher reports another important
sale in Preside terrace. for he has dis
posed Of lot II to Paul T. Carroll, for
whom he is to construct a handsome
residence on the lot The total price
OF the house and lot was $21,50o. Fisher
closed the sale of lot 2S several days
ago TO James H. Fannin, with the
handsome new residence just completed
by Fisher. the purchase price being
$4,000. Fisher will commence the con-
xtructfon Of two residences-one on lot
- and the other on lot-25-at once All
of tbe lots were purchased by Fisher
through Baldwin & Howell several
,nonths ago. In addition to the sales
made by Fisher in Presidio terrace,
baldwin & Howell report the sale of lot
"a TO Mrs. Jessie D. Scale of Monterey
county for $1,000. The construction of
q. SIS. 600 residence viii be commenced
bv Mrs. Scale immediately
ON the northerly slope of Presidio
heights and taking in about is blocks
there has been a great deal Of money
spent on residences. Several Of these
new houses have cost in the neighbor-
hood of $4,000 to $4,000.
Il have not the slightest hesitation
in saving" said Baldwin, that there
has been fully $4,000 600 spent in resi-
dences alone since the fire. I do not
take into consideration fats or apart
nent houses. The building of resi-
dences. has been going ON with amazing
rapidfty in the last two years and a
new district Of fine houses has been
made near TO the Preside wall In an
incredibly short space of time.
when you consider what has been
done in other parts of the city. $1,000
600 for residences does not seem to be
an exaggerated estimate Of the cost of
building residences.
More people are owning their own
homes now than ever in the history of
the city. More splendid residences have
been built in the last two years than
ever in the history OF the city, and
while the rich man IS building fine
residences the comparatively poor man
is also building. Some Of the houses in
the cheaper property may be only
shacks, but it shows that the man who
puts up a shack is investing in San
Francisco and is helping TO build UP a
city
IN THE OUTLYING DISTRICTS
Mention hae haa,, mad IN +hoea oo1