The Washington herald., 1910-08-28

chief topic discussed in real estate cir
Giles toward the end OF last week.
The market is temporarily dull, due
chiefly TO the absence Of business men
and prospective buyers from the city.
Then. too. quite number OF real estate
men themselves are taking advantage
Of the dull season for short outings in
the mountains or at seaside resorts.
Others are on automobile trips In the
North and the combination Of absentees
resulted in a short week OF sales
Most OF the local brokers are looking
forward to good business in the fan.
They argue that business prospects are
Frightening, and that there viii be less
hesitation about embarking in real estate
and building ventures after dog days
Model Engine House.
A tripAor inspection through the new
engine house of No. Company in
Twelfth street. near G. proved II to be
probably the most complete fire station
Of the department. No. .. for good
many years. has occupied a dingy old
firehouse south Of Pennsylvania avenue.
fronting on D street, just above Four
teenth. The sale Of the square TO the
government for one Of It's proposed build
ings made necessary the removal OF the
engine company.
Ia seeking a new place the department
had reference both 10 the erection OF a
fine new engine house and TO its location
in the heart OF the FIRE danger section.
Accordingly, the site in Twelfth street
was chosen. Leon Dessez prepared the
plans FOR the new structure, and as
stated last Sunday Thomas Melton IS
the builder The new structure COM
pleted will cost $4,000 The difference
between the old structure and the new is
quite as great as the advance in build
ing methods and the ideas of architecture
in the last thirty years The now FIRE
house is. comparatively speaking. a
palace, and the old one is, hovel.
From the first floor, where the horses
are CHARTERED IN stalls which fy open
with the first tap of the IRE bell, 10 the
roof. under which the men viii store the
odds and ends Of their surplus apparatus,
out and planned. Every tlmc-saving con-
venience known 10 hre fighters is in
stalled in the building
Automatic Stall Locks.
The locks on the stalls are instanta-
neous. the stalls themselves are so placed
alongside. of the machine that there
IS not an unnecessary step for the horses
10 take in trotting to their places under
meath the automatic harness. which
seems to let down and fairly buckle Itself
upon the animals
The dormitory on the second hoor Is a
model as a light and airy sleeping room.
The second floor also contains the head
quarters Of Chief Wagner, who has al
ways kept a room in No. house. so that
he can mingle with his men. after he
leaves his Office at the District Building.
He has a sleeping room and an office in
No. p
The captain has quarters Of his own
also. The men have bathrooms, showers,
and drying rooms. They have modern
steel lockers for their clothing. and on
the third floor they will have a billiard
and pool room, where they can while
away the long. dali hours Of duty when
no fires are tapped in.
According TO announcement by J. II.
de Srbour, architect, bids for the demoli-
ton of the old Citizens Bank Building.
in Fifteenth street northwest. will be
opened this week and the contract
awarded. Upon the site will be erected
portion of the new structure planned
by the Riggs heirs for the entire corner
at Fifteenth and G streets. The portion
of the building upon the site OF the ole
Citizens Bank will contain the new
Chase Theater. the construction Of which
will proceed as rapidly as possible
May BE office building.
At the time Of the death Of the late
Francis Riggs a few weeks ago the plans
Of the heirs had not been fully developed
with reference to the type of improve
ment for the property now known as the
Riggs House, one Of the most famous
hotels Of the Capital in past days. The
decision, however. was narrowed down
to q choice between a new hotel and an
Office building 1t is understood that
Francis Riggs was strongly inclined to
the idea Of building a hotel and keeping
the glory of the Riggs House alive in
Washington for many years to come. 1t
is also understood that others Of the
Riggs family were DESTROYS of having
the property devoted 20 a large office
building as probably a better invest
ment.
1t is now understood that while the
plans of the heirs have not been fully
developed the structure to be erected
q cff Of fho old
he an Office building. According to the
tentave plans Of the architect, the build
ing will be eight stories high above the
street. viii be surmounted by a dome
roof Of another story, and, when com
pleted, viii resemble the newer large
structures Of the city, Of which the VIII
lard Hotel. the Hibbs building. and the
District National Bank are the types.
This will probably be the form of the
exterior whether the building is put to
the uses OF a hotel or an Office building.
The lease upon the Riggs House does
not expire until next year, and building
operations there cannot begin until after
June l.
Thompson School Completed.
The new Thompson School at Twelfth
and L streets northwest is now practi-
cally completed, and the old Thompson
School that stood beside it is nearly de-
to make room for a play yard
beside the new structure. The new build
ing has one floor on the level Of the street
which contains the assembly hall. the
heating plant and other rooms for storage
and similar purposes
On the first school floor are six class
rooms. and one OF these is an extra large
one to be used for the children Of the