Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1911-08-22
VICTORIA BLOCK SOLD
A Prominent Citizen Talks On City
Real Estate And City
Government
Mr.. HART IS INTERVIEWED
Says Annapolis Has Many Natural Ad-
vantages Approves City And
County Government-But
Believes In Woman's
Suffrage -

Suffrage -
During the past few days there has
been a rumor in the air that Mr..
Philip B. Cooper has sold his store and
Office building on Maryland avenue,
and which has been known for a mum.
Der of years as the Victoria Build.
ing" AS this is regarded as one of the
most valuable pieces of property upon
that important avenue, we, therefore.
felt justified in ascertaining the facts.
Our representative at once went to
see Mr.. Cooper, but was unable to OBJ
tain any ormation-beyond the fact
that he had recently consumated the
sale. and that the buyer was Mr.. Wal
ter II. Hart, of Eastport. Mr.. Coop
er said that the principal reason for
disposing of the property was that he
simply did not have any time IN which
to give it attention
When asked if the rumor was true
that he had sold the property for SI0,-
600, he shook his head and said that
the price did not interest the general
public. Mr.. Cooper is now busily en-
gagged upon the erection of hand
some home at Wardour, which he ex-
poets to occupy in the near future, as
he has already sold his house on
Prince George street to Lieutenant
Tardy, of the Naval Academy.
The Victoria Building" was erect
ed about ten years ago, and is brick
construction, having a frontage of
about forty feet on Maryland avenue.
Until about two years ago it was
known as the Victoria Theatre and
Vaudeville House." but Mr.. Cooper
has since expended several thousands
of dollars upon making it into retail
stores with offices upon the upper
floors.
We next went to see Mr.. Hart, and
our representative found him seated
upon the spacious porch of his beauti-
full home, and immersed in the pages
Of the Evening Capital. 1t appears
that Mr.. Hart lives about one hundred
yards beyond the Eastport route of
the free delivery of The Capital, and
therefore he is compelled to await the
arrival of the mail carrier the next
morning. When asked if the report
was true that he had bought the Vic
toria Building, he said: Eyes, it is
perfectly true-but there is nothing
wonderful about the transaction.
regard the property as valuable ad-
dition to my present local holdings, -
but nothing more. No, do not care
to state the price, further than to say
that l am satisfied"
When asked if he intended to occupy
the offices for his own use, he re-
plied No, it is simply and purely a
side investment, although, if my
health continues to improve, as it has
done during the past year, l do intend
to open an office this fall in my build
ing on Church Circle. You may know
that have been silent admirer of
Annapolis for the past ten years, and
at the present moment l think it pos
sesses more natural advantages than
any city in America. 1t is healthful
and beautifully situated. It's city
government is good and clean to a
man. Its Mayor is a credit to any
city. But, unfortunately, it needs
more active and progressive citizens
men after the stamp of Mr.. George
7. Melvin and Mr.. John dep. Douw.
In some respects it is far behind the
times; it sidewalks are defective: its
waterworks should be owned by the
city, and then water famines would be
unknown, and it should do something
to lessen the rate of fire insurance,
for Annapolis is now the highest-rated
city in American fact its insurance
rate initiates very largely against
real estate investments.
In short, it reminds one of the ia.
nous COW of Patrick O'Flinn-thai
kicked over the milk bucket-'il illigant
to look upon, and historical, but moi
perfect And how can it be other.
wise, seeing that large percentage
of its citizens are-to use an express
sion from David Copperfeld-'s satur.
ated through and through with
apathy. am hopeful that the Cham.
Der of Commerce will become a power
and make itself felt throughout the
entire county. Amongst other i'm
portant matters that the Chamber is
working upon is the question as tc
whether it can prevent the express
business from failing into the clutches
of monopoly; and as to what it car
accomplish along the lines of the
CITY Beautiful. 1t seems to me that
we ought to adopt some means by
which we can enjoy the advantage Of
having the women join with us to
work out the latter problem, for it is
manifest that the cardinal features of
a City Beautiful are as much or
more within the scope of the ladies as
they are of the sterner sex. Woman
is by nature more artistic than man.
In speaking of her we readily admit
that she possesses marvellous qualities
of intuition, and, therefore, she has q
perfect right to some place and some
recognition in our city and county af-
fairs. Now, if we men tried to be
more honest and candid, we would not
hesitate to admit that the sterling
quality of intuition is so interwover
with common sense-that it is really
called by the wrong name. Personal
ly, would rejoice to see Maryland