The Washington times., 1919-08-11

HOSTS RENTS
$5OAMONTH.
Ninth Street LeSSees Bring
Profitesring Charge Against
Fourth Presbyterian.
ny BILL PRICE.

- @AAD A~A~A@s
The Fourth Presbyterian Church,
located at Thirteenth and Fairmont
streets, this city, owns nine small
stores. 506-T22 Ninth street, upon
which nve tenants are today signed
up in new leases to pay $125 per
month, instead Of SIS per month to
August 1. while four other tenants
have declined to accept Invitations"
TO Pay the increased rentals.
And there is great buzzing all along
Ninth street over a situation which
involves q church in a charge Of rent
hoisting.
The facts in the matter are told in
the statements Of those cognisant OF
The details and speak for themselves:
what Tenants say.
I. X. Hunter. phonograph dealer at
rs Ninth. and A. L. Ames, picture
frames, At ne, corroboratsd each other
in SUBSTANTIALLY this language when
asked for q statement: some time
before August ] we were told by a
young man from Mr.. Groomes' office
20 see Mr.. Groomes before August
and sign new leases We have been
paying &75 per month. We saw Mr.
0roomes. who told as the new leases
called for S125 per month, an increase
OF 66A per cent We have not yet
signed The lease provides that the
only repairs shall be to the roofs Of
the buildings. Increases or rentals
must naturally come OUT Of the small
incomes We make or be paid for by the
public through Increased prices"
Mr.. Anes stated that he intends to
move elsewhere.
Miss Whitson. a daughter Of Mrs
William A. Whitson. said her mother
lad been asked to sign a new lease.
Ars- Whitson is q widow, her hus-
band having died twelve years ago.
She Il q dealer in cameras and
photograph supplies
Colin Livingstone, the head Of
many large enterprises, including the
Virginia Shipbuilding Corporation,
the WGshington and Old Dominion
railway. the National Boy Scouts. is
president OF the congregation OF the
Fourth Presbyterian Church and Of
the board OF trustees. William Selby,
of the American National Bank. is
the treasurer of the board; L. ".
Groomes. real estate agent, Is the
agent Of the properties.
FrOm Nj. GrOOmes' Office.
Mr. Grocmes is out Of the city on
vacation, but the young man who
assisted him in handling the matter
stated that I'VE Of the nine tenants
had voluntarily" agreed to sign new
leases at S12S per month and declared
that the volunteering had its incep-
ton in a trade war between two shoe
dealers. each Of whom, he said, had
been trying to absorb the other.
Finally one bought the other out and
70 prevent further competition in the
shoe business in that vicinity, "volun-
tarily" agreed that If he was given
control Of the two buildings he would
nav S115 per month for each.
Having protected himself by being
able to control both stores the news
Of his action spread around, and
three other tenants voluntarily
agFeed to pay $125 per month. The
other four tenants were simply in
formed as to what the i've had done
ana given opportunity to sign at
the same figures as the others.
The shoe dealer with generous i'm
pulses tells a different version OF the
affair to his friends, it is stated
Denial IS made Of limitations al
legged to have been given the four
hold-out tenants that IL they did not
sign ut SIa5 they could not remain in
the buildings at any price after the
salisbury law becomes imperative
NJ. seiby: Il do not know 3 great |
deal about the matter except that the |
tenants were asked IL they were will |
ing 70 nay the increased rent. I have |
before me now a letter from q re-
spoasible concern in Washington Of
ferinE to pay SIPS per month for each /
Of the stores on a longtime lease. /
Mr.. Livingstone can tell you about the
details."
This oner was from a real estate
company.
Mr.. I1vingsfOne's Statement.
Mr.. LIVINGSTONE talked about the
matter over the telephone from his
steamship office in Alexandria He
was in his office at work at $50 |
o'clock this morning and said:
sIt has been impossible for me to
follow this matter. See Mr.. Selby or
Mr.. Groomes. The properties do be-
long TO the church and are unproft-
Able. They are for sale for that rea-
son. After we get through paying /
interest on the mortgage on the prop
critics, taxes, hre insurance, and re-
pairs, there Is practically nothing left /
as q retGrn. The expenses eat up /
everything. The truth is that 1 have
paid very little attention to the rent
ing Of these stores. I did not even |
know how much they have been rent
ing for. I thought IL was about 500 |
per month Mr.. Selby is our treas
urer and would know"
The Fourth Presbyterian Church |
was once located upon the site OF
these stores. President Polk wor-
shipped at the old church, attending
regularly with his family. The stores
are one-Story Affairs, and Mr.. Living
stone said that they were assessed for
taxation At much higher figures COM
paratively than business properties
that are much better improved.