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SUNDAY, JSAASY 3, 1891.
PAGES 17 TO 24
0& MM? IHWM'H JJ
REAL ESTATE EXCHANGE.
KJ3NKWRI TAIK AHOOT TIIK NICKD
OJb' ONE.
The llencnt Which Such an Institution
"Would Itu to Iteal Kslnto IJoalors
anil tho Public Pointed Out lly 11
llrolccr.
The project of establishing a real estate ex
change is again being discussed on F street.
Brokers say that, the need of such an institution
becomes every day more evident, and that its
establishment would help them in many ways.
The fact that an attempt in this direction
some years ngo did not meet with success,
they assert, 1b no reason why it would not suc
ceed now. There has been a big increase in
real estate business In the last few years, and
the number of brokers has almost doubled.
Besides, it is asserted thnt the former attempt
to start an exchange was badly conducted
from tho first, and that the narrowness of its
scope precluded from tho first ever getting it
on a good working basis.
"What is wanted," said one broker, "is a
real estate exchange, to which all dealers of
good standing, whether they are young or old
or do a large or small business, shall be ad
mitted. There Bhould be no attempt to limit
membership to old and wealthy firms, however
much these may look down on the youngmen
who aro new in the business and are strug
gling to get on their feet. Take in every man
who is not positively disreputable. I think
there would be little trouble about getting the
great majority of (ho dealers to join if it was
made clear to them how they would benefit by
an exchange. This would give a good mem
bership at the stmt, and before long no broker
could afford to be on the outside."
"What would be the advantages to brokers
of the exchange''"
"Tho first and greatest advantage would be
the adoption of a universal ratg of commission
on sales The history of the Underwriters' As
sociation illustrates this point. Before the for
mation of the association insurance men were
cuttiug each other's throats all the time, writ
ing policies at the best rates they could get,
underbidding each other, and keeping the
business in confusion. This gave the riiarp
and unscrupulous an advantage and injured
the men who stood out for fair rates and re
fused to adopt questionable methods to get.
business. The effect was, of course, demoral
izing, and while here and there men might get
insurance at low rates, on tho whole it was not.
a benefit to property-holders. The formation
of the Underwriters' Association has done
away with all this. The business has been
systematized, a universal rate has been estab
lished, and all the members of the association
are forced to live up to a higher standard of
business morals. If they don't they can bo
disciplined. If there was a real estate ex
change to whicli the great majority of the
brokers belonged, we could do the same
thing. A universal rate of commission for
making sales and negotiating loans could
be adopted and enforced, the business
could be thoroughly systemalized and regu
lated and placed on a better basis generally.
.Members of the exch-uigc who did not live up
to tho regulations could be called to account
and a higher tone generally would be given to
the business. Brokers would feel their re
sponsibilities to their clients as well as to the
exchange more than they do now.
"Another great advantage of an exchange
would be in the matter of auction sales. All
auction sales could be held on the floor of tho
exchange at a fixed hour daily, and In this
way brokers could attend them without boing
put to inconvenlenno. At present two, three,
or even more sales may take place at points
miles apart in tho same afternoon. A man
who wants to attend those sales simply can't
do it. If we had an exehauge all coming
auction sales could bo announced there and a
full description of tho properties entered on
the books of tho exchange. Tills any one can
see would bo a groat benefit to dealers. More
over, all themembers of the exchange could, as
far as they desired, make use of tho books of tho
exchange to announce- tho properties in their
hands. This would prevent disputes about
clients, and in many other ways would bo an
advantage to all concerned.
"There are probably," tho broker continued,
"three hundred real estate dealers in tho city.
Supposing all of them went Into tho exchange,
paying, a fee of say $100 each. This would
give 30,000. With this a site could bo secured
and a building erected as a homo for tho ex
change, making it a permanent institution and
a benefit to tho community. The idea is a
good oue, and all tho brokers to whom I have
talked about it approve of it. I hope to see au
organized moyemeut for an exchange before
fall."
Improvements ut Kermin's Theatre.
Mauager Kernan, of Keruau's Theatre, will
expend several thousand dollars in improviug
his house this summer. Tho principal feature
of the improvements will be tho construction
of tho new entrance to tho theatre from
Pennsylvania avenue. Mr. Kernan somo
time ago purchased tho property next to Har
vey's on tho Avenue, and on this ho will build
the new entrance to hiB theatre. The present
entrance on Eleventh street wil be retaiued
as a gallery entrance and exit.
90,000 TONS STORAGE CAPACITY.
NDEPEND
A
WHOLESALE AND
ENNE
K
A CONSTANT SUPPLY GUARANTEED THROUGHOUT THE SEASON.
PRICES AS LOW AS ANY RESPONSIBLE COMPANY.
OUR YELLOW WAGONS, PLAINLY MARKED INDEPENDENT ICE CO , GO TO ALL
PARTS OP THE CITY
010 PENNA. AArE. N. V
OFFICES ALSO
Cor. lath ana i'a. Ave. .N.w
C. B. CHURCH, President.
Ti tlirt vfton 1 QT'l " nlrvlitAmi innne nrr
Ail L11U JVUl i.UIM Ul 111U1,,UU JUUIO ilti U)
the
Independent Ice Company was
organized
under the Washington management, and since
that time tho increase in the prosperity of tho
company has been phenomenal. This com
pany was the first south of Baltimore to store
their own ice in the State of Maine, where,
two years after their organization here, they
purchased land and erected ice-houses at
Pittston, on the Kennebec River, with a
storage capacity of fifteen thousand tons, tho
company disbursing at that time about ten
thousand tons. It soon became necessary,
owing to tho rapid increase in their trado, to
Increase yearly their storage capacity in Maine,
whoro they can now keep on baud about
soventj'-fivo thousand tons, besides tho store
house here, which has a capacity now of nearly
fifteen thousand tons.
In 1875 it only required twelve or thirteen
vessels of seven hundred or eight hundred
tons capacity each to transport their ico to this
and other Southern ports. Last year it was
necessary to employ sixty-six vessels, averag
ing 0110 thousand tons each, to supply the
same localities, so rapid has been tho increase
In the demand for the ico handled by this com
pany. Tho most improved machinery for cultivat
ing, storing, and shipping ico Is owned and
used by tho Independent Company at all their
depots, and tho management intend to makq
this company one of tho largest and finest In
tho country.
In this city, owing to tho greatly increased
demaud for Kennebec ice, it was found neces
sary to erect additional store-house3 of greater
capacity, and to enlarge and extensively im
prove their central depots hero. Tho company
has al60 now under construction another large
storage-house to hold ten, thousand tons of ice.
The first Kennebec ico of tho eeasou arrived
at the Independent Company's wharf Thursday
contained In two four-mast schooners, hold,
ing respectively eleven and fourteen thousand
tons.
In a few days tho Independent Ico Company
Will remove from their present quarters to the
new aud spacious offices which have been so
handsomely fitted up for their use. Somo
time ago this company purchased tho building
formerly occupied by tho Columbia Bank
Note Company, 90S and 010 Pennsylvania
avenue, aud havo completely reconstructed
and Improved It. Tho cellars have been fitted
up with all tho latest improvements In
sanitary plumbiug, und tho sewerage system
has beou so arranged that should at any time
a freshet occur it will bo Impossible for the
ENT IGE GO.
J
RETAIL DEALERS IN
X VL
AND MOUNT PLEASANT
f NINTH-STREET WHARF.
y.piTH j
DEPOTS
( :110S WATER STREET.
WM. H. YERKES, Secretary.
water to back up aud fiood the collar. There
is also a commodious 6tore-room in tho west
of the building, which has been nicely fitted
up and occupied by II. I. Gregory.
Tho main iloor and cellar will bo occupied
by the Independent Ice Company, and has
been fitted uo in a very elaborate manner.
The walls and ceilings have been handsomely
frescoed and decorated, and tho woodwork In
their room is among the handsomest in tho
city. Tho extensive counters and stationary
desks aro made of antique oak, highly pol
ished, and the lloors aro laid with encaustic
tiles. lu the front pait Is tho counter for the
public, behind which aro a flight of steps lead
ing up to tho office of tho president, Mr. C.
B. Church, which is very uicely arranged and
tastefully fitted up. Next to tho president's
room Is one that will be occupied by the supei
intendeut, Mr. William II. Yorkes, which is
also handsomely fitted up and comfortably
arrauged. Tho clerks and bookkeeper havo
for their use two cozy rooms. In that occu
pied by tho bookkeeper is one of tho largest
aud best steel-lined vaults In tho city. There
Is another commodious room which has been
fitted up for tho use of tho drivers aud ar
rauged with all conveniences to enable them
to adjust their accounts before settling up for
their day's work.
In tho rear of tho building, on C street, is
situated tho capacious ico box, 12x13 feet
square, for tho retailing of Ice; next to this Is
tho room for tho larger storage of Ice, coal
and wood bunks, water closets, and a spacious
vault for the 6afe deposit of the clerk's books.
Tho upper floors of tho building havo'been
fitted up as model ware-rooms, and havo been
rented to Mr. Julius Lansburgh for a fine dis
play of furniture.
The eutiro building has been fitted with
electric lights as well as gas connections, and
is, on tho whole, one of the best appointed
ofllces of tho kind to lie found In the District.
Tho painting and decorating, both inside
and out, and the slgu lettering Is worthy of
Imitation for others. Tho brick and masonry
work was done by Mr, John II, Cassell, who
is now engaged in building a largo brick
stable for this company. Tho model plumb
ing wa,s executed by Mr. S. J. Spearing, the
plasteriug by Mr. J. Mooney, tho plain palnt
iug, iuside and out, by Mr. John II. Walsh,
tho ornamental painting and letteriug by
Messrs. Armour &. Co., carpenter work by
Messrs. Pywell & Kelpy, tho counters and
fixtures by Mr. John B. Hammond, and tho
electric light work by Mr. Patterson.
BEC
AN F-STREET IMPROVEMENT.
Messrs, Clones A; Sons to Iluild a I'ino Ad
dition to ThelrlSstahllfthmenf,.
An important Improvement soon to be be
gun on F street Is the addition to bo made to
their mammoth building by Messrs. W. B.
Moses it Sons. The addition will consist, of a
continuation of their present edifice for 25
feet, along F strr rnd extending back 91 feet.
It will be, like i..u present building, seven
stories in height, and will have a magnificent,
show-window the whole width of the front.
There will be no street entrance to the addi
tion. Each fioor will consist of a single big
room, to lie used as show and storage-rooms
for furniture, carpets, etc. The building will
be lit by electricity, and the construction will
be similar lu every particular to the present
building. It was inteuded to begin the tearing
down of the old structure which now occupies
the site on the 1st of May, but one of the ten
ants was not ready to move out, so it had to
be delayed. "Work may be begun on May 15,
aud certainly not later than the first of June.
As the construction will be simple it is ex
pected that the job will be completed in sixty
days. A. B. Mullett's Sons aro the architects.
NOT ENOUGH HELP.
Uullding Inspector EnUvlslo Says lie is
Shorthamloil.
Building Inspector Eutwislo said yesterday:
"I havo two or three things to say, and 1 want
you newspaper fellows to 6ay them shortly.
There is much said about failures in building,
because of lack of proper supervision of con
struction, but there is not a word of truth in
it. The truth is, that I havo only two, where
as I ought to have six inspectors. Even
those would be too few for the vast amount
of building inspected.
"But take the Shoreham,for instance,whoso
floors gave way a few days ago. Do you
know that Vice President Morton had en
gaged a man at his own expense to look after
the proper construction of the building? Wo
control every plan and permitfor construction
and we go there as often as we can to see
whether they arc complied with."
"But," said the reporter, "don't you look
after such matters yourself ?"
"No," said Mr. Entwistle; "as 1 told you
before, I have only two and 1 ought to havo
ulght assistants, and we can't look out for
everything. 1 havo only this one thing to say,
that when parties are building big houses and
have their own special guards, on whom they
depeud, it is high time to let us out. Wo
have always done the best we could."
"But," asked the reporter, "what will be
the changes in the new police regulations '"
"Mr. Entwlsle 6aid that those regulations
need enforcement. He said that thoy were
now in the hands of the Public Printer and
would not be given out for some weeks, but
he said that the gist of them was that hero
after there would bo no Mrs. Catharine Cole's
projections on District or Governmental prop
erty without the consent of tho authorities,
and moreover that no largo office building
should be henceforth erected in tho city unless
it could bo testified as fire-proof by tho in
spector of District public buildings."
-.
REAL. ESTATE NOTES.
J. B. Cralle has bought of Julius Sondheimer
for 585.50 lots 1, 2, 3, aud 32 and part lot 4,
square 801, 122,by 149 feet 5 inches, corner
Fourth and? N streets southeast.
George AV. Driver has bought of C. C.
Boarman for $5,750 sub. 25, square 290, 20
feet front on Twelfth street, between Ver
mont avenue and C 6trcet BOuthweBt.
Thomas R. Brooks has sold for $11,484 to
Washington T. Nailor lot 10, square 324, 32.58
by 50 feet, corner Twelfth and O streets north
west. Mary A. May has purchased of G. W. Coch
rau for $-1,770 sub. 20, squaro 237, 20 by 100
feet, on Fourteenth street, between T and U
streets northwest.
C. J. Coulter has bought of Sidney A. Kent
for $72,500 parts 4 aud 5, square 320. 20 feet
10J inches by 90 feet, at the corner of Twelfth
and F streets northwest.
T. F. Schneider has sold for $15,000 to J.
Forrest Manning sub. 109, squaro 155, 20x100
feet on Q street, between Soventeeuth and
Eighteenth streets northwest.
W. T. Waters has purchased for $01,000 of
F. T. Browning subs. A, B, and D, squaro 400,
37J feet on FensylYania avenue and 89 feet 10
inches on Sixth street northwest.
J. A. Swopo has sold to J. A. Flemerfor
;H,000 pai't of square 893, at tho intersection
of Marylaud avenue- and D street uortheast,
100 feet on the former and 88.09 feet on tho
latter.
W. D. Baldwin has sold to S. D. Luckett for
$7,000 sub. 8, square 481, 21x138 feet on A,
between Fifth and Sixth streets northwest.
Emma O. Smith has purchased of A. Mel
ville for 5,800 part 2, square 021, 20x100 feet
on K, between North Capitol and First
streets.
J. L. Mammock has bought of W. H. Barnes
for $4,500 sub. 109, square 721,10.02x70 feet
on E, between First aud Second streets north
west. F. W. Reuter has purchased of I. C. neald
for $50,000 subs, 28 and 29 and pait 24, squaro
491, corner Pennsylvania avenue aud Four-and-a-nalf
street.
Stilson Hutchlns has sold for $20,000 to W.
E. Earlo part sub. 4, square 181, 22x80J feet
on Sixteenth street, between Scott's Circle
and P street northwest.
TUB CITY POST OFFICE.
WIT.Ti IT KVI2R, BE BUII.T ON THK
AVENUE SITE ?
An Impression Gaining Ground That It
Will Not What tho Delay In Perfect
ing Title May Load to-G Street May '
Got tho Post Olllno.
"A good muny people who have beeu
watching the matter," said a business man.
yesterday, "aro predicting that tho City Post
Office will never occupy tho slto selected on.
the Avenue, between Eleventh aud Twelfth,
streets. They say if tho Post Office is placed.
In the proposed temporary quarters on G
sireet it will never be moved from there.
There has been so much delay in getting at
the value of tho lots in tho squaro opposite
the ISlar office, and such high prices aro being"
asked by tho owners, that it is bolieved the
matter will get into a tamrlc and nothiug will
bo done before tho reassembling of Congress.
Then that body is liable to become disgusted,
at tho way the matter has been handled and
repeal tho law authorizing the purchase ol
tho Avenue site. It would be a great thing;
for G street if the Post Offico was located,
thero permanently. It would give a fresh,
boom to tho street, which is already develop
ing wondcifully fast."
There 6cums to be a crood deal in what this
gentleman said, and there is no doubt that a.
strong impression prevails that in tho end the
Avouuo may lose tho post office, unless an.
agreement is speedily reached between tho
appraisers and the property-owners aud the
purchase closed. It "would be a serious set
back to the Avenue if tho post office should go
elsewhere It would put au cud, no doubt,
for 3ome time to come to all schemes of im
provement on tho south side and make still
more difficult of realization the scheme to
have the Government acquire all the laud this
side of the Smithsonian grounds and between
the Capitol, tho Avenue, and Fourteenth or
Fifteenth streets. Further, If tho post office
wore located permanently on G street itwouldl
etill further Increase tho present tendency oC
development in that direction aud away front
th'o Avenue. When this is made plain to peo
ple who have interests on the Avenue no doubt,
they will stir themselves to keep the post
office on the sito selected by the late Congress.
A PIjEA FOR PIjAXGROUNDS.
An Old Hoy Who Still Sympathizes Wills,
tho Xouiik Ones.
Editor Sunday Herald:
It is a shame that the boys of Washington,
are not provided with recreation grounds.
Nowithstaudiug our spacious reservations,
thero Is no spot where tho younger generation
can get rid ol their superfluous vitality and
develop their sinews aud lungs and enhance
their health generally. One after another
their ball grounds aro covered by the march,
of improvement, w Thus it happens that their
restless lives arc taken up with pool ami
cigarettes and that Idleness which, as tho old.
German said, is tho devil's pillow. When,
thoy do happen to break through the unnatural
restraints that surround them aud Indulge in.
sunontltious attempts to play in tho streets
their fun Is spoiled by tho police, and In some
cases thoy are subjected to tho tender mercies
of tho Police Court. It Is devoutly to h&
wished that tho authorities, while they are
laying out tho spacious parks now in contem
plation and under way, will provide liberally
for boys in, tho matter of playgrounds, in
cluding bathing facilities. I was a boy once
myself, and I hope I am an old boy still.
Give tho boys a chance. An Oj Bov.
The New Bathing Bench.
Work on the now bathing beach, which.
Washington is going to havo this summer
8uro,.wa6 commenced Thursday, aud It Is ex
pected that everything will be completed by
tho last of May, by which time tho water will
bo of the prober temperature for bathing pur
poses, The building inspector, after care
fully looking over the ground, fouud that the
beach needed grading, tho mud-machines hav
ing dredged so close up to tho 6ea-wall that
tho result was tho water was quite deep at
that point. 1 lo suggested tho fact to the Com
missioners, who authorized him to properly
grado tho beach and put In sand all over tho
bottom to the depth of a foot or more,
Tho plans for tho bath-houses havo all been
completed, and. when thoy are erected will be
very neat aud pretty. There will bo two of.
these liouses, containing thirty-two rooms
each, ono for male and one for females ; two
long wharves, having steps on each side, lead,
from tho houses into the water. No regula
tions havo beou formulated as yet as' to the
, privileges of tlib baths, but it is very probable
that thoy will Uo framed on those of the New
York public bahs with somo modifications.
L - ..-. .- ,
An ideal Country Sent,
i Rich soil, find mansion, stables, bams, silo,
windmills, etc. J Everything ready to begin a
season in tho country under tho most favorable
circumstances. Can bo bought cheap, as owner
Is golmj abroad j . For price und particulars ap
ply to F. lilSNJAMIN,
012 F street northwest.
Ballantlno's
grippe.
Pale Extra Beer euro the la
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