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REAL ESTATE AND FINANCIAL SECTION
SAN FRANCISCO HOMES WILL RIVAL THOSE OF ANY CALIFORNIA CITY
RESIDENCES IN
FINE GROUNDS
Landscape Effects of New*
Tracts Stimulate Buildings
to Correspond
Homes Lately Designed Will Add j
to City's Attractions and
Increase Population
That San Francisco will soon have a I
"»*-sidential section that will be a won- j
der and delight to visitors and a source I
of pride to the people of this city is :
evident by the work now being planned
by architects and builders.
No sooner have buyers secured their
favorite sites in the new subdivisions
than they begin to work out the details
of an ideal home. It is only recently
that the opportunity has been presented
to San Franciscans to have a home in
their own city with as good surround
ings as in the suburbs and at moderate
coat.
Formerly the home maker could only
expect to have a conventional 25 foot
lot unless he were wealthy enough to
afford a costly site on Pacific Heights
and build a mansion costing from
$25,000 to $100,000 to be in keeping with
his neighbors.
With the opening- of the new restrict
ed tracts in the western parts of the
city all this is changed. Not only are
the lots large enough to permit of gar
dening and fine landscape effects, but
'he entrance gates and approaches are
- to give a certain distinction to
■ M new districts. This has encour
aged lot owners to build homes that
will harmonize with rhe surroundings.
The accompanying illustration shows
a design of three houses by Herbert
A. Schmidt for the M. Fisher company,
who will build them in Forest Hill.
•■• house* have seven to eight rooms
h and are planned to get the maxi
mum sum and air: the living rooms be
ing on the south side of the house and
the kitchens and service rooms on the
therly side where the sun does not
ach. These houses will be particu
larly appropriate for friends or mem
bers of one family, as the garden
erne is worked out as an entity, per
laa, fountains and lawn, with orna
mental trees, being uniform through
- Ihe six lots to be occupied.
The M. Fisher company will start
illdirig these and other houses in
block 11 as soon as the weather and
» other conditions permit. The exterior
sh of these houses is plaster and It
is planned that the window boxes shall
be filled with red geraniums, and that
Japanese cypress or some other stunted
conifer shall be used in the urns along
the terra,-es.
There Is every indication that as
soon as street work and landscape
srardening in the new subdivisions is
a little further advanced that such
groups of residences as these will be
followed by scores and hundreds of
others.
Good streetcar service i. c: now assured
for the entire district lying west of
Twin Peaks. With the completion of
th« tunnel through the peaks in about
two years, and the bringing of that
whole district within 20 minutes of the
downtown section a new residential
addition will have sprang up that will
add many thousands to* the city's popu
lation, as well as demonstrating that
one may have as beautiful a home
right in San Francisco as could be
obtained by going to some distant
suburb.
CIVIC CENTER IS
MOSTLY ACQUIRED
Most of the property needed by the
■ for civic tenter purposes has now
■n acquired. The Auditorium block.
between Grove and Hayes, Larkin and
Polk streets, was purchased from the
Mechanics' Institute trustees recently
$700,000. Tlic opera house site is
on the odd city hall land at McAllister
ai.d Larkin streets.
The public library site at the gore
iter of Grove and Larkin streets
and City Hall avenue overlaps some
private property ami parts of three
25 foot lots in the avenue will have to
he acquired.
_, For the city hall site in Van Ness
avenue, extending from McAllister to
Grove street:-; and reaching eastward to
Polk, there yet remain three parcels of
land to be purchased. These are a 40
* frontage ' owned by the Sullivan
tate, a 38 foot frontage owned by the
Mary Ann Armstrong estate and the
rner of McAllister and Polk streets,
where the Heald's Business College
stands. This latter case is being arbi
trated by the real estate ooard.
There are but two property holdings
within the proposed site for the state
building on McAllister, between Larkin
and Polk streets, which have not been
acquired by the city. It remains for
the state administration and the legis
lature to determine whether this unit
in the civic center shall also be com
pleted by ISIS.
The property in the two central
blocks, which are to be devoted to an
B plaza on which the public build
ings will front, has not been pressed
the city. The property holdings to
he acquired here are 10 in number. In
only one ihk is there a considerable
difference between the offer made on
• part of the city and the owner's de
mand. The southwest corner of Larkin
and Fulton streets Is In the ownership
of the Mercantile Trust company. The
difference between the city and the
owner Is reported to be about f40,000.
The purchase of the City Hall avenue
i Market street lots, which are in
cluded in the general ground plan of
the civic center, has been postponed
til the purchases west Of Larkin
street were completed. It is said that
the U come to Larkin street
with a balance of between $1,000,000
and $1.£00.000, and that this will be
fficient for the acquisition of all
. maining property which is not
tided in the proposed opening of
st reels.
The general plan calls for the open
r. to Market street of Leavenworth,
Hyde, drove, and Fulton streets. Ii is
to accomplish 'his by an as-
Bnieni district, as provided for in
: i itnetus to be
voted upon December 10.
ROW OF BEAUTIFUL HOMES SET AMID FINE LANDSCAPE EFFECTS WHICH ILLUSTRATE HOW THE NEW RESIDENTIAL PARKS WEST OF TWIN I
PEAKS WILL LOOK IN ANOTHER YEAR.
EXTENSIVE WORK
AT FOREST HILL
Street Improvements and Orna- j
mental Features Are Trans=
forming Sutro Tract
Improvements in Forest Hill are
making this great natural park one
of California's jjpipst delightful resi
dence propertied. Recognizing what
this tunnel will do in creating a new
home section, the Newell-Murdoeh
company, who made Thousand Oaks the
beauty spot of the Berkeley hills, has
acquired the choicest portion of the
Sutro estate west of Twin peaks, con
sisting of practically Bfl city blocks.
Forest Hill is at the junction of Sev
enth avenue and Dewey boulevard at
the en,] of the Hayes street-Ninth ave
nue car line and is geographically in
the center of San Francisco.
Forest lli 1 i wag laid out under the
personal supervision of Mark Daniels,
the well known landscape engineer, and
the Improvements are now being com
pleted as rapidly as good workmanship
will permit. The winding avenues fol
low the graceful contour of the sloping
hill and are bordered with more than
1,000,000 bright red geraniums.
Along the Dewey boulevard, on Pa
checo avenue, De Soto avenue, Caste
nada and Lopez avenues more than 8,20<)
lineal feet of sidewalks and 10,000 lineal
feet of concrete gutters and armored
curbs have been laid. In addition to
these avenues about 12,600 feet of
grading ha-s been done in E>orantes,
Marcela, Santa Rita, San Marcos, Mesa
and Yosemite avenues.
The water system, with full standard
fire fighting mains and sewer system,
is under construction. The ornamental
balustrades,, urns and artistic embel
lishments are being furnished by the
Sarsi studios. The flower urn that will
face Dewey boulevard at the south en
trance is 25 feet across the bowl.
The Xewell-Murdoch company have
made a study of artistic residence parks
and the best features of the exclusive
parks of Chicago. Cleveland, Detroit,
Boston and New York city will be in
stalled in Forest Hill, together with
many artistic features brought from
Fngland and the Riviera.
The Laguna Honda station and west
ern portal of Twin Peaks tunnel are
in Forest Hill. The excellent transpor
tation .facilities that will come from
the tunnel trains will make this resi
dence park one of the most popular
home properties in San Francisco, as
well as an excellent location for profit
able investment.
ARTISTIC HOME IN
ASHBURY TERRACE
Louis Ferrari Preparing to Build
on Commanding Site
Buildinp operations have been
started in Ashbury terrace. The
beautiful residence designed for Louis
Ferrari, attorney, is a type of the fine
class of residences that are attracted
by the many advantages afforded in
this finely laid out residence park.
Ashbury terrace enjoys a panoramic
view over the city and the inner bay,
as well as of the Golden Gate park
and ocean. It occupies a position that
is both scenic and centrally located.
It is in the district of fine residences
known as Ashbury Heights. This nat
urally beautiful tract has been laid
out as a restricted residence park of
the highest type, it appeals to people
who appreciate the beautiful and build
accordingly.
The site selected by Ferrari com
mands an unobstructed marine and city
view. Arthur J. Laib, architect, has
designed a house in harmony with this
situation. The exterior is treated in a
plaster effect with brick veneer trim
i mings. A most enjoyable feature of
| the house is the sun porch on the first
j floor and the sleeping porch on the
I bedroom floor.
On the lower floor a, spacious recep
j tion hall connects the large French
{ living room and the dining room. Both
jof these rooms have open fire places
j and woodwork in artistic effect. A
j breakfast room and sun porch com
plete the arrangement.
The stairway leading to the second
floor is in hardwood with graceful
lines. There are foyr commodious bed
rooms with convenient appointments
and tiled bath. The wall covering are
<n tapestry and French paneled papers.
The richness of this harmonizes with
the elegance of fixtures and trimmings.
CHARLES H. CROCKER
MADE VICE PRESIDENT
The late Henry J. Crocker, formerly
vice president of the Italian-American
bank, has been replaced by Charles H.
Crocker, president of the H. S. Crocker
Publishing company. Mr. Crocker
brings to his new position an intimate
knowledge of financial conditions and
a large acquaintance among business
men, i
CALL
THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL. SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 16, 1912.
Fountains, pergolas and other ornamental features at entrance to St. Francis Wood, designed by the famous archi
tect, John Calen Howard.
Residence to be built in Ashbury Heights is model of elegance.
CAME TO STUDY
S. F. LANDSCAPE
toted Boston Architect Making
Plans for Artistic Improve
ments at St. Francis Wood
James Frederick Dawson, of the
Olmsted Brothers, landscape architects
of Brookline, Mass., has just left for
the oast. Mr. Dawsan has been in San
Francisco several weeks. The object
of his visit was to collect material for
the completion of the landscape design
of St. Francis Wood, and he carries
homo with him photographs topo
graphical surveys and an immense
store of other material to be used in
the work.
Olmsted Brothers are the foremost
landscape designers and architects in
the United States. The reputation of
the older Olmsted rests on the develop
ment of Central park in New York, and
Boston's comprehensive park system,
the finest in tills country. The design
of both those works was entirely in
his hands.
His sons, Frederick and John
Olmsted, with whom Mr. Dawson is as
sociated, have become famous for work
of a similar «haracter in many cities
in the eastern 'states. They designed
the landscape effects that were one
of the most attractive features of the
Chicago exposition. More recently
they were employed to landscape the
Seattle exposition, of which work Mr.
Dawson had entire charge.
In addition to this work of a public |
character Olmsted Brothers have had
the landscape design of the most fa
mous residence parks in the east, in
cluding Palham Manor and Jamaica
estates near New York, and Roland
park of Baltimore. But their most fa
mous piece of residence park design
Is Forest Hills gardens, New York's
model suburb.
The fame of Olmstead Brothers as
landscape designers of residence parks
was responsible for their employment
to lay out SL Francis Wood. Its own
ers realized they had here In San Fran
cisco an unusual situation and an un
usual opportunity. San Francisco is a
city almost without restriction 'pro
tected residence areas. Not one-thou
sandth of its area is laid out on con
tour lines. It is peculiarly without
high class exclusive residence districts.
The owners of St. Francis Wood also
had an unusual piece of land—situated
on a forested slope of the hills, and,
though overlooking Lake Merced and
the Pacific, sheltered and peculiarly
adapted for residence purposes. It was
at the western portal of the Twin
Peaks tunnel and sure to have a phe
nomenal growth if properly developed.
They determined to give San Fran
ctsco its most beautiful residence park
in St. Francis Wood. The employment
of the most famous landscape designers
in the United States to lay out the
property and design the planting and
landscape treatment naturally followed.
Dawson will return to San Francisco
with completed designs for St. Francis
Wood in a short time. In the mean
time the work already laid out by him
is under way, and lawns and parks are
appearing where bare ground formerly
was. There is no doubt that under the
direction of Olmstead Brothers San
Francisco's claim to beauty will be
strengthened by St. Francis Wood.
"All the N*tt» AH the Time" |« the
policy of The Call, the new, lade
pendent Call.
__ _—» ~
Thf> Ppraltii HeiKbis dub hut
indorsed th« proposition to estood Treat aTenue
from Tweuty-sixtli street to Army. j
LARGE BUILDING
ON COSTLY SITE
Charles Sweeney to Erect Office
Structure at Corner of
Montgomery and Bush
Construction of a mammoth office
building will shortly l>e commenced and
•will cover a portion of the old Occi
dental hotel site. The structure will
cover the entire lot at the southeast
corner of Bush and Montgomery streets,
owned by the Burke estate, having a
frontage of 151 feet on Montgamery
and 137:6 feet on Bush street.
Negotiations have been pending dur
ing the last four months with
Charles Sweeny, a multimillionaire, re
cently of Spokane, and a former resi
dent of San Francisco.
The transaction is one of the most
Important ever consummated. Sweeny
has secured a 50 years lease of the
property, with an option to purchase,
and the terms are said to be extremely
attractive for him, notwithstanding the
fact that they ar© satisfactory to the
owners.
L. B. Dutton has been engaged by
Sweeny to prepare the plans for the
building, and Sweeny contemplates the
construction of a 15 story office build
ing of the most modern and up to date
type. The amount involved in rental
and the cost of the building is said to
approximate $3,000,000.
Never Occupied
SUPERB RESIDENCE
Now For Sale
Corner, 75 feet by 125 feet, $55,000. Outranks anything
elsewhere at $90,000. Built by a man whose business has
called him to Los Angeles. This house is nearing com
pletion and can be finished to suit purchaser.
Grand Marine View
House contains 15 rooms and 5 baths. Hot water house heating
system—vacuum cleaning plant—instantaneous hot water system—
intercommunicating telephones. Garage for 3 motors.
Living room 28 ft. by 19 ft.—-Reception Hall 15:6x47:6—Dining
room 25x18—Main Bedroom 28x16, with private bath and dressing
room. Four other family bedrooms and Pergola View Room. Three
servants' rooms up and 2 down, a
This is an exceptionally well built and beautifully finished house.
LYON & HOAG
660 Market Street
BUILDING LOANS
CONTINUE LARGE
Money in Varying Amounts Is
Advanced by Savings Banks
for Improvement Purposes
While the loans on real estate were
somewhat less in amount this week
than usual, the money advanced was
used very largely for purchases and
improvement purposes. Following are
some of tlie principal mortgages of the
week:
The German Saving* bank made a building loan
of $30,000 to Isaac Mouse;- to erect apartments
to cost 140.000 at the southeast comer of Jones
and Gesry streets; lot 28 by 08 feet.
The Hibentt* bank made a straight io*» of
$10,000 t.» Harriett McCarthy on the property at
the; northeast corner of Bash sad Stockton
streets; lot S8 by 78 fest.
1 The t Frenrh-Ainerloan hank loaned $6,000 to
M. Derupniak to construct flats in tbe north
side street, 10*5 feet west of Steiaer.
The Humboldt Savings bank loaned $:!,500 to
Charles A. Nystrom to build two Ants In Abe
north side of Lake street. $8:6 fret
Twenty-sixth avenue: lot 25 by I<M feet.
The German Savings bank made :i straight loan
qf $14,000 to J. 11. Schleff on tbC property at
•■ the northeast corner of Tvveury-second and Va
lencia strepfs.
The Mutual Savings bank made a bnilding loan
of $.">.OOO t0 «'l'arle« Harklns to erect three
stores and six flats at the southeast earaer of
Twenty-fourth and Harrison streets; lot 50 by
104 feet.
The Hibernia bank made a straight loan of
$28,000 to James P. Sweeney on two parcels of
property in Howard and Tehama streets.
Tbe German Suvings bank made n loan of
$."i7.000 to C. W, Balrd and associates, part of
which was renewal and the remainder to be used
for making further improvements on the prop
erty in tbe east side of Kearny street. 100 feet
north of Washington, with a frontage of 37
feet and a depth of 110 feet, irregular.
The German Savings bank loaned $140,000 to
Alfred W. Nordwell, part of this being renewal
and the rest to be used In- building stores in
the southeast side of Mission street. 2::4 feet
southwest of Fourth on lot .12 by TOO feet.
Property in the we*t side of Battery street, frj
feet south of Paciflc. were included in the mort
gage.
The* Humboldt Savings bank made a straight
loan Of. $20,000 to Christine Blake ou the prop
erty in the north side of Washington street, 184
feet west of Jones: lot 47 by l.:7:<> fe«t.
The German Savings bank loaned $20,000 to
William Nie.,ll company on the property in the
west side of Valencia street. lflO south of Twen
ty-third, lot 40 by 85 feet. Part of the loan
was renewal and the remainder to be used in
the erection of "tores and flat-; at the southwest
corner of Twentj-fourth and Noe streets; lot 57
by 79 feet.
s
CORNER OF PINE
AND VAN NESS SOLD
An important sale has just been
closed of the property at the southeast
corner of Pine street and Van Ness
avenue through the agency of Baldwin
& Howell, acting for the owner, the
Vanpine Realty company. the pur
chaser, being represented by the Newell-
Murdoch company. The lot has a
frontage of 120 feet in Van Ness ave
nue, extending from Pine street to Aus
tin avenue, with a uniform depth and
frontage of 96 feet and 6 inches on
each of these streets. The improve
ments consist of a one story and base
ment reinforced concrete building oc
cupying the entire lot. the stores being
all rented to permanent tenants.
Neither of the offices concerned in this
transaction are at liberty to disclose
the consideration, but it is understood
that the price paid was something be
tween $135,000 and $140,000.
DRIED FRUIT CROP
EATER THAN USUAL
Satisfactory Conditions as tc
Markets Are Reported by
Local Firms
Standard Oil Said to Have Active
Competitor in Shelhßoyal
Dutch Interests
CLOVIS A. FARNSWORTH
Satisfactory conditions regarding Mtf ;
I dried and canned fruit mark
reported by local houses handlit
crops. The dried fruit crop h.
delayed fully two weeks by v
conditions, but the great bulk -
has been moved. The yield ha
heavy with prices rather low, 1
season has been a profitable one to I
growers as a result of the good
"The dried fruit crop this season 1
been from two to three weeks
than usual," said J. K. Arms
company yesterday in discussing the
situation. "There was poor curing
weather at the beginning of the season
as well as throughout the saason.
About 75 per cent of the prunes and
peaches, 95 per cent of the apricots
and 50 per cent of the raisins have
been moved. The demand has been
better than normal and we look foi
a good cleanup with very satisfactory
prices to the grower. Crops of all
kinds have been the largest on record.
All the fruit growing districts have
profited, but the Santa Clara valley
has done the best. There has been
some little trouble in moving the crop
because of car shortage, but this has
caused no serious interference."
Guggenhime and company reported
yesterday that the crops were pretty
well harvested and that the market was
low but steady.
"Conditions In the fruit canning
business have been very good," accord
ing to a statement from the California
Fruit Canners' association yesterday.
"The export to Great Britain has been
very satisfactory in point of volume.
The total shipments to Great Britain
are approximately 1,000,000 cases, or
24,000,000 tans. The shipments were
chiefly of apricots, peaches and pears.
"The movement of the dried fruit
crop has not been so satisfactory, but
conditions are improving. The market
prices were relatively high at the be
ginning of the season, according to the
trade, and as a result a decline re
sulted. Conditions are now improving.
With the exception of raisins the out
look is very favorable."
Griffin Q Skelly company commented
on the market by saying that the crop
was heavy and prices low but firm. A
good cleanup was predicted.
Rosenberg Brothers company said
that the crop was a little late and
prices low, but the market "was firm.
They reported less trouble because of
car shortage than was expected. This
firm estimated that 65 per cent of the
prunes. 95 per cent of the apricots, 73
per cent of the peaches and 60 per cent
of the raisins had been moved. The
walnut crop is short in southern Cali
fornia and not more than 75 per cent
of the orders can be filled. The almond
crop Is about cleaned up and the bal
ance is held at extreme prices.
* * *
WILL FIGHT STANDARD
In connection with the rumored sale
of the Union Oil company to the Sholl-
Royal Dutch interests, it is said that
the latter wage war with the
Standard Oil company for business
throughout the country, the plan being
to establish plants wherever the
Standard js operating. The acquisition,
of the Union would give the Shell in
terests a fine nucleus for such a corn-
Continued on Pncr 13, Column 3
HERE'S $20,000 PROf IT! |
On $32,000 invested—the one
best buy in San Francisco —
a clean-cut, certain specula
tion at the mouth of the
World's Fair Tunnel—noth- ,
ing to this but an easy turn
for the purchaser—no street
work to do — everything
ready for you—and $20,000
profit there!" (2620)
MISSION DISTRICT CORNER
Reduced to $7,200 from
$9,ooo—rents $74 a month
corner store and 3 flats—
look into this investment in
a thriving 22d street neigh
borhood—mortgage of $4,500
—all you need is $2,700 cash.
(866) ;
PRESIDIO HuGHTS HOME j
A new residence, of 7 large 'J
sunny rooms, servant's room
and bath. Heating system,
hardwood floors, beamed ceil
ings. Nice lawn, and in back
a garden; marine view. Can
offer very liberal terms. On
sunny side of Clay street, in
side of Maple—asking $13,000.
PINE STREfTcORNfR 1
Choice semi-business prop
erty, close downtown; a
Northeast corner, improved
with store, which rs under
long lease, and apartments
fully rented. The income is
$4,380 — the price $35,000, \
less $15,000 mortgage; pays
nearly 14 per cent net.
