The Washington critic. [volume], May 28, 1887, Image 8

About The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1885-1888

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Further Facts in Reaard to Prop
erly in West Washington.
INDUCEMENTS TO BUYERS.
Reasons for Making Real Estate In
vestments There.
HIGH AND HEALTHY SITES.
Vitus cf Virions Representative Business
lien or Ike Plice.
A PICTURESQUE LOCALITY
Me New National Pari end National
Ofcseryalory.
THE FUTURE "BOSTON HIGHLANDS."
Probability of Groatly Increased Facili
ties of Travel.
The Critic takes plcasuro In laying
beforo Its readers some further facts
about West Washington. Being firmly
convinced that It has been only from
oversight that this delightful portion
of our town bos been allowed to lan
guish; and believing that the signs
now point to a very rapid and em.
phatlc change In Its condition, wo are
glad to mako ourselves the medium
through which tho reading public
may be Informed of this change
In recurring to this subject wo sub
mit a few reasons why It may be con
sidered absolutely safe to purchase
properly In Washington:
First Because Washington Is tho
Capital of tho Nation and must bo con
tinually growing as tho country In
creases In population and business,
while other places grow only from
local causes, which aro not continuous,
but intermittent, and often never arlso.
In seventeen years, at tho present rate
of Increase, the United States will ha o
100,000,000 population,
Second Because expansion of cur
rency Is taking place at tho rate of
2,000,000 to 1,000,000 silver coined
per month and prices aro rising pro
portionately. Third Because of the enormous In
crease of circulation which must take
place iu the near futuro by reason of
the disbursement of tho Treasury sur
plus and which will be forced to seek
Investment In this country.
rourtu Washington Is tho most
delightful placo In the United States as
a place of residence. Men of wealth
from all parts of tho country are
building elegant and expensive houses
here for tbelr winter homes. Besides,
each new Administration brings a
largo number of new residents of a
high order, and no person who has
once resided hero ever wants to lcavo
Fifth Washington Is less affected
by panics and general depression
of business, because It Is sup
ported largely by Oovcrnmcnt busi
ness, which nsver falls, never
suspends, and which changes only to
Increase constantly with tho Increasing
population of the country. No matter
how severe a financial storm may bo
elsewhere, It never disturbs the regular
payments by tho Government.
Tho ono great disadvantage under
which West Washington has labored
lor years Is that Its citizens havo not
appreciated the natural advantages of
their town, and Its desirability as a place
of rcsldcnco for both moderately cir
cumstanced people and people of
means. Eun sow it Is with tho
greatest difficulty that Tub Critic can
secure opinions from tho older resi
dents as to Georgetown's apparent In
creasing prosperity, and It Is only with
tho uso of a corkscrew, so to speak,
that they can be made to talk at all.
These aro groat odds to contend with,
but TnE Cnmo will contlnuo Its work,
confident that It Is In tbo right, and
that It can only bo a very short time
until tho beauties and advantages of
our sister town are fully appreciated, If
not by her own moss grown citizens, at
least by people on this side and In other
cities, who, having Intelligence enough
to comprehend a good thing when
they see It, and seeing clearly that In
tho natural order of things George
town must soon be tho fashionable
rcsldcnco portion of Washington, In
vest their spare money In that locality.
Wo do not wish to cast any re
flections on tho worthy citizens of West
Washington; wo wish merely to call
attention to the almost criminal In
action and Indifference with which
somo of them view tho present boom,
and tho obstacles they are pulling la
the way of enterprising people, who
nrc trying to convert their place from
the grass grown Tillage, into which It
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"Burleith Addition to
has turned to tho elegant and fashion
able neighborhood for which nature, If
hor signs are to be believed, originally
Intended It.
Over half of tho purchases that have
been mado In Georgetown slnco the
present boom was Inaugurated have
been mado by citizens of other cities.
True, sovcral largo sales have been
made to Washington syndicates, but
they have not equaled thoso made to
residents of other places.
Wo direct attention to tho map
printed on this page. It shows the
beauties of tho northwestern part of
West Washington and Its desirability
lor residence purposes better than any
words
rnorERTr ah o i rices
Mr. JcbnMarbury, Jr., was seen at his
hardware store, on High street, and salil :
"lor 13 or 15 years psat 1 have wondered
that the people of tt atblr gton anil strangers
coming hero to reside bavo not come to
W cat Uathlugton. Tbo advantages of our
pottlon cif the city are obvious On the bor
dtra of Kock Creek, on tho Waeblngton
aide, land la atlllng at S3 per 10,11 are foot,
while on this aide yu can purchase land of
residence of the late governor cooke,
oeoroetown seiouts,
a far better character, with the advantage
of altitude, ic., for from 30 to 73 cents per
foot.
The Heights, of courae, Is the most de
alrable portion of our town. There Is no
spot In the District of Columbia which can
comrare with this beautiful place. I
think everybody know s tbls. If tbey don't,
they ought to. There Is a decided boom In
the western and northwoatern part, Includ
ing the llelghts. I see no reasoi why It
should not continue.
"I have property for sale here, but un
lets I can get what I want for It, I will not
sell. That Is, I have my price on U and
will not sell for a penny less, because I
know It Is only a queatlon of time until 1
will get my price On the corner of N and
Thirty-fifth atreets property formerly
owned by a Mr. Bluadcn, was, two years
ago, offered for J3.000. It sold a abort
time ago for J7.000. Tbls Is but one of
many Instance! Tbere Is no great ruah to
sell that I can aee, but tbere are buyers In
any quantity."
health AMD ruosrEBiTr.
John J. llogue says: "There has been a de
cided boom In our town for several months
put, and It Is bound to continue. With the
tacllltlea afforded for reetdenco purposes
here, at a comparatively cheap price, ws can
compete encceaafully with the city proper.
We have all the advantages of Waahlngton
with comparatively few of the disadvan
tages. Our place being free from the ma
laria that Infects portions of Washington,
makes It, of course, far more healthy, The
deaths here are all from old age, No better
recommendation of tho bealthfulneasofa
place Is needed than that.
"There have been several new firms
started here In the past few weeks In antici
pation of a large trade tbls tall, tbat being
our buay season, liuelneis property along
our main streets has bcon Improved greatly,
and I think the town bids fair to 'come up1
largely. There Is so question of Its having
already done so as far as real estate Is con
cerned. Our town Is essentially a plscs for
residences, and I think will In the near fu
ture be to Waahlngton as Boston Highlands
are to that city, the Mecca of the wealth and
aristocratic people.
A "CONSERVATIVE" VIEW.
TncCrano man found William Laird,
the venerable cashier of the Merchants sod
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35-77. STREET.
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street.
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West Washington."
Mechanical Bank, In hls,ofllce, and asked
for bis views on West Washington's present
and prospective future. Mr. Laird was
very reserved and cautious In bis statements,
and would fiat admit that the place was
either enjoying a great prosperity now, or
tbat the prospects were good for her future.
This was to be expected of the conservative
manager of this very conservative bank.
Mr. Laird admitted, bowevor, that George
town was likely to Improve with Waahlng
ton. TBS FCTC8X Or GEORGETOWN.
The following Interview was printed In
laat Saturday's Csmo and credited to
Will. II. Morgan. Mr. Wm. A. Gordon,
the well known attorney, Is the gentleman
quoted, and ho probably knows as much
about Georgetown as the average Waah
lngton citizen,
"Anything I may Bay In regard to George
town and Jta aurroundlngs may poaalbly be
taken with certain grains of allowance, as
I am a native born Georgetown man, havo
passed my whole lite there, and am Inter
ested In every foot of It. You ask what f
think of the future of Georgetown, and
whether In my opinion It Is a good place for
Investment. 1 will aoawer the aecond In
quiry first, and say that I know of no part
of the District where judicious Investments
will bring a better return, and whero there
la lees chance of depreciation In value should
anyflnanclal crista occur. My reasons for
this are. tbat Georgetown Is not a new place,
but a town well built up, and to a certain
extent In the vigor of mature llfo. There
are comparatively few mortgages on prop
erty and consequently few forced salca
wbleb la tlraoof financial trouble have an
Influence on surrounding propeity.
"In view of tho fact that there Is but little
unimproved property In the town proper,
there Is not much room for large specula
tive schemes, but all lots ottered for sale
find ready purcbaaers at good prices. It
has been said that there Is but little activity
In real estate In the 'Ancient Cemetery.' Is
this correct! It Is true that there are lathe
upper part of the city large bodies of
ground which are not In the market, but
this Is explained by the fact that theso are
old places which have been occupied by tbo
owners and their ancestors since before the
cession of the District, and having pride In
their old homes and being under no pe
cuniary pressure, the owners have pre
ferred to keep their houses Intact rather
than subdivide and sell. It Is, however,
the fsct that where old places have been
subdivided and sold that the prices have
been good and purchasers been numerous
In my own experience In the paat five
yeara, I have as trustee In equity subdi
vided and sold lsnds which have since been
retold at from ono to four hundred per
cent, advance on the price thought by the
court to be adequate.
"In regard to the future of Georgetown,
I would say that la my opinion the proa
pecta are unutuall j bright. In tbo paat few
yeara people have awakened to the fact
tbat tbey could purchase and build In
Georgetown at prices ridiculously low In
comparlaon with ruling ratea for lets eligi
ble property In Waahlngton, snd tho result
has been an uouaual amount of improve
ment In every direction.
"Aelde from the natural beauties of the
townf which all admit, and the advantagca
of aocletles, churches and schools, George
town offers special Inducements to those
seeking homes In the fact tbat tbo water sup
ply Is moat abundant; that In summer there
Is a never falling river breeze at night, that
tbere Is a remarkably well selected free
library, tho Feabody, and a superior free
slgbt school for young men, the Llnthlcum
Institute, Besides this, Investors should not
lose eight of the new bridge building over
the l'otomac at the Aqueduct and the cer
tainty of the early Improvement of Rock
Creek, both of which csnnot fall to produce
beneficial remits and enhance the value of
property.
I "I would also say that I consider the
country northwest of Georgetown as tbat In
which any oxpanalon of the city would be
located. I have recently been over a large
portion of the land lying near to and woat
cf the Tonlejtown turnpike, and, after care-
y " Sam'rfC 5 !i P'n'Cs I nni 1 1 LU2SS1 rTr---" raie""''
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s - . - - - - a t f 1 -Wisis,. . ;r-r.-rxri TZ i
fnl examination of the country, can say,
without fear of contradiction, that It Is the
most beautiful location for homes and bet
ter adapted for town lots than any other
portion of the, District outside of tho two
cities."
a scsiness-ukb oriiiov.
A prominent business man on M street
thinks tbat all that West Washington needs
to mako a boom Is for the citizens of this
locality to come to a realization of the fact
that theirs Is the prettiest portion of
Washington, with all the facilities of
a great city; and after reaching
this conclusion (to which tome of the resi
dents are astonishingly blind) to set a fair
value on their property and put It on the
market. lie says the reason more people
TLAM OF RESIDENCE COnNER TntnTT-SIXTH
AI.D U STREETS, IN lltRl EITO ADDITION,
IIEtUr II, LAW, ARCUITECT.
do not buy In Weet Washington Is because
the retldentt depreciate tbelr own property
tbat la, tbey put a low figure on It, and
when purcbasera come around and see at
what price tho land Is offered, they aay:
'Vi ell, It It Is not worth moro than that,
ltlen't worth anytblog,' and go away with
out bujlng. Bales have been made at
rldlcuoualy low prices In the past sir
monlbe. It doesn't coat any more to build
a house here than In other portions of
the city. Wby Is lsnd that can bo pur
chased for one tenth of what similar land
Is sold for In other portions of the
city not as desirable for building
purposes as the latter I Tbo low price
ahould surely make up for the few
more squares one ba's to travel to reach It.
The healthiest part In the District, onjoy
lng all the advantages of wator, good
sewersge, Ac , West Washington sbould, In
the nstural order of things, outrank any por
tion of Washington as a place of residence
for people of moderate means.
A HEW OUTLET FOR TUNLAV H0AD
Tnuocon BcitLtun and TnmTr-
SEVEKTn STREET.
The owners of Burleith, hsvlng purchased
the property Immediately north, are con
tinuing the line of Thirty seventh street
north to connect with Back street and the
Tunlaw Itoad. An easy grade Is secured,
and tbls will furnish a new and agreeable
outlet for the travel to and from Tenley
town, l'artlea driving out the Teoleytown
Itoad can return by the Tunlaw Koad
through Burleith and Thirty aeventh etreet,
furnltblng a delightful new drive. The
views on both roads aro extensive and
beautiful, and this new outlot muet soon
be a favorite drive with the public.
ROCK CREEE rARIC,
A measure to convert the liock Creek
Valley Into a National Park was favorably
considered by both houses of the lsst Con
gress, but for lack of tlmo It only passed ono
house. This measure will no doubt becomo
a law at no distant day, as It Is In the Inter
est of the whole community, and will give
the Capital a park unequaled In beauty by
any country. Indeed, thcro will scarcely
be a more beautiful park la the world.
Lying as It does la a picturesque basin, sur
rounded by tree-topped hills, Intersected
with ravines at different points, furnishing
means of communication, cool In summer
andprotectedlncolderweathcr.lt will al
ways be a favorite resort and of inestimable
value to a city like Washington,
To accomplish this great project It will be
sccosoary to utilize the lower part of Kock
Creek Valley In order to furnish an easy
and natural approach to the I'ark from all
portions of Washington. To do this, and
for ordinary sanitary reasons, which cannot
TOSiSjuw-wwsivjtOJ"
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"Map Of Northwest Washington and West
be longer neglected, a tunnel or larger
sewer muet be constructed from Lyons'
Mill to a point near the outlet of Kock
Creek Into the river. The creek mutt be
turned Into this tunnel along with the large
sewers now emptying Into It.
Unlessthlslsdonesoontheportlonsofthe
city lying north and east of the creek may
be rendered unhealthy, as at present the
large sewers of that locality empty their
contents Into Rock Creek, near V street,
polluting that stream and breeding malaria
for tho benefit of the favored portions of
North Washington.
THE NATIONAL OnSERTATORT.
Just north of the Llnthlcum I'lace and
weat of Mr. Elverson's, the Government
owns a largo tract of land, on which Con
gress baa appropriated the money to build
tbo new National Observatory, From this
site a grand panoramic view Is obtained of
W aehlogton and the aurrouadlng country.
TbeSoldleis' Home cau ba seen from tbls
point and polcte far distant In Virginia'
and down tho rlrir. The observatory and
groundr, when cotu;.lcted, will make this
a placo of attraction and gcniral Interest,
To approach thla Interesting spot, light of
way baa btcn granted tbo Government for
tho construction of a handeomo avenue
through tho grounda of Mr. rivcreon and
Mr, Dent to U etreet, near Thirty-first
street, Ttcet Waahloi,toD. The Park, the
National Obsenatorj, the rcaideocca of
Trealdent Cleveland, Secretary Mhltne,
Ac , all eerve aa additional attractions for
Georgetown Heights Tashton Unds that
wsy.
To appreclato the prospects for Weet
Waeblngtoo, lata pcreon picture to himself
what muet take placo la the near future,
namclyi the connection of the Washington
atreeta by direct bridges with West Wash
ington. At present there are only tour
bridges between these two sections of the
city. This connection mutt closely follow
the Improvement of the Rock Crook Valley,
andtbetldeof fashion setting westward de
mands that tbls plan sbculd be carried out
at once. Tbls will shorten the dlatance very
materially between North and Woat Wash
ington, as the public mil then not have
to travel out of their way to roao
any certain bridge to cross the ravine
as they now do. Wbon these bridges are
built the property In Georgetown will rate
with the best property In Washington. At
present Georgetown property Is selling at
from one-tenth to one fourth the price
aeked for property no more advantageously
situated In North Waeblngton. The differ
ence la too great even In the preeont condi
tion of things, and as property la West
Washington will support a handsome elats
of Improvements It is advan:lng rapidly,
and must contlnuo to advance for some
time to come.
0EEnlL REUARKS.
While It Is not claimed for West Wash
ington tbat there will be a phenomenal rise,
which has taken place In the new eettlement
of Northern Washington, and where ground
that was selling for five cents a foot now
sells at $9 to 5-3, It Is claimed that tho lo
cality has great advantages that have not
been appreciated of late years, and that,
now tbat attention la being called to It, It
muathave a large advance to place It on
the same footing ss other portions of the
city equally favored,
To a man with ordinary Intelligence, the
argument needs no elaboration that a
home In a locality like that described
above, Is preferable to ono on the extremo
outskirts of the city proper, where It will
take yesrs to mako the neighborhood fit for
people of ordinary tasto to reside, and
where comparative mountains bavo to bo
cut away and gullys to be filled to run the
streete.
Aside from tho advantages offered by
West Waeblngton at a place of reeldence,
the commercial lntercats of tho placo are
looking up. Business bos been better this
spring than for a long time, money thtthas
been kept hoarded up for years by tho old
residents of the place has been put In circu
lation, and Is sow being used to Improve
business property on tho principal streets.
A walk up Bridge and High streets will
-
Washington, inoluding Burleith A'ddltion."
convince one of tho correctness of tbls state
ment. The channel Improvements In the Foto
mac River when completed will lncreaso
the harbor facilities of the place to an ex
tent that cannot but effect Its prosperity.
Until recently Fayette, or Thirty-fifth
street, which Is solidly built up, hss been
the extreme limit of West Washington. The
elevations to the west and northwest of this
section are superb In the views they afford
of the surrounding country. Tbo water Is
of the purest chsrscter. No section csn ex
ceed this In healthfulness. A number of
handsome residences are to be erected on
this tract during the present season. The
streets are all ready and a largo portion of
the present sub-division sold over one
half. The projectors of Burleith havo ai
re! dy arranged to extmd their eub dtrlelon
west and north, covering 100 additional
acne, Tbo Cablo Railroad bill, which
posted the notes during the last seesloo,
extende somo S COO feet la front of tbls
property,
Tho march of Improvement In Waeh
Ington, as In nearly all other cities, Is
mainly to the noitu and weet, and while tbe
entity or Invcelmuits made at tho present
lullng prices In aoy of tbo suburban ven
tures In these directions Is hardly to bo ques
RESIDENCE OP OEOROE L. DUSLOl', C. II.
READ, Jn , ARCUITECT.
tloned, It neverthelces Is true that the
pre pert; which Is specially referred to In
the Immediate vicinity of Georgetown can
be purchased for the same or less prices
than other suburbs In tbe same direction or
much farther away, which, for the present,
have no good communication, oven by the
extension of our streets, and which are
only accessible to tbe city to those resi
dents whs are able to keep their own teams.
Recent sales have occurred on Thirty-fifth
street at from seventy five cents to a dollar
a square foot, and I can see no reason why
land In tho healthful elevations of the ad
joining streets In Burleith and other sub
divisions, which are now hold at from
twenty to thirty cents, should not, In the
course of the present season, double or
treble their present prices.
Too much cannot be eald of the health
fulness of this portion of our city. A walk
to the llelghts near whero most of tbe avail
able land Ilea Is all that Is necessary to con
vince the most skeptical of the hygiene ad
vantages to be derived from a rosldence In
this beautiful place. Malaria and kindred
diseases are unknown here. Tho prevail
ing air la from tbe west, south and north,
and tho breezes como laden with Invigor
ating and health giving ozone, contrasting
greatly with the miasmatic odors that Infest
tho lower portions of the city.
The class of people now living In this
neighborhood attest Sufficiently as to the
futuro social status of this place. Some of
our oldest and most aristocratic families
live on the Heights, and Indeed tbe entire
town boasts a social standing very consid
erably above tho average, tbe rowdy ele
ment being comparatively unknown. West
Washington cannot be called suburban. It
Is a part of our city, separated only by a
email etream of water, which, If the pres
ent plans are carried out, will soon
be transferred Into an Immense eower
to relieve the northwestern part of the city
of Its vast amount of refuse, which bids
fair, unless provided with better facilities
of exit, to cause tbat part of the city to bo
very unhealthy. When this is done Rock
Creek valley will doubtless be transformed
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Into tbe beautiful park of which so much
haa been eald and written.
Tossy nothing of the natural advantages
of the Heights, property here Is not selling
at a fair valuo, In comparison with other lo
calities In Washington, There must nat
urally be an evenlng-np process before
long which will advance property In West
Washington to a price equal with that of
other portions of the city, In desirable
neighborhoods, at an equal distance from
lu centre. As fast as nice residences are
built here they are occupied by a good
clsss of people, and there la no other neigh
borhood In the elty In which these people
would be willing to reside, where property
csn bo bought at less than from two to five
dollars per foot. Tho nstural advantages of
tbo Heights as a place of residence are very
great, lying aa It docs upon a promontory,
with tbo Rock Creek Valley on one side and
tbe Fotomao on tho other. During tbe
beatcd season It Is notably cooler tban any
other portion of tho city. It Is on the
route of tno street car lines, and must, In
tto natural coureo of things, soon enjoy
tbo advantages of cable line facilities,
vttilo prtpcity Is very cheap here, the
neighborhood le eettled with good people,
end parties buying here are certain of tbo
cbaroctcr of Ub futuro aoclal growth,
In ad lltlon to thla, fashion la now travel
ing tble way, so tbat attention la being
called to Ihe mulls of tbla locality which
have hitherto Leen overlooked. Tbla
faciol Iccallty must participate In tbe
steady crowth of Waeblngton, which, at
tie Capital of tho Nation, muet grow In
I roportlon with tbo reet of the country,
Statisticians say that In seventeen years, at
tho pre ecnt rateof growth, tbls country will
1 avo a poculatlon of one hundred million
I tople. That being the case, whst will tho
Capital Clly bet A city which to-day In
1 alio of population Is far behind every
other large capital In tbo world ?
SKETCH OF GEOnOETOWN AND VICINITV,
Bays Richard P. Jackson In his "Chron
icles of Georgetown 1
To havo a good view of Georgetown, let
the spectator ascend the heights to the In
tersection of High and Fayette streets, and
take a glance over the horizon. He will
discover that the town Is situated at the
confluence of Rock Creek and the Fotomao
River, about three miles from the Little
Falls, to which tide-water rises, and Is sep
arated by Rock Creek from Washington
city, with which there Is ready communica
tion by four bridges crossing the creek at
tho Intersection of Water, Aqueduct,
Bridge and nest streets. Cars ruu
every few minutes over tho M street and
West etreet bridges, from the centre of the
town to tbe Navy-Yard, Tbo position of
the town Is salubrious, and, being elevated
on bills tbat slopo toward the creek and
river, It has ampls drainage, and haa al
wa)s escaped certain epidemics tbat havo
prevailed In other cities.
In tbe distance we behold the heights of
Arlington, lato the reeldence of G. W. F.
Curtis, now made memorable by tho late
war In laying It out as a cemetery for tbe
dead. Not far frem the manelon Is tho
famous springs whero the Inhabitants of
Georgetown and Washington would con
gregate to enjoy a conversation with tbo
"old man eloquent" or step It off on tho
light fantastic toe, Mr, Curtis having erected
at bis own expense a pavilion for the ac
commodation of all parties who came with
or without music to spend a pleasant day,
Near the Aqueduct etaeds the brick man
sion where lived tbe author of "The Star
Spangled Banner" Francis S, Key when
ho was a citizen of Georgetown, and prior
to being appolntol District Attorney, when
be trsnsferred his residence to Washington.
Soutbwcttot us Is tho Georgetown Col
lege, known to feme as the alma mattr of
many distinguished men, who have here
received their education and gone forth la
tbe world to fill various offices In Church
and Btate. A little north of the College
Is the Monastery and tbe Academy of Bis
ters of the Visitation, embracing a largo ex-,
tent of ground, somo thirty three acres,
with amplo buildings fronting on Fayette
street. We will leave a farther description
of these Institutions until we como to treat
on eilup.tlnn.
Alexandria can be taenia the distance, 'p
with Its church spires, and thousands of
bouses, ovor which rolled the clouds of
emoko and flame on tbe 18th day of Jan
uary, 1837, when from eighty to one hun
dred bouses were destroyed,
The Long Bridge extends Itself across the
Fatomae from the District shore, and looks
as If It might be carried away by a freshet.
Away to the east Is seen the dome of the
Capitol, and the Washington Monument;
also the National Observatory, located oa
Camp IIIU, where the professors record the
appearance of tbe planets and comets, It
la said that General Braddock landel his
army and drilled his mon here preparatory
to his toilsome march with colonial troopa
to Fort.Dnquesne by a route through the X
city of Frederick to Cumberland. On the f
borders of Rock Creek stands Lyon't mill,
a great place of resort In the summer sea
son. A little to tho cut it "Kalorama,"
famous for having been the residence of
distinguished men. Joel Barlow, the author
of the "Colnmblad," once resided here; also
did Fulton, the Inventor of the steam engine,
make here hlsjiome when experimenting oa
the powers of steam, Here also were interred
the remains of Commodore Decatur, who
fell In a duel with Barron on the 83d day of
March, 1830. Here also lived Colonel
George Bumford, when at the heal of tho
Oidnsnce Bureau.
HEAL ESTATE VALUES.
A General Advance Throughout the
Country and Its Cauaes.
From tbe Now York Ilonr.
Tbe rapid advance In the value of real
cslste throughout the United Stales, par
ticularly In tbe South and Weat, has oc
casioned great surprise to many usuallya
well Informed people, and to them these
advances seem unwarranted. On all aides
we bear prophecies of dire disaster aa the
final outcome. To a certain extent thla may
be true, for after a very rapid rise some de
pression usually follows, but the future
tendency of prices of realty must be higher.
A simple ststemsnt of fscta shows this to be
a foregone coccluelon, for tbe broad truth
presents Itself that tbe population of the
United Statea la doubling In periods otab n
twenty-five yesrs, as the following figures,
taken from the United States census reports,
plainly show. According to these reports
our population In 1700 wae 8,900,000, 1800,
5,300,000, 1810, 7,500,000, 1820, 9,000,000;
1830, 13,900.000; 1M0, 17,100,000,1850, 83,
800,000; 1800, 81,400,000; 1870, 88,000,000,
1880, (0,800,000. According to this ratio of
Increase we should have In 1833, 63,800,000;
1890,CS,00,000, 1895, 77,000,000, 1900, 93,.
400,000, and In 1903 over 100 million of people.
This Increase Is due largely to lmmlgra-V T
tlon. From 1870 to 1SS0 the Government ")
reports that 8,708,000 emigrants came to this
country, and In the 0 following years up to
1886, we received 3,430,000, a gain of over
700,000 In these 0 years over the preceding
10. From 1880 to 1880, Inclusive, there were
received In New York alone 3,230,090, and
since the 1st of January the tide of Immi
gration Increased, for in the first quarter of
the current year 30,730 arrived In Caetlo
Garden, In the month of April the enor
mous number of 54,833 arrived, and the
present month will show a much greater In
crease, as over 9,600 arrived In one day,
May 10, tbo largest number ever known.
Tbls proves that there is not only no falling
oft In Immigration, but that It la actually
on the Increase. So If our calculation on
the Increase of population were bated on
this alone tbe estimates before given would
be perfectly Justifiable.
But tbe meln cause of tbe Incresso la
population Is tbo great exceea of births over
deaths. The increase of population from
1870 to 1SS0 was 11,000,000, of thts amount
Immigration furnished 3,709 000, leaving
8,900,000 due to tbe excess of births over
deaths, or about 73 per cent. Tbla la
also proven In another way. The cooeus
of 1850 tbowt, of the C0,800,000 popula
tion, thoee of foreign blrlh were 0,079,913
and thoee of native birth were 43,475,940,
lelcg SO 08 per cent, of tbe total. While
cur prpulatlon la gaining with such en
hanced rapidity tho acreago remains the
aame.
The area of the United States without
Alaska 1b 3,009,000 square miles. The
original thirteen State, now Including
Maine, Vermont and Weat Virginia, have
393,000 square miles, and, according to the
census of 18S0, 303,000 were taken for set
tlement, with a rural population of 35 per
square mile. The Weatern States
Iowa, Wisconsin, MInnesots, Kansas,
Nebraska and Texas by many con
sidered on the frontier and spsreely
settled, have 030,000 squsre miles, and by
the ssme census 870,000 were then taken
for settlement, with a population of 81 to
tbe square mile. Tbe other States lying be
tween these two groups mentioned, both
North and South, Including Kentucky,
Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michi
gan, Missouri, Arkansas, Loulslsna, Missis
sippi, Alsbatna and Florida, bad 003,000
square miles, and taken for settlement 500,
000, with a population of 80 to the square
mile.
By adding 5,000,000 population U the lat
ter, and leia tban 15,000,000 to the former,
they would be aa populoua at tbs original
thirteen Statea. The G eneral Land Office's
report for the year 1830 ahowa tbere was no
land remaining unaurveyed, and therefore
unoccupied, In Ohio, Indiana, Mississippi.
Illinois, Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas,
Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin and Kansas.
Nebraska has only 88,830 acres, out of a
total of nearly 47,000,000. Further West,
In tbe States of Colorado, Oregon, Nevada
and California, together with the different
Terrlterlea, remains a body of land com
prising Botne 1,400,000 tquaro mllct, broken
by chains of mountslnt, and containing
within Its borders vstt tracts of distant
land, practically irreclaimable. Yet,
wherever fcrtllo land occura It bat already
been taken up even In tbo most remote dls
trlcts, In tho mountain vallejs or the desert
when water can be brought to Irrigate, and
when It Is too poor to pay profits to the
huebsndmao, cattle graze wherever water
can be obtained, So of this tract, the great
Weet of the present day, tbe report of tbe
Oeneral Land Office for 1880, shows over
ono-hslt bolag 731,500 squaro miles has
been aurvcyed.
Tbe surveyed lands located and undis
posed of on June 80th, 1880, the Commis
sioner reports as being only 435,581 square
miles. Thus, whichever way we may turn,
welled our frontier virtually gone, and tbe
limitation of unoccupied landlaourcouatry
near at hand,
f.
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