Evening Star Newspaper, November 18, 1922, Page 13

REAL ‘ESTATE. 'THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1922. . REAL EST ATE. 13 Washington’s Growth Reflected in Real Estate and Building News 1.5, ASKS REALTORS| TOSIMPLIFY FORMS| Facilitation of Business Seen in Standard Contracts and Documents. ] Reattors of the United States hate | heen called on by the Department of | Commerce. to as: in working out a! plan for the simplification and stand- | ation of varfous legal nd contracts used in realty. ns, offietals of the National, ard nounced today. In a recent communication W. A. Durgin, chief of the division of simpli- fied practice, of the Department of, Commerce, points out that there is a | great amount of waste in business and industry caused by the great and | neadless variety of forms and docu-{ ments used. He offers the assistance | of the Department of Commerce in'! collecting and analyzing various: forms now in use, and in developing | & serics of recommendations for| standardized and simplified form: The department also suggests the ap- | of pointment tional bert Hoover's a member of the na-| Secretary Her-| nal representative 10 under sive munn After the collection of | g tta_has been completed and recom- mendations have heen formulated. it | i< proposed that such recommenda- be submitted to the Natlonal 2 iation of Real Estate Boards for approval and adoption. Need Nimplified Practice. The officers of the national associa- tion recognize the need of simplified o in real estate transactions and are preparing in every possible ! way to co-operate with the federal| rnment in this respect. State as- ions are also actively at work in this field and are developing standard forms of listing contra earnest ontracts, morteages and he California Real ation has recently de dard forms which are now being ! used thronghcut the state. Due to| the diversity in statutory require- | ments in the various states, the diffi- culties in developing standard forms for national use are of greater magni- tude than those which will be met in' any le state. Tt is believed to be quite possible. however, to develop, model or standard forms, which, with | minor adaptations. can be fitted to the | needs of any locality. i The zoning committee of the Depart- ment of Commerce appointed by Sec- { nal n of Real Estate Boards fs| ted by Irving B. Hiett of| has asked for the assistance altors in obtaining uniformly ac- ceptable definitions of terms used in connection with buildings. such as “flats” “apartments.” “semi- detached houses,” “terrace “two- family ap.rtments.” etc. are found tu! mean different s in varlous| localitio often a source of confusion, and in v of the recent movement under- | to develap standard zoning | d andard building codes it Iy desirable that the same: words shall mean the same things| ever: here, SENTATIVE ERS—and it to our story. THE “LOT.” v N 7277777777777 77 7 7 % Z 7% 22 J % 2 Z 2 i 2 7727 N @ this work in an inten- i} esagging porches and leaky or spilling g | tain READ!! Srom"The EveningStar’ CONSTRUCTION RULES WHICH HOME BUYERS SHOULD KNOW Declaring that many persons buy houses almost wholly dp their out- ! ward appearance, without taking the trouble to investigate the principal elements of construction, the Nation- al Lumber Manufacturers’ Associa- tion today issued a statement from local headquarters pointing out the salient 1c .ures which even an ama- teur may examine to prove the stur- diness and worth of a building. “Most people buy houses in the manner of the man who ordered a blue automobile,” it is stated. “They purchase almost wholly on outward condition is~ con- cerned. sell of the property many houses. Very few pur- invisible construction of a house or with external evidences of the na- ture of the internal work. Yet, what is not seen largely determines the fu- ture value of the property, the cost of upkeep and the satisfaction of the owner. The passing years inevitably reveal the truc nature of the con- struction. % Not a Difficult Matter. “Yet it is not dificult for a home- buyer to find out whether the house is of proper and suitable materials and correct methods of construction,” says the technical department of the National Lumber Manufacturers’ As- sociatioml, In answer to inquiles. “The best way, of course, is to have the house inspected by some competent n. but there are certain funda- mentals which any one may apply for himself with the probability of being guided to a correct determina- of the intrinsic value of a house. ody wants to buy a house that will soon develop cracked plaster, sagging doors, jamming windows, floors that spring and creak, unsight- 1y open joints in woodwork and spaces between casings, baseboard and floors; leaky roofs. unsightly Ni ters, swayback gables, etc. To insure against these annoying developments. the foundation first should be carefully examined, for any settling or cracking there is cer- to be reflected -in the super- structure, no matter how good. The footing of the foundation should be wider than the ‘foundation itself and should be placed b-low the frost line. If the foundation is not a single unit, such as poured concrete. It should be carefully inspected to insure that it is of good materials well put to- gether. n “About half the weight of a build- ing is carried on the posts, which should rest on plers. The posts sup- port a_ girder on which the Inner ends of floor joists rest, as well as the partitions which carry the upper floors of the house. The piers should be higher than the basement floor in order to prevent rot if the base- ment should be damp. Often the concrete of the floor is run up around the bases of the posts, thus sealing up the end and ecreating a favorable condition for dry-rot. In elther case the post wil' eventually settle with Paint. varnish and newness the same, unpleasant results. The piers should be carefully made, flat on the bot- tom and of adequate bearing surface on the soil undernecath. | “When bearing _partitions run: across the joists, which is not often, Words ' solid bridging of the same size as|otherwist the joists should unite them directly beneath, and the joists should be larger, doubled or placed closer to-| gether. In this connection it should the depths of the joists rather than to double them. “All bearing partitions that sup- port partitions above should have double plates across the top of the studs. and also at the bottom, unless the studs run down between the Below the unsolicited 'repon on the growth of @ Washington—it is the ad- . vice of A MOST REPRE- NEWSPAPER TO ITS READ- at the same time gives emphasis The Evening Star map, also be- low, gives the subdivisions as choice, and we wish to impress upon you that if these locations are choice—WE HAVE THE “CREAM” OF ./ EXTENSIVE BUILDING WEST Ths article and map reprinted Saturday Nov /¢ NOW THE LOCATIONS ARE STILL may be too late. roe SN\ ¥ o e o oS PO BS® e Lk '&o_“.«-‘ e 7 Jjoists and rest on the top plate of a bearing partition below. They should ave horizontal braces of bridging placed between the studs midway between the floor and celling. If more than the welght of the two floors is carrfed by such a stud par- tition the members of the partition should bhe increased in size. “The shrinkage of wood cannot be entirely eliminated, but it can be equalized so that little harm will result. It shrinks more across the grain than with it, so the amount of lumber with the grain horlzontal should be as nearly equal as possible in different parts of the bullding. A better way to put it would be to say that the horizontal grain picces in & instru- | appearances. so far as the physical | cross-section of the outside walls and of the bearing partitions should be ®0 “that their shrinkage will be equal, thus maintaining their fon of Real Estate Boards an- | chasers concern themselves with the | original relations. Foundations and Windows. “Though a good foundation Iis fundamental it can be negatived by a poor frame, especially in the por- tions that support weight or resist the pressure of wind. Plenty of windows are needed. but each win- dow necessitates a hole in the wall that weakens it unless compensated for. This is done by proper framing of the openings. Thelr side studs should be doubled and a double piece should be placed across the top and bottom of the opening. If the opening Is more than three feet wide it should be trussed across the top. The carpenter knows how to do it. and will do it If you insist. Narrow openings can be taken care of by headers, similar to those mentioned above. If these openings, as well as those for interfor doors, are not sub- stantlally framed, binding or warped window and door frames will re- suit, necessitating replastering and redecorating in correcting. If a wall with a poorly framed opening supports joists the floors will sag. “ITt {s sometimes said that the main purpose of a bullding is to support a roof. Anyway, a house without a root is not much. and one with a poor roof is little better. It Is highly im- portant that the pitch or slope be ample for drainage. If the gutters are placed too high on a roof with- out sufficient pitch they will become clogged up with snow and ice in the winter and water will back up under the roof covering, rotting the roof boards and ruining the ceilings. “It is exceedingly Important that the rafters be stronk enough to make a good job of holding up the roof. The writer recently examined a house for a prospective buyer that was so deficlent in this respect as to be pathetic and perhaps tragic. It is typlcal of jerry-built houses everywhere, whose sad appearance after a few years is charged to frame construction, inatead of to careless it not fraudulent work. Tests of Safety Construction. “Most_houses are safe enough so far as the floor supports are concerned. but the floor ‘should be rigid and stiff to prevent cracking plaster, - sagging or spring and creaking floors. Joists are commonly strong enough for this pur- pose, so the stiffness is the main factor to be considered. The determination of this will probably require some expert advice, though walking or stamping on the floor will often reveal a weakness The Joists should have uniform bear- ings, where they enter masonry walls uneven settling will follow with humpy floors and loosened nails. Where joists are not of a single timber the two pieces making them up should be well and strongly spiked together. It is obvious that this is| be noted that it is better to increase | Joists should be anchored to masonry walls_about every fourth or fifth jolst with T-shaped metal straps nailed to the side of the joist near the bottom, with the top of the T built into the wall. This ties the building together. Placing the metal strap near the bottom of the joist is a precautlon in case of fire, so that a PROJECTS PROPOSED ANDJEORTHWBST OF CHEVY CHASE - " The Opportunity Is' NO W!! Now the prices are the same as at the beginning of the sale— TO. BE HAD—tomorrow REPRESENTATIVE MAISDEN'S NEW HOME. e for Reprewentative Martin B. Madden of Illinois nearing at the northwest corner of 32d strect and Woodland drive, in ttn Park. Representa: Madden ix at the head of one of the largest construction concerns in the country. Hix house in being crected under the personal supervixion of Representative Elliott W. Sproul, head of a contracting firm in Chicago, who hax been a clone associate of Representa- tive Madden in construction work for more than forty years. The dwelling is of brick construction with stone trim. It contains six bedrooms and three baths, with a bullt-in garage. The architecture in Georgian. The houxe is located on vne of the highest apots in the park and ix adjacent to home xites recently purchased by Daniel C. Roper, Henry F. Woodard, J. Philip Herrmann and Dr. Paul 8. Reinxch. —_— burncd through joist will fall against ' such a partition should be doubled, if the wall instead of pulling the wall| the partition is parallel. In case down with it. sts enter stud | guch a partition is to inclose pipes walls and are supported by a ribbon, | the double joists are placed two or that Is. & board notched In the edges of | {hreo inches apart and connected the stud, they should be well spiked to | with well nailed blocking except the studs also. A feature of floor con- | \ilto Yite' pive ia to pass. struction that is hidden in upper floors, 2 = Cites Ordinary Frame Houwe. but usually in evidence underneath the : ground floor the cross-bridging or! “In the ordinary frame house rafters diagonal bracing between the joists. = e This bracing keeps the joists in align- | Should be not more than twenty ':’fh's ment. If a joist is not thus supported | apart. It is generally best practice to v its fellows it may tilt or bend, cause cracked plaster brlow and a s ging and squeaking floor above. If floors | do not sag spaces will not be opened | up between baseboards, casings and floors. “Floor joists are often weakened | through cutting or boring holes in them to make room for plumbing or some other mechanical equipment. | Such cuts should not be deeper than one-fifth the depth of the joist below | the top, and the center of a hole should not be more than the same! stance from the top. These open- | ings should be near the end of the beam and never farther from the end than three times its depth. Tealy 7alling down, Feundation and Windows. “In general, it may be said that the “Where joists are cut off to make‘rgnsrgclflunmg_f a hou!euifl m;‘mz o= e absolutely rotten, no matter wha openings for stairways, etc., etc.. the| ;o o elegance. A builder is a good Joists along the side of the openings | {05140 or'a poor bullder. If you are #hould be doubled and the loose cnds | Puilding’ a house yourselt or are in- of the cut jolsts spiked to a “header” | tending to buy one that js bullding Whioh ring ac the opening to the | cou can see for yourself that the prin- two double joists. The headers should | ¢iples of construction here sketched be of the same depth as the joists and | are observed. In the case of a com- of at least double thickness. Headers | plated house inspection is more diffi- that are more than eight feet long | cult for a layman, but usually what a0 ding and J rafter will have a solid support. Instead of resting on the outside walls, as they should, the rafters were supported by thin boards laid across the tops of the ceiling joists, and only about one rafter in four rested on anything solid underneath, the rest of them being spaced between joists. ering_was of slate, enough to bend the thin board the result that the eaves were *as wavy as the edge of a bread knife, the ridge humped and the _slate cracked and falling off. And this Louse had been completed within a {month. Tt was brand-new, but al- should be supported at their ends by | you see in the basement and in the doubled joists. | house.™ “On account of the arrangement of | have the joists support what are; NEW COMMITTEE'NAMED. called bearing partitions, which sup- | floors and other construction above | Washington Real Estate Board, has ap- them, as well as acting as room | poirted a special “vigilance” committee, should always be in the same vertical | on real estate activities of a question- plane with like partitions above Or|able nature. Tha committee's first act be directly in the!tice of inserting box office advertise- basement. If the partitions must rest ments in newspapers, carrying the metal stirrups from the trimmer or|attic will give you a key to the whole rooms above it is often necessary to| Tt part of the welght of the upper Charles S. Shreve, president of the walls. Such partitions {f possible,! qoaded by David E. Barry, to keep tab below. The lowest one should always | was to recommend abolishing the prac- on joists, the one immediately below ' phrase, “No brokers need apply over the girder Chevy Chase Terrace Washington’s Most Exclusive Residential Park s 2 l]Y:ou perhaps have said this yourself: theories on how the property IS GROWING! Our advice to you is to buy SION and we offer you the following arguments BEST IN WASHINGTON: "Wisely Restricted NO SUBDIVISION AROUND WASHINGTON will enjoy the restriction of residence such as CHEVY CHASE TERRACE. A RESIDENT ASSOCIATION will be organized to elect officers and men will be hired to keep the grounds in perfect order—ELIM- INATING ALL UNSIGHTLY SPOTS. The Terrace at all times will be beautiful! Financing building of Terrace—IN At any point the Terrace CLUB, which is noted for elevation. i Salesman Always On A BUILDING PROGRAM has just been completed whereby we will be enabled to finance the our home in this TIGATE THE ADVANTAGES THAT WILL BE OPENED TO OWNERS OF LOTS IN THIS SUBDIVISION. her than any of the surround- ing divisions, and at one point the altitude reaches above the roof of the CHEVY CHASE G. W. U. PURCHASES GSTREET PROPERTY Apartment to Be Remodeled for Classrooms and In- structors’ Offices. l George Washington University has increased further its holdings on G street northwest by the acquisition of the Stockholm apartment house, 2015 G street, according to an announce- ment’ made today by President How- ard L. Hodgkins. The addition to the university prop- erty was purchased from the Coburn estate, and served to consolidate the property owned on G street on the front as well as the ground in the rear of the university property. It will be next year before the uni- versity will take over the property which, when remodeled, will be used for additional classrooms and offices for instructors. Extensive improvements will be made in the recent acquisition during the summer, and the classrooms and offices will be available by October 11,1923, The university considers itself for- tunate in thus centering its interest from the new property west to 21st street since the Woodhull building, bequeathed by the late Maxwell Van Zandt Woodhull, was renovated and opened for use by the administrative officials at the start of the fall term. The Woodhull buflding made possi- ble the use of the former administra- tion buflding at 2102 G street, which has been made avallable for archi- tectural drawing and botany work. The rapid growth of the university in the past three years has necessitat- ed considerable expansion -in order to take care of the many students en- rolled. According to the report of Secretary Elmer Louis Kayser there are now 4,344 students enrolled, with- in a hundred or so of last year's record. ELECTRICAL FIRM BUYS NEW BUSINESS BUILDING Muddiman Company Occupy Re- cently Completed Quarters on 13th Street. Purchase by C. A. Muddiman & Co. of the two-story brick business build- ing 709 13th street northwest, re- cently completed, was announced to- day. The electrical firm, of which Mr. Muddiman is the president, al- ready has established itself in the |new quarters. ; The buflding was especially design- ed for store purposes, practically the entire front of the structure being taken up with window space’ The frontage on 13th street is twenty-one feet. The removal from the former store, 1204 G_street mnorthwest, was ac- complished last week, making the third move since the concern started in business on July 23, 1888. Title to the new home was taken by the recently incorporated company, officers of which are: C. A. Muddiman, president; H. B. Homer, vice presi- dent; R R. Breen, secretary, and A. E. Muddiman, treasurer. | Lumber production fell off sharply | Productior OUTPUT OF LUMBER SHOWS DECREASE Production Figures Drop Dur- ing Week—Shipments Show Increase. for the week ending November 11, while shipments and orders increased, according to an analysis of reports from elght regional associations hav- ing membership in the National Lum- ber Manufacturers’ Association. Three hundred and ninety-four mills, as compared with a revised to- tal of 410 for the preceding week, re- port a production of 229,153,806 feet, |1 being a decrease of 18,999,986 feet. Shipments were 199,405,351 feet, a galn of 15,576,953; while orders, at 206,315,008, showed a gain of 3,143.579. Shipments for these mills were 87 per cent and orders 90 per cent of produc- tion, being a noticeable gain of ship- ments and orders on production, as compared with recent weeks. Of the 410 mills, 365 are in associations hav tng established figures of normal pro- ductfon. For the past week this figure is 231,070,046, and reiative to it actual production was 94 per cent, shipments §1 per cent and orders 84 per cent. The figures for the lumber move- ment for the past week, the preced- ing week and the corresponding week for last year are as follows: Corre- sponding Preceding Past week. week, 1921, week. T3 394 229,153,506 174,364,044 248,153.702 Shipments.. 100405351 180,022,069 183 828 39% Orders ..... 203,315,006 177,892,637 202,171,427 For the forty-five weeks of the year ending November 11, as com- pared with the corresponding period of 1921, the figures are: Production. Shipments. 9,905,227,749 9,333.998,074 Mills . 1922, inc.l.. £,817,666,773 2,158,611.146 2,508,275,818 According to a review by the Na- tional Lumber Manufacturers’ Asso- ciation of the bureau of census bul- letin on lumber prices_issued today, lumber showed great price stability in September, notwithstanding the disturbing conditions of restricted transportation and heavy demand. Southern pine prices advanced be- tween March and September around 10 per cent on the higher *priced items and as much as up to 25 per cent on some of the lower grades. Since January Douglas fir prices as a whole appear to have advanced from less than 1 per cent to scarcely more than 15 per cent on different items. The bureau lacks hardwood reports for August in some species, but Sep- tember prices show little variation on_the whole from July prices. Western white pfne was practically stationary as between August and September. Since the first of thei year it has declined in price of the higher qualities and gained notice- ably in that of the lower. The same cost, ings, cost, $18,000. stree garage, $1.000. 38th street; cost, houses, cost, $36,000. houses velopment, ing of eight detached and semi-de- and contain nine baths each, with brick garages. SCIENCE BUILDING PLANS APPROVED Permit Provides for Expendi- ture of $974,081 on Project. Plans for the new home for the Na- tional Academy of Sclence at 21st and C streets northwest, Memorial, were filed dnd formally ap- proved by the municipal building in- spector this week. Construction of the handsome edifice already 1s under way. near the Lincoln The permit provides for an expendi= ture of $974,081 on the project. Other permits issued this week fole ow: ] Harry Wardman, to build, 3229-3233 Klingle road; cost, $36,000. J. E. Chapman, to repair 37 N street; $5.000. Frederick Carl & Sons, to build gar- age, rear 623-625 H strect; cost, $30,- 000. Rosslyn Steel and Cement Company, to repalr, Jeflerson and K streets; cost, $3,600. H impkins, to build, 2811 Cen- tral avenue; cost, $1.500. Potomac Highland Building Com- pany, to build at Highland and Jew- ett streets; cost, §2,000. J. E. Phillips, to build, $12-616 Long- 0 fellow street; cost, $24.000. Carry_Ice Cream Company, to re- M. F. Kennelly, to build three dwell- 228-232 2d street southeast; gnir. 1337 D street southeast; cost, 4. E. S. Newman, to build, 2600 Upton cost, $15,000. National Academy of Science bufld- ing, at 21st and C streets northwest; cost, $974.081. J. W. Lofton and others, to bulild rear 1523 M street; cost, W. C. and A. N. Miller, to build, 5311 $20,000. W. C. and A. N, Miller, to build six houses, 1535-1845 A street southeast; cost., $30,000. District Realty Investment Com- pany. to build stores and, flats, 401- 407 Rhode Island avenue northeast; cost, $25,000. Felix Lake, to build, 1519 Wisconsin avenue; cost, $7.500. W. Roscher, to build, 414 Aspen street; cost, $6,000. Harry Wardman, to build three 3223-3225-3227 Kingle road; EIGHT HOMES FINISHED. Woodley Park Unit Houses Are Colonial in Design. Completion of the sixth group of in their Woodley Park de- the latest unit consist- tached dwellings, has been effected by W. C. and A. N. Miller. The houses are colonial in design rooms and two is true of Idaho white pine. On the whole, California white pine declined noticeably in price from August to| September, and the varlation from January last prices is not marked one way or the other except in one grade, which fell from $94.03 to $79.82. Northern white pine reports are|1 varied, showing some sharp advances | f in September and some relatively !t e cl t smgll reductions. ever. there has been no proncunced On the whole, how- hange since March. Hemlock varies little from the July report, the only ‘increase worth men- N foning being in No. 2 drop siding, x6 and 10-20 feet, which went up Tom $28.68 to $31.31, according to he averages. as to why our location is the 75-ft. Boulevards and Wide Streets We have already opened one of the 75-foot-wide boulevards— there will be another the same width with beautiful stone en- trance columns—and one 65 feet wide. 5 Shade Trees, etc., —will be a feature—they have nlready been contracted for and will be lined up as soon as the streets are completed. . its LoTs $600 to $1,500 Balance over * 8¢ to 45¢ Square Foot TERMS 10% CASH: rercd o four years. Phone Main 272 hone Cleveland 2401 lli’md at Tract Office, 6400 Wisconsin Avenue and make an appointment that venient with you AND OUR WILL CALL AND BRING YOU HERE! The Greatest Real Estate Opportunity Since the “Sales” of 16th St. Extended WHY DIDN’T I BUY THAT LOT OUT ON SIXTEENTH STREET TEN YEARS AGO? And, if you remember correctly, about ten years ago Sixteenth Street Extended WAS NOT POPULATED AS MUCH AS THE DIVISIONS SURROUNDING OUR PROPERTY. @ An unusual opportunity now presents itself to you —A SITE TO BUILD A HOME—AN INVESTMENT THAT WILL YIELD GREAT DIVIDENDS. 0 is expected to grow, BUT WE GIVE YOU FACTS ON HOW IT IS TODAY AND HOW IT now, as THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY IS INCREASING DAILY. And if you pass up this opportunity YOU WILL REGRET AS YOU HAVE NO DOUBT IN THE PAST. All Washington Is Talkin Real estate experts are advising their clients to buy here. Ne\'vspapers are advising their readers as to the opportunities of this BOOMING SUBDIVI- g About It!!!! CHEVY CHASE ¢ ¢ TERRACE How to Reach "Property Drsve out Con- necticut Avenue to Bradley Lane, out Bradley Lane to Wisconsin, turn to left, 150 feet to prop- erty—or drive out Mas- sachusetts Avenue to Wis- consin and out Wisconsin to property—or take Con- necticut Avenue or Rock- ville cars and get off at Bradley Lane and walk over. GET OFF AT [ TERRACE. ~ Minor Cooper & Gray, Inc. Washington Office, 702-704 Dist. Nat. Bank See ‘For Yourself Don’t rely too much on your judgment and our ability to sell our proposition through this newspaper _advertisement—DRIVE OUT TO OUR PROPERTY TODAY—or call our office ¢ You are not offered 4 TAKE ROCKVILLE TROLLEY CHEVY CHASE (270 will be con- SALESMAN m 2 % 2 %, 2 2 % 2 72