neighborhood history – Page 16

WSIC-1950 Sell Off- 30 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company built a number of homes in the Truxton Circle neighborhood in the late 19th and early 20th century. WSIC sold off a number of their rentals, with the idea of selling to African Americans. On it’s face the idea seems wonderful, but a deeper look reveals something less than wonderful.

In previous sales on the unit block of Bates Street there was a pattern. Most of the properties were 2 unit rentals, when they were sold, the buyer only got one-half interest or half of the house. So someone would buy 1/2 of the house, borrow money from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman, then in a year or so, lose their ownership in foreclosure.

photo of property Let’s see if 30 Bates Street NW fits that pattern:

WSIC rentals are sold off in one big lot to business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans for $3 million dollars in June of 1950.
Jan. 26, 1951 Taube, Levin and Evans sell 1/2 of 30 Bates St NW to John R. and Fannie S. Dunston.
Jan. 26, 1951 the Dunstons borrow $1,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
Feb. 14, 1951 Taube, Levin and Evans sell the other 1/2 of 30 Bates St NW to William H. and Ruth E. Carter.
Feb. 14, 1951the Carters borrow $1,900 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
Sep. 18, 1953 the Carters lose their 1/2 to foreclosure and the property returns to Taube, Levin and Evans.
Jan. 26, 1954 Taube, Levin and Evans sell 1/2 of 30 Bates St NW to Barney R. and Marguerite Nelson.
Jan. 26, 1954 the Nelsons borrow $2,897.34 from trustees Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman.
Mar. 2, 1962 the Dunstons are released from their debt from Levin and Weightman and own their half free and clear.
Nov. 30, 1967 the Nelsons are released from their debt from Levin and Weightman.
Jan. 13, 1972 the Nelsons and the Dunstons sell their property to the DC Redevelopment Land Agency.

For a moment I was feeling hopeful. The Dunstons and the Carters managed to avoid foreclosure, pay off their debt and 30 Bates was not sold to George Basiliko. I’m not sure what the deal was with the sale to RLA.

The Nelsons were a Black couple. According to the 1950 census. Barney was a 38 year old labor and his 39 year old wife worked as a domestic for a private family. They both hailed from South Carolina.

Also in the 1950 census Fannie and John Dunston were living at 1736 13th Ave NW as lodgers. They were both African Americans from North Carolina. He was a 26 year old messenger working for the Federal government, she was 25 years old working in a hospital kitchen.

WSIC-1950s Sell Off- 41 Bates Street NW

The Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) was a late 19th century charitable capitalism experiment that ended in the 1950s. This blog started looking at the homes that were supposed to be sold to African American home buyers, after decades of mainly renting to white tenants.

I have looked at 43 Bates St NW and now 41 Bates Street NW and have noticed a pattern so far. The pattern is this, the two flat structure is sold as a group of other Truxton Circle and other DC WSIC properties to three business partners. Those business partners, with a particular lender, would sell 1/2 of a house to buyers. Within a year or so that half was foreclosed upon. If the buyers didn’t face foreclosure they sold the properties back to the surviving original businessmen and their family who then sold the property to George Basiliko, who the Washington Post called a slum lord.

So let’s see the pattern in action:

WSIC indirectly transfers the property to (lot 136) Nathan Levin, James B. Evans, and Nathaniel J. Taube in 6/16/1950 in large package
Levin, Evans, and Taube sell 1/2 of the property to James W. Morgan 1/26/1951
1/26/1951 Morgan borrows $5,050 from the only trustees I’ve seen in these purchases, Abraham Levin and Robert G. Weightman
12/17/1953 Morgan loses the property via foreclosure
Property returns to Levin, Evans and Taube…. normally it goes to the trustees who lent the money
2/9/1954 Levin, Evans & Taube sell half interest of property to Hattie Mae Davis
2/9/1954 Davis borrows $3,037.29 from Levin & Weightman
5/5/1954 Levin, Evans & Taube sell the other half interest to Cornwallis and Vora M. Mitchell
5/5/1954 the Mitchells borrow $2,986.78 from Levin & Weightman
Davis loses her half of the property 8/24/1955 to foreclosure
No document, but one will assume the foreclosed property returned to the family & business interests of Levin, Evans & Taube
8/5/1959 the family & business interests of Levin, Evans & Taube (Badt, Evans, Taube, Levin and Wagman) sell package of properties to real estate man George Basiliko and his wife
1/8/1965 Mitchell sells the remaining half to Basiliko

Since Cornwallis Mitchell is a unique name I bothered looking him up. In the 1950 census he was a North Carolina born African American man living in an apartment in Shaw with his wife Vera and daughter Alise. In the 1930s and 1940s he lived at 441 N St NW, Apt 25 with wife Deborah (remarried?). He died in 1958.

WSIC-1950s Sell Off- 43 Bates Street NW

At the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th a company began with the idea of buying and building sanitary affordable homes in Washington, DC. That company was the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) and their experiment in charitable capitalism came to an end in the early 1950s. This blog will attempt to look at the Truxton Circle area properties sold off from WSIC to regular people.

Attempt. The 45 Bates St NW post had some confusion and lo, this one isn’t any better. Once again it appears they sell the one property to two different people and goodness gracious, I am confused. But let’s try to sort this out.

So like 45 Bates Street the Truxton Circle (and other parts of DC) lots owned by WSIC are sold off in one big lot to three men, business partners, Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans for $3 million dollars in June of 1950.

They sold a one-half (1/2) interest in 43 Bates Street to Mrs. & Mr. Elizabeth and Neal Nelson on January 26, 1951. The Nelson’s borrowed $2,525.

photo of property That same day the business partners sold the other 1/2 interest to Mrs. Irene Brown, Mr. James E. Rogers and his wife Perlina Rodgers. The three also borrowed $2,525 from the same trustees as the Nelsons, Abraham H. Levin and Robert G. Weightman. However their ownership didn’t last very long and they went into foreclosure in September 1952.

Hickman and Bernice Leathers replaced the Rogers and Brown, buying 1/2 interest in the property in October 1952. The borrowed $3,173.94 from trustees Levin & Weightman. Their ownership only lasted until March 1954, with another foreclosure.

I’m just going to note. Something doesn’t feel right about this. Something feels, predatory. Okay, back to the land records….

In April 1954, Levin, Taube, and Evans sell the one-half interest to three ladies, Leotta Francis, Isabell and Rosalie Forde. They borrow $3,186.77 from trustees Levin & Weightman. In January of 1958, the ladies sell the property back to Nathaniel J. Taube and James B. Evans and new partner, Harry A. Badt.

With two foreclosures with the other half of 43 Bates, I wondered how long the Nelsons lasted. They lasted until March 1958, with a foreclosure.

And then it gets more confusing.

In an August 1958 deed, Harry A. Badt and his wife Jennie sell off several parts of properties, of which one-half interest of 43 Bates NW is one. They sold 1/2 of 34 Bates St NW, 1/2 of 55 Bates St NW, half of 43 Bates St NW, half of 34 O St NW, half of 1216 Carrollsburg PL SW and 1/4 interest in 1235 Simms PL NE to four people. Of the set, Rose Levin got 3/9th interest, Lawrence L. Levin got 2/9th interest, Myron S. Levin also got 2/9th interest, as wells as Ruth Wagman with 2/9th interest.

In 1959 George Basiliko, whom the Washington Post referred to as a “slum lord”, bought a slew of Bates Street and other Truxton Circle properties from the heirs of and remaining living owners of the original 3 businessmen. There were a lot of people and a number of properties, but in short, 43 Bates was one of the properties in this batch. George and wife Sophia Basiliko borrowed $73,500 for the group of properties from Telsyndicate where James B. Evans and Nathaniel Taube were the trustees. This document was followed a few months later by an agreement binding the Basilikos, Evans and Taube and Telsyndicate, noting the Basilikos secured funding from the Perpetual Building Association.

George Basiliko, owned the property until the late 1970s? I can’t find a deed transferring the property but the next owner appears to be DC’s Redevelopment Land Agency (RLA). And there was that whole scandal in the 1970s forcing Basiliko to sell off his Truxton Circle properties.

WSIC-1950s sell off- 45 Bates Street NW

From my last post, I mentioned I would look at a property that was transfer from the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) to three men, who then sold it to a person marking the exit of WSIC from Truxton Circle in the 1950s.

45 Bates St NW is on square 615 in Truxton Circle. During the time of WSIC’s ownership it sat on lot 134. Currently it is now lot 292.

I don’t have the exact date when WSIC came to posses 45 Bates and other homes on the block. In 1903 parties (George Sternberg and George Kober) involved with the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) owned many lots on Sq. 615. So fast forward to June 1950 and the property is transferred from WSIC to the Washington Loan & Trust Company, then from the Washington Loan and Trust Co. to business partners Nathaniel J. Taube, Nathan Levin and James B. Evans. The business partners borrowed $3 million dollars for Investors Diversified Services Inc. of Minnesota.

photo of property

First Taube, Levin and Evans sell 45 Bates St NW to William W. Johnson and his wife Kathleen S. Johnson on January 26, 1951. But then there is a deed of the Taube, Evans and Levin selling lot 292 to George M. and Olivia V. Davis February 5, 1951. Later documents don’t seem to clear up the ownership. In 2001 DC Water and Sewer sent a water sewer lien to a Johnson and Davis. Loan documents appear to say the Davis and Johnsons both had a 1/2 interest in the property. Oh brother.

Since Johnson is a common name I was able to find some information about the Davis’. In the 1940 census there was a George M. Davis married to an Olivia V. (nee Birdsong) Davis living on the 2000 block of Flagler NW. They were listed as white. He was a painter, she was a maid in 1940. They lived with their 4 year old daughter his 87 year old widowed mother-in-law.

Funny thing. Looking at their marriage record from 1924, the couple was ‘colored’, not-white. In the 1930 census, the couple living in Stonewall, VA with George McKinley Davis’ father, is listed as being Black. Then in the 1950 census an Olivia V. Davis is the head of the household, living with her husband George Davis, the painter, at 2261 12th St NW. In 1950, they are Black. I would say the 1940 census was a fluke if it weren’t for other documents stating that George was white.

Who knows? Race could be considered a social construct, based on real phenotypes.Maybe they could pass. Or maybe there are a couple of George M.s married to Olivia V.s out there to confuse the matter.

WSIC-1950s sell off

I’m not sure where I’m going with this but I am looking at the end of the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC). The end meaning when the company, or what the company turned into, exited from the history of Truxton Circle and sold off it’s properties.

I became aware of the sell off in a 1952 article in the February 13th Evening Star and a bunch of newspaper searches where their Truxton Circle properties were auctioned off in the early to mid-1950s. I shared one document in my post WSIC-1950 Big Old Property Transfer, where WSIC transferred their property to the Washington Loan and Trust Company. What I didn’t do is look at the next document (#1950024327) from the same day on June 16, 1950 transferred it from the Washington Loan and Trust Company to three fellows, Nathan Levin, James B. Evans, and Nathaniel J. Taube.

That same February 13, 1952 article mentions Levin, Evans and Taube (Tauber) buying some 850 properties from WSIC. In my next post I’ll look at one TC property sold to a regular person.

WSIC-1950 Big Old Property Transfer

Around 1950 the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company, which owned several large blocks of property in Truxton Circle and parcels in other parts of Washington DC, sold off their holdings. The experiment of charitable capitalism had come to an end after half a century.

There are a whole lot of properties in this document. So I’m just going to leave this here and may expand on it later. As part of this WSIC series.

Washington Loan and WSIC-1950024326 by Mm Inshaw on Scribd

WSIC- Did they accomplish their goals?

Okay, back to the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company.

So what was the goal of the WSIC? According to the April 1897 Alexandria Gazette, which reported on the chartering of the company, it was to “buy, sell, and improve real estate in order to provide sanitary dwellings.”

Whelp. They did that. They bought many, many lots in Truxton Circle and elsewhere in DC. They bought and improved properties and in the end sold them. So mission accomplished.

WSIC- Taking a break

Well, the newspaper search was very tedious and right now I am Washington Sanitary Improvement Companied out.

There is more to explore.

I was telling a friend who doesn’t live in the DC metro area about this project and about the WSIC. It started as an experiment in housing, mixing charity with capitalism. She asked if WSIC achieved their goals. Answering that question is something I’d like to take a stab at. Unfortunately, the answer would involve other areas of the city that I am less knowledgeable about.

So I’ll get back to it. If I don’t remind me would you?

I’m also going to slow down on posting on the blog. I want to garden, do stuff with the family, yadda, yadda. Blogging and researching are great when it is cold and horrid outside. I’ll probably ramp up when it is too hot and sticky and buggy to go outside.

WSIC-Newspaper Search part 5

This is a continuation of parts 1, 2& 3. I search the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America site for newspaper articles about the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) and Truxton Circle. I lost the data I had for auctions and decided to stop including them because they were too much work.

For Rent- Flats– Evening star. [volume], November 17, 1897, Page 12,; The evening times. [volume], November 25, 1897, Page 3. The times. [volume], November 26, 1897, Page 3. “FOR RENT Sanitary Flats for white tenants only; Bates St., between P and Q, N. Capitol and 1st sts. nw.; 3-4 rooms; baths; cellar; separate entrance and yards; modern improvements; price, $10 to $12.50; erected by WASHINGTON SANITARY IMPROVEMENT Co. office 1819 Q st. nw. 8-9 a.m 12-1:30.4-7 p.m.”

Improved Alley Dwellings- Project of Sanitary Company Placed Before Commissioners– Evening star. [volume], June 07, 1898. “Ex-District Commissioner George Truesdell and Mr. George L. Andrews of the board of directors of Washington Sanitary Improvement Company had a conference with the District Commissioners yesterday for the purpose of enlisting the support of the Commissioners In the work of the company, and particularly to ask them to direct the improvement, at the rst [sic] opportunity, of Bates street between 1st and North Capitol and P and Q streets. The object of the company is to supply to wage-earners improved, wholesome houses at reasonable rents, not in any special locality, however, although until the principal inhabited alleys in the city shall have been converted into minor streets, a measure which the
company advocates in the interest of public health and morals, the dwellings erected by the company will be located upon established streets and avenues.
Two blocks of two-story brick apartment houses have been erected by the company on Bates street, there being sixteen buildings and thirty-two apartments In the two blocks, one of which is already occupied and the other block will be completed and occupied some time this month.
Four of the completed, houses contain apartments of four rooms each, with three large closets, and four have apartments of three rooms each; with two large closets, each apartment being provided with the best sanitary fixtures and with hot and cold water, together with a good range and 30-gallon boiler. These apartments were occupied as soon as completed last fall and the demand for them is now far In excess of the supply.
All this was told the Commissioners by Messrs. Truesdell and Andrews, who stated that the company, which is composed of people here of prominence in charitable matters, has no money-making purpose in view, but merely to supply houses of convenience and of the best sanitary arrangements to wage earners and thereby not only improve the health, but also the morals of the city, in that way setting an example which may be followed by owners of alley houses. Bates street in front of the buildings is in need of improvement, and the Commissioners were asked to put it at the head of the new streets to be improved.
The Commissioners expressed great gratification with the report made to them, remarking that in view, of the public character of the work of the company it is deserving of support. They stated that they will be very glad to have the improvements made at the first opportunity.”

Municipal Brevities– The times. [volume], October 04, 1898, Page 5. The DC Commissioners refused a request to plant trees on Bates Street.

Building Permits Issued– Evening star. [volume], August 03, 1901, Page 2. “Washington Sanitary Improvement Co., for repairs in rear of 77 Bates street northwest; cost $100.”

Building Operations- Evening star. [volume], March 08, 1902, Page 15. “A large addition Is to be made to the number of houses that have been erected by the Washington Sanitary Improvement
Company. The new structures will be thirty-four in number, and will be located on Bates, L, and Warner streets northwest. The type of house will be similar to those built by the company, and will consist of two stories, each containing a suite of rooms with separate entrances.
The work of building Is to be done under the direction or Mr. F. B. Pyle.”

Added to Schedule– Evening star. [volume], May 21, 1902, Page 16. and The evening times. [volume], May 21, 1902, Page 6. “At the request of Gen. G. M. Sternberg, president of the Washington Sanitary and Improvement Company, the District Commissioners have directed that Bates street be sprinkled dally.”

Bates Street Not to be Open at Present– The Washington times. [volume], March 16, 1903, Page 12. WSIC had to wait on Bates Street on Sq. 552 because alley dwellings needed to be condemned.

Real Estate Transfers– The Washington times. [volume], August 06, 1904, Page 8. “Alley between First and Third and P and Q Streets northwest District of Columbia Commissioner to trustees of Washington Sanitary Improvement Company, part square 552, $787.52”.

Plans for New Buildings– The Washington times. [volume], January 08, 1905, Metropolitan Section, Page 7. Article about building 21 houses in Truxton Circle.

Sanitary Houses Quickly Rented- Sixty-eight snapped up as soon as completed– The Washington times. [volume], November 19, 1905, Real Estate News of Washington, Page 3. WSIC homes on Bates, Q, and P were very popular.

Improvement Company will Build Six Houses– The Washington times. [volume], June 24, 1906, Metropolitan Section, Page 8. Article about building 201-205 P Street NW and 200-204 Bates Street NW.

Bloomingdale– The Washington times. [volume], July 01, 1906, Woman’s Magazine Section, Page 6. “A building permit has been issued to the the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company for the erection of three two-story brick buildings at 201-205 P street northwest, at an estimated cost of $11,500.
It has also secured a permit to build three houses of the same class at 200-204 Bates street northwest, just around the corner from the others. The plans have been furnished by Architect Appleton Clark and represent a class of houses which have become very popular in that neighborhood. They will all have the most modern conveniences and will be built in a substantial manner. Thomas Melton has secured the contract for building them and will have them ready for occupancy during the late summer.”

Brick Flat Building– Evening star. [volume], October 08, 1932, Page B-2. Building of 130 Q St NW for WSIC by the Mutual Construction Co.

Bates Street Mass Migration Leaves Many of 400 in Daze– Evening star. [volume], November 09, 1950, Page A-29. WSIC planned to sell 400 units and the residents, particularly long term renters were stressed. Long article by Robert L. Lewis.

WSIC-Newspaper Search part 4

This is a continuation of parts 1, 2& 3. I search the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America site for newspaper articles about the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company (WSIC) and Truxton Circle. When the WSIC ceased operations they began off loading properties via auction in the 1950s.

For Rent- Flats— The evening times. [volume], November 27, 1897, Page 3. “FOR RENT Sanitary Flats for white tenants only; Bates St., between P and Q, N. Capitol and 1st sts. nw.; 3-4 rooms; baths; cellar; separate entrance and yards; modern improvements; price, $10 to $12.50; erected by WASHINGTON SANITARY IMPROVEMENT Co. office 1819 Q st. nw. 8-9 a.m 12-1:30.4-7 p.m.”

Building Permits Issued– Evening star. [volume], July 16, 1901, Page 2. “Washington Sanitary Improvement Company, four two-story brick flats, 47 to 53 Bates street northwest; cost. $15,000.”

Real Estate Transfers– Evening star. [volume], February 28, 1903, Page 3. “Third and Q streets northwest-Marie C. Eustis to George M. Sternberg et al., trustees for Washington Sanitary Improvement Co., lots 15 to 23, square 552; $32,174.95.”

Building Permits Issued– Evening star. [volume], June 21, 1906, Page 3. “To the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company for three two-story brick dwellings at 200 to 204 Bates street northwest; architect. A. P. Clark, Jr.; builder, Thomas H. Melton; estimated cost, $11,500.
To the Washington Sanitary Improvement Company for three two-story brick dwellings at 201 and 235 P street northwest; architect, A. P. Clark, Jr.; builder, Thomas H. Melton; estimated cost, $11,500.”

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], June 05, 1953, Page C-5. Evening star. [volume], June 15, 1953, Page B-11. Auction of 220A Bates Street NW ($8000).

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], December 03, 1953, Page C-4; Evening star. [volume], December 12, 1953, Page A-13 . Auction of 56A Bates Street NW ($7500).

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], June 16, 1954, Page C-6. Auction of 220A Q Street NW ($7750), 212a Bates Street NW ($7750), and 121 Bates Street NW ($7500).

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], July 02, 1954, Page B-12. Auction of 54 Bates Street NW ($7500).

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], September 14, 1954, Page C-4. Auction of 60 Bates Street NW ($7750).

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], April 16, 1955, Page A-15. Auction of 22A O Street NW ($7500).

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], August 13, 1955, Page B-8. Auction of 211A Bates Street NW ($7750), 221 P Street NW ($8000), and 239 Que Street NW ($1788.54)

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– –Evening star. [volume], May 12, 1956, Page A-15. Auction of 1519 Third Street NW ($7750), and 205 P Street NW ($8000).

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], June 16, 1956, Page A-15. Auction of 27A Bates Street NW ($7500).

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], June 21, 1956, Page B-12. Auction of 18A O Street NW ($7500) and 27A Bates Street NW ($7500).

Auction Sales- Thos. J. Owen & Son– Evening star. [volume], September 08, 1956, Page A-14 . Auction of 34A Bates Street NW ($7500) and 55 Bates Street NW ($7750).