Register (Adelaide, SA : 1901 - 1929), Saturday 13 April 1901, page 7


IMPORTANT LAND SALE.

KING WILLIAM STREET PROPER TIES SOLD.

One of the most valuable set of Adelaide properties ever offered for sale by auction was put to the hammer in the banqueting room of the town hall on Friday after

noon, April 12, by Mr. G. Dutton Green, of Green & Co. 'Large plans showed the situation of the blocks, which were ordered to be sold by the trustees of the settle ments of the Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Mon-tefiore: The lots submitted included the well-known business premises in King Wil liam street, occupied by Mr. W. C. Rigby, Crawford & Co., Matters & Co., Mr. R. Da vis, and Mr. T. Kast, Barrier Cham bers, and the Southern Cross Hotel. In Grenfell street there was the block occupied by Tattersall's Club; and in Waymouth street there were portions of town acres 201 and 202. The value of the properties drew an exceedingly large number of land agents and other city business people. The auctioneer, having read the usual condi-tions of sale, indicated that the reserves would allow him to dis pose of tlie lots privately if the biddings were not satisfactory. After a few preliminary remarks lot 1, Mr. W. C. Rigby's business premises, returning an annual rental of £168, was put up. The first bid was £3,000, and in £100 advances it went to £4,000, at which it fell to Mr. Rigby, who immediately signed the con tract. The next was Messrs. Crawford's, with a rent of £210, which Mr. Green him self started at £4,000. Bidding was brisk, and an additional £1,000 was put on. and then by £50 rises the price reached £5,250, when Mr. W. Kuhnel secured the proper ty. The Southern Cross Hotel, rent £400,. had a start at £8,000 by Mr. Gavin Gard ner, but progress was slow, and at £9,100 it was passed in. Later on it was sold to Mr. J. Angus Johnson for £9,250. Tat tersall's Club with shops in Grenfell street, subject to a yearly rental of £120, was offered. The start was made at £2,500, and the lot went to Mr. M. Solomon, for Tattersall's, at £3,100. The bidding on the next lot, three shops in King William street, occupied by Matters & Co., R. Da vis, and T. Kast, was arranged at an amount per foot. The frontage is 50 ft. to the main thoroughfare, but at £260 per foot it was passed in. Barrier Chambers, a 21-ft. property adjoining the last lot on the north, was knocked down to Mr. Frank Johnson at £275 per foot. The total price, therefore, was £5,575. All the King Wil liam street land having been dealt with several of the audience left. Lot_No. 7 was put on one side, and a block having a 72-ft. frontage to Waymouth street and 90- ft. deep was passed at £5,400, and the auc tioneer asked in vain for a price for lot 9, 108-ft. frontage to a private road behind lot 8, having seven two-storied dwelling houses on it. Another part of the same town acre with 50-ft. frontage to the same private road, on which are erected two wiirehouses built of stone, reached £1,650, but that did not come up to the reserve. Farms in Wiltochra and Ooomooroo could not be disposed of. The total amount rea lized at the sale was £27,375.