Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-11-28
enc
With al intelligent persons il the first
desire OF the heart, and the poet says

/ lie IL ever 70 nuf0DC,
There's no place like homc''
II. however, a man or woman has
the means TO make home attra ctive,
80 much the better, and in order to
do this people must study comfort a.
well as appearance. The first thing,
therefore, that tho wise person, In
this age, does is to seek the advice of
the architect who will teach the build
er to erect his house not only SO that 1t
shall present an attractive exterior
but also q comfortable INTERIOR
What has led lis to make these re-
marks Is the fact of recently having
inspected one Of the attractive resi-
dences in our city--one that the tray
'cler, let him come by what convey
ance he will, cannot help but notice,
as it occupies one of the most COM
handing as well as beautiful plats of
ground on the bluffs which surround
our city. We allnde to the handsome
residence Of Mrs. Maria Jordan, on
Court street, which was completed
this fall, and has lately been occupied
by her and her interesting family Of
sons and daughters.
This residence is built of brick, "a
feet deep and As feet in width at its
widest part, is three stories high and
has . Mansard roof which makes it
virtually four stories. The ground
plan is in the shape ola cross, the head
being toward Court street, the foot
extending to the rear. On the first
floor lisa family or sitting room lSx4O
entered by door on the south side,
q hall 10x24, from which fine stair
way leads to the second or main sto-
ry. There is also on the first floor q
large sewing room, fine dining |
room, kitchen, and rear stairway to
the servants above the dining room
is wainscotted with alternate panels
Of ash and walnut and the floor is
laid of the same material and oiled.
The main or second floor is reached |
rom the front by broad flight Of
steps leading up to handsome vo-
'andah leading along the whole west
md south fronts. After entering the
Ipaci0us hall, the first room to the
light, Is feet square, is q reception
'oom, and next to this, back of it and
he hall, are the parlors, 16x4S feet,
by handsome and massive
Gliding doors. In the rear of this
arge bedroom, servants room and
tairway leading downt to the kitchen.
! The woodwork on this floor, in
luding outside doors, is all con-
tructed Of handsome black walnut,
md oiled. The third floor and the
story are divided into hand
ONE bedchambers. The woodwork
IN the third and fourth floors is fin
shed in pine and handsomely grain
ID in bird's-eye maple and walnut.
rhe three front hall stairways are al
% constructed of black walnut
md are fine specimens of work
nanship.
Altogether the house contains p
'ooms. On the north and south side
ire handsome bay windows, which
bass up through the sitting room and
,arlor, reaching up to the fourth sto-
y, and they not only add materially
10 the gracefulness of the exterior
,ut also to the cheerfulness of the in
erior. Taken altogether il is much
he finest residence we know of in
his section Of country. Occupying
. high and commanding position the
view of the landscape in all direc-
ions is beautiful and enhancing.
From the third and fourth stories the
beautiful Des Moines can be seen for
miles up and down stream, and Dab
omega and Agency City are in plain
view.
The building was designed by Pick
1T & Carnes, who also had the con-
tract for all the woodwork, and we
must say the work is well done. The
brick and stone work was done by
Sam Hendrix, the Hoosier bricklay-
er, and is an unexceptional job. The
was done by Nation &
Rces, the painting, granting and oil |
ing by n. A. Wilson in the most
complete and artistic style. Taken
rs a whole the building is a complete
family residence and reflects great
credit on its owner, Mrs. Jordan.