Daily globe., 1878-02-24

1Le House Of the Massachusetts Stntcs,ua,
Entirely Destroyed by Fire.
Boston Post.
About II o'clock Yesterday morning th,
people in the Webster neighborhood a
Marshfeld were aroused by an alarm of fire
the cause of which was conhagnation tha
ere it ceased destroyed the house in which
Daniel Webster spent the closing years of his
life.
The house was built prior to 1880. and ius
before its purchase in 1929 by Mr.. Webster
it was owned and occupied by Capt. Joh1
Thomas. It was situated nearly Thousand
feet back from the road. painted white. anc
almost hidden by the gigantic Gins surround
ing it. It was of no particular style o
architecture, its various additions having
been put on to suit the whim or convenience
OF it's owners, yet its appearance was very
quaint and pleasing. It was surrounded by
wide piazza, favorite resort in summer tc
those who visited the great statesman Or
the first floor their We're eighteen rooms.
These were arranged somewhat as follows
In a Gothic L was the library, and adjoining
that department was the drawing room and
~ bAAAtAAA ASSOpt1OAA AOO4u. NtAL CAME tue
dining hall, which was fifty feet in length
and passing through this the main hall, 12i
feet long, was reached. This apartment ex
tended the whole length of the building, and
the rooms already mentioned were west of it.
On the eastern side of the house was the
family sitting room, connected by short
passage with the breakfast room, and near
by was the kitchen, the extensive dairy, and
the woodshed, in which the fire started. The
second floor lad upon it fourteen rooms.
At the front of the house. on the right of the
hail. was that in which Mr. Webster died.
In the rear OF this were two other bedrooms
and on the opposite side Of the hall were nine
others, all very large. and two small apart
ments. The third story contained six rooms,
making the whole number in the house
thirtyeight.
In these rooms there was a large number
OF valuable articles. Among them were
portraits Of Lord Ashburton and Mrs.
Webster. painted by Eealey, a portrait OF
Mrs. Fletcher Webster. marble bust of Plus
*, a portion of Mr.. Websterts library. in
cluding valuable black-letter books and au-
thors' copies presented to Mr. Webster: en-
graved portraits of Melbourne, Wellington,
Burke, and other English statesmen: a
portrait of Queen Victoria. miniatures of
Mr.. Webster's children. scaglio table. the
gift of King Bomba set OF Sevres ware
once the property of Louis Philippe: por-
ton of the ''Rush silver" and the wedding
presents of granddaughter of Mr.. Webster,
valued at $4,000. and wholly uninsured.
just how many of these valuables were saved
is not yet known. but as soon as it was dis
covered that it was useless to combat the
flames all attempt was made to remove them
and quantity of silver plate. few pictures,
the portraits of Lord Ashburton and Mr..
Webfter, and some other articles were re-
moved to place Of safety. This disaster is
heavy blow to the surviving members of the
Webster family. Mrs. Fletcher Webster,
with her son. was residing in the house, and
for the past twenty years she has endeavored
to keep the mansion and its contents intact,
spending for that purpose the greater part
Of her income. The house was insured for
$4,000 in the Massachusetts Mutual In
surance Company, the furniture for $1,000,
and the pictures for 81, ZOO.