, 1879-07-27
RE:AI. ESTATE.
Something New in Houses."'A
E;re.Proof Residence.
Unusual Number of Fine Dwell
. ings Now Building.
Description Of he Most Interesting speol-
mems Of Hcuse-A1ci.itecture.

Sales and Rui:ding Permits Of the
Week--Gtreet Improve
ments.
Development of the ParEs---N7w Ideas in
Payirg~-EleYated Railroads.
A tre-proof residence Is something Of a
novelty in this country. The new residence
that Burling & Whitehouse, architects, are
erecting for Mr.. s. II. Nickerson, President Of
claim to attention. 1t will be, besides this,
notable as the
LARGEST PRIVATE HOUSE
in the city. In size it ranks both Mr.. George N.
Pullman's house and that of Mr.. Cyrus Il. Nc
Cormick, which have been till now the Cog and
Afagog OF house-architecture in this city. Mr.
kickerson's house, which is up to the basement
stands or the northeast corner of Cass and Erie
Streets The dimensions OF the ground-plan arc
102xso feet 1t will be three stories high, be-
sides the basement. Bedford stone will be the
material Of the basement, and the superstruct~
ure will be Of Ohio stone from the Amherst
quarries. Columns OF granite will support the
about the exterior, to the great qualification OF
those lovers OF the true, the good, and beauti-
full whose eyes have been made sore
BIT sEEMo WOODEN sTooPs
and porches put on S25000 aud $4,000 houses
In too many Chicago houses expenditure seems
to have run riot till the front s1oop
YVES reached, when the easy step from
:he sublime TO the ridiculous was
made in wood. The interior OF Mr.
Nickerson's house is rendered completely fire.
proof by the same general methods of construc-
ton that we're followed In the Singer building,
now owned By Field & Letter. The floors are
laid on iron beams, between which brick arches
are sprung. These arches are over1afd with
cement. The handsome stairway thatrises from
the centre Of the main hall, opposite the front
ooor, will be bnlit of marble. Tile and stone
will constitute most of the interior surfaces that
are not decorated. The main floor will be
divided into 8 hall 1883, with 8 mar
BILE stairway III the centre, parlor is
I'D, second oarlor 1923, a library
tSx23 an art gallery 23I38 lighted from above,
i dining-room 1890, smoking room 1S120,
rentleman's reception-room 18x20. There will
be on this floor two f1re-proof vaults, water
elevator and the kitchen and domestic Offices
4 novelty in the interior construction is to be
the
ENTIRE ABSENCE OF PLASTER
There is to be plaster laid on any Of the walls
The interior surface will be marble, tile, orna-
mental woods, and hangings and tapestries
Chicago has been fortunate IN escaping the
monotony that mars the architecture OF older
cities. The brown-stone fronts Of New York
and the brick rows Of Baltimore or Philadelphia
have no parallel here A business district that
has been entirely rebuilt since 1871 would nat
1rally present great diversities OF outline. In
OUT residence quarters the fashionable tendency
has been, and is, to build unlike one's neighboE,
and not, as in New York, to ape the brown
stone front next door. During the present
season an
UNUSUAL NUMBER OF FNE HOUSES
have been put up or begun. The palatial home
nj hfr. Cyrus a. Mccormick has been pushed
nearly to completion, the beautiful residence OF
Mr.. Nickerson, described aboVe, has been be-
gun, and great many Others erected that at
tract admiration Tor the beauty OF their exterior
and the elegance and convenience OF the in
terror arrangements. Messrs. Palmer g. Spin
ming have planned for Mr. Il. ]. Willing, Of the
firm Of Field, Letter d Co., residence iq the
and Ontario streets "A Minnesota lime
stone, of rose color, will be the ma
feria1 The Trimmings will be dressed. and the
waita rocl-faced The qround nian will be 71x7B
feat' and the h;pbr three stories, basement,
49, '.+tlc 6,e ~ The most noticeable Of die
1asr honses ~ the North Side is that built by
no .eme arch;tects for Narl- Skinner. ESQ. at
she aonthweet corner If Rush and Ontario
.treefs r * of Ohio sandstone in two colors,
n1ff md hine Fno1;sh Gothfc Describes the or
Ser ~ orchifectnrr which has nlain but mass
~. ra e{Fact n the main hall there Is a 1arre
.-N.11"." ~ ~ ..s.@' .@o.,- .,.e. ..,.,-n,
ohpfAoaios1o o."NA -, TANA. ~ AAeH
Tor burning logs Of wood, win stone mantel-
piece, u the English style, reacnns 70 the cell
a1.. The ceiling. door, and "alnseollng are OF
oaE. There Is 8 steam passeneefeieEator. Inc
house is heated BY not water ana steam' An
especially hne room Is the library, 1f1=s, Win
bookcases lining al the "al!S- =.
Burnham q Root are ofniuing Tor Mr. r. 5.
stcsney y house n the l1allan renaissance
:tyle: It stands On huron street, between Cass
and Rush, is 46x7o, with pressed-orlck XaHs and
Itone trlmnlnSs- conservatory opens INTO
the hall from under the stalr~ays, ana from me
second landing OF the STAIRS one can look
through large WINDOWS upon
ITS LEAVES AND FLOWERS
Bpecia1 attention has been paid to the arrange
menr unu decoration of the library, It will be
i7x35, with bookcases eight feot high, extend
ing aroupd the room The walls will be painted