New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-06-06
ADMIRAL PoRTERS HOME.
Exam va Kn,hinnton RepubIie.


There can scarcely be found in Washington. with
all its beautiful residences and charming archltec-
ture, picturesque home than thai OF t'le Az
miral Of the United states Navy. 1t IS OF Drlck,
painted brown, with fantastic window ana door
caps and the same style of ornamentatlon az tue
cornlce. Stained glass windows added 10 que UNI
usual OrnamentatiOn, give the house an Orlenta,i
look. The main building is three stories hlRh, WIN
the entrance the centre On the west sue oI ms
building is ballroom OF one story, Dnt unusuai Nv
high and adjOn ng that is wall, sullnounteu "
an iron fence. Behind this WALL ana at the slue
and rear of the house, are beautiful grounds; WIN
a fountain, dense Shade-trees and thousanu pIos-
sominp flowers What adds TO the beauty ana PIC
tnresoueness of this great hCues the lnkurousness
of the foliage which surrounds 1t on every slae'
Inside this beautiful home there IS q quiet ait OF
established comfort and elegance. There are many
houses more extensively furnished but there can
he more interesting An ola naval oiIeeI, no
has taste and money, las the opportunity 10 gel
many rare, beautiful and curious thnPs 20 auOrh
lis residence H lays the whole world under con,
trbutiun The walls are covered with mirrors ana
n,ctnres the mantels have rare and curious Orna-
ments and costly clocks and vases, ana Inc rooms
are filled with strange things lion foreign ANUS
A mante set of three pieces of gold bronze anu apps
ldsaE, very rich and expensive were imported lor
Mrs Lincoln but they never found thor way tOthe
White House., Another rare Object IN one Oh tiie
parlors is q valuable china vase, when Dtl0neeu,
and still belongs | should say, to MIS-. Jefferson
Davis Ii was token away from Davis's liOuse by
Mr. Gttorncy-Gencral Devcus after Lee had lett
RIcbmond and The Federal Army had taken posses
sion, General DcVens was one OF the IIsL oH'GiS
TO enter Richmond, and. ike many other Oicels nc
wanted a relic u III Davis E1llllAs
The hOdse of Admiral Porter IS M historic one. IL
was built by Richard Rush about 1913, when he
was Acknowledgement. Il has been The ABIDING
place of Judges, generals and St9te>mcn anu mas
always been celebrated for its hospitality. At 0!e
time it was owned by. General PM hearneY' ana
two successive Ministers from England occupltu H.
One of them, Lord Lyons, built The ballroom as an
annex. Hamilton Fish, when 10 was senator
owned and occupied tGs house ne solq ~ 90
Colonel Hodge. pay master ~ III" AilIN, u'I "nou
twelve years ago IL was bought ~ Admiral Porter
who made many improvements aud additions
Won enter Admiral Portcl's Office from h's paTlor,
nm a short flight of stars A queer place! An nId
lounge some rusty chars faded carpet, a lew
books III cases, Il number Of drawings ana pLOo-
graphs on the walls. In one corn are nail nun
iretl models of tOrpejuCs, with very harmless TN
tubcs aud pine stems. believe these have all bceh
patented, and the Admiral Is OHiY waning Ior
another war to make Use OF them. very luielest
ing relic framed aud resting on the maniti j. ~
autograph letter Of Admiral Nelson's daieu va
London July 80, 1903" There Is near II me 'ast
or almost the last letter written by AdhilaI I4Iia
fut II was written on board the Iallapocs3, june
%, 1870, aud was very friendly III tohr' showing
that there WAS 10 ill-feeiirg between the TWO
officers as was inferred at one time. On tee Walls
are photographs OF Generals Meade SHERMAN, NIal'
and others, and drawings of several shlps az" en-
gagemcnts. An immense shield occuPiS CI"-
sp!cuOus place in the room covered WIN 1ihPie
mems of warfare mostly knives, short SNoidS ana
daggers. These have histories, some oi theui beihE
200 years old. The collection was gwen 10 A"h""
Porter by Captain DTaytOn.
This Office Is without doubt the only one winch
never cost the Government ANYTHING IL Wa biiilt
without aid, furnished by the Admiral, ana inc
country does not have to pay cent for anything
in connection with 1t.
admiral Porter il man OF the quietest
habits lie was born in Philadelphia IN June.
1915, the son Of - Commodore III the Navy.
He saws himself that his youth WAS disiiii-
guished for nothing except that he was generally
regarded as about tho worst boy IN Chester. lie
does not remember anything worse bat he d,d t:a
breaking the Sabbath. rObbing hen-rcnSts anu
fighting chickens lie entered the Navy "A Md
shIpman at slxteen and became lieutenant IL
1871. When the California gold fever was nj IL
height he obtained leave OF abseuce and com
nanded mail steamer between New-Iork ana
Aspinwall Tor three years. lie brcdmc Admiral
npOn the death Of Faragut, his commission daIlng
from August Is, 1870. HIS family consists OF ms
wife four sons and two daughters. One oi his sons
is in The Navy one III the Manue, CORPS, ana me
married to Lieutenant Logan. al the Navy.