The Portland daily press., 1883-11-23
Washington Houses.
Some of the Noteworthy Dwellings, of Pub
lie Men.

lie Men.
Washington Corr. Boston Advertiser]
You can always form an idea of man
from the house he lives in. This is particu-
larly the case in Washington with public
men, the majority of whom come here old
enough to know what they want, and with
money enough to get it. Geographically,
Washington ls divided into four quarters.
Fashion knows only one, for, while people
| live elsewhere, to live properly is to be
northwest of the Capitol. There are still
few nice houses on the streets directly east
Of it, and good families live in them, but no
new ones are built there, and Capitol Hill is
synonymous with a sort of responsibility
which does not despise its expenses. Years
ago, when Benton, Webster and Calhoun
were dominant, the area just northwest of
the Capitol was the chosen centre for bellies
and beaux, but its glories have departed,
leaving stables and department people reg
nant; but the hedges, wide yards, and doub-
lie houses are still suggestive, in mild way,
of the time when householders reckoned
their frontage by the rod, and not by the
foot, as now, and when to be fashionable
was to have big rooms, open hearts, and
good cook. But those days are all gone by,
and the haut ton of to-day find dwellings a
couple of miles to the west, nearly over to
Georgetown. Mr.. Blaine went about to the
limit, mile above the White House, but
one winter satisfied him, and he is moving
back within stones throw of the execu-
tive mansion. 1t was not because his great
pile of brick rents for $4,000 year that he
gave it up, but it was too far out. He likes
better to be where there is some life. His
house was too large and grand for him. He
felt out of place in it. for Mr.. Blaine is nat
urally plain man, and he has no love for
the ostentation which great house neces-
sarily brings Yet Mr.. Cox has gone up to
that neighborhood and bought green stone
house, which he gravely calls ssthe speakers
house. possibly for the same reason that
the prisoner called his jail ssheartsease;" he
was bound to have the name if nothing else.
Just below, on Connecticut avenue, is a
succession of handsome houses. Gardiner
Hubbard, the telephone millionaire, who ten
years ago was lawyer in Boston with fair
practice, has palace on corner lot, its
feature the great window area. Then comes
the mouldy looking British legation with
blinds on the outside and a coronet over the
entrance. Across the avenue is the pretty
house which Secretary Frelinghuysen is just
finishing for his son-in-law and assistant
secretary, John Davis, while the other side
of the cross street is the rather stiff looking
place, frightened up by a deal of stained
glass, which Stanley Matthews bought when
once fairly seated on the supreme bench.
Secretary Folger used to rent plain house
in block here, but since then he has moved
further east In cheaper locality, where he
has pretty establishment near the house
built for the Chinese legation last year. At
toyney-General Brewster still lives on the
avenue, in the white brick palace which Min
lister 0utrey held high carnival in, when he
was the French minister 1t costs him So, 600
ayear, but he is rich. Below, facing Farra-
gut square, is the really magnificent row of
three houses, built by Hallett Kilbourne,
Governor Sheperd and star-router Brady in
their happy days. Brady alone holds the
ground, the others have gone away and the
Russian minister gives entertainments in
the Sheperd mansion. Speaking of the for
eign ministers reminds me that very few of
them keep up establishments. The Chinese
have just moved into Zach Chandler's house
next to the Alabama claims court. You can
see the minister's infant any day at the win
dow, with his nurse, just imported from
home; but few people ever go inside. The
Japanese have gentlemen parties occasional
ly through the winter, but Mr.. West and
Baron de Strive of Russia are really the on
ly dinner-givers in the diplomatic corps,
which goes once year to the Presidents
and to the Secretary of State, and that is
about all.
Secretary Frelinghuysen has to entertain.
He lives in a big house beyond Connecticut
avenue, and gives weekly receptions. They
- H. b. &I<-r1
which adorned Hamilton Fish's regime. 1t
is quite the proper thing to go to the Secre-
tary of States and Mrs. Frelinghuysen's "af
ternoons" are always crowded Further
along the same street is Secretary Chan
dler's. He has a very pretty brick house,
setting back a little from the street, bought
years ago and much improved. Next door,
General Butler lived while in Congress. 1t
is boarding establishment now. Two doors
beyond Mr.. Chandler's, Chief Justice Waite
has built himself tall, narrow house. There
is nothing handsome about it, but then he
is poor man, and only gives dinner occa-
sonally. He lays up something every year
out of his $40, 500 salary, and that does not
give room for much display. Next him is a
little negro shanty, and then big, square |
mansard-roofed house. 1t belongs to Mr.. |
Foster, our minister to Spain, but occupied |
now by Postmast ter General Gresham. Mr.. |
GOullbOu lives III dUOnb buLn q ploCO az l
Chicopee. So does Secretary Teller here,
but in not so fashionable part as his col |
league. Mr.. Teller is plain man, and he |
must sometimes shudder little at the glar- |
ing terra Gotta work between his front win |
dows. Mr.. Lincoln's quiet ways keep him |
back in society as well as in politics. Not |
one person in hundred knows where he |
lives. 1t is in plain house near Thomas
circle. Nearly opposite is the great barn
like brick affair, where lives Judge Wylie,
of star-route trial fame. 1t is worth 900
and he took it as a counsel fee dozen years
ago, when Thomas circle was out in the
country. Now on the upper side, in ter
race well back from the street, three adj
joining houses are those of Senators Ed |
munds and Bayard, and Justice Miller of the
Supreme Court. They are all handsome |
places. Mr. Edmunds' is the smallest,-so |
small that he only gives little dinner parties. |
Senator Morrill,, across the circle, has
large lot, and a matter-of-fact place. He |
built it for $4,000 few years ago, and re-
fused twice that sum within few weeks. |
Both the Vermont senators are thrifty men.
Colonel Lyman of Massachusetts has bought !
a residence few doors from Mr.. Edmunds, |
which is being lavishly improved for the
winters season.
But the most stylish places are farther
west, half way to Mr.. Blaine's. Close to-
gether are Don Cameron's great structure,
which no one will occupy this winter, and
across the street, Mr.. WINDOWS more at
tractive house, where Senator Palmer will
dispense hospitality. Both are on corners.
Cameron's cost abou $4,000, and WINDOWS
$4,000. Near by, Professor Bell, the tele-
phone magnate, has built himself really
handsome residence. tits full of odd quirks
and corners, with windows here and there,
showing that the interior cannot be stereo-
typed. But better than the mansion is a
little brick house next door, which he owns,
and where dozen deaf mutes are instructed
by his new method, free of charge. Do wn
the street are other nice places, belonging
to Justice Gray, Senator Pendleton, Mr..
Robson and others, but they are only mon
ey displayed in bricks and rtar,-noth-
ing more.
Opposite Wormley's Hotel is the sober
looking, square house which Zach Chand-
Ter gave Senator Hale. 1t was the executive
mansion once. Andrew johnson lived
there few days after Lincoln's assassina-
ton. General Buffers granite castle on
CAPITOL Hill divides with 1t this UNPLEASANT