The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-11-17
BLA1NE'S RESIDENCE.
A Washington Residence That
Grew into a Tires)me
Elephant. ...


in Washington are very expensive
ones. There are but few of the So
called palaces built in the commer-
cial cities. The average house does
not cost over 50, 900 o, S3O. O.O00.
The house most talked about is the
one begun by Mr.. Baine when he
was secretary of state. This house ia
called palatial because it is large aud
cost much more than any Of the mod
cru houses Of Washington. 1t cast
SSJ 600. including the lot upon which
it stands, facing the wide Dupont
circle where Senator Stewart built
his castle several years age. The rir-
Gle rs long known as the honest
mans camp, for Stewart, when he
built here, went far beyond the then
fashionable locality, and ilis house
stood alone for some years. Stewart
found the very next year that ha
could not afford to live in his house.
It has been shut practically, tor =
number of years, the moths niaking
satin-covered furniture.
Blaine's house is nearly in the
shadow of this ill-fated castle. Ii
stand on high terrace about six feet
above the street. 1t ~ built tor show
and comfort at the same time.
There are twenty-four rooms in it ALI
Digs it made with the view of enter
tanning large companies When this
mousse was planned Blaine was a
great fgnrar in American politics.
His was the dominating will Ct the
Garfield administration. tn all im-
poriant matters he welded the DOW
er Of the Chief Magistrate. With
MS pa-ionate love Of Dowerand great
ambition Blatne resolved to call to
his advantage all the aids Of socia!
life. He said he would build for
himself a splendid house where tie
brilliancy Of the receptions and the
gifts of the talented host would over
shadow even The White House.
Cloudel hy the small means OF tbe
Garfield family and the active dis.
like Of Mrs. Garfield 10 anything
like social display. tn everything
Blaine is keen Speculation. He
bought land quietly about the place
where he intended to build, and
then permitted ii to he known that
he was going to build a great house
there. Sk,ilful real estate agents
blew this fact through large horns,
and the lots around about went up
rapidly, 50 when Mr.. Blaine came to
sell out he was able to clear the price
of his own lot.
Guitean's bullet found him with
his house on his hands. Blaine at
first resolved 20 sell it outright but
the social ambition of his wife 0p-
posed the eale. She thought it would
lOOOk as il they were hit with disap-
pnintnent if they should give up the
house about which so much had
been said and written so soon after
his retirement from the cabinet.
Blaine soon went into the new house.
The family soon found that it wa.
too prominent and too large. They
We're overwhelmed with visitors
from al! parts Of the world, Tie
family had no official engagements
to protect their pivacy. Nine ser
wants were re4uird, ana they were
too much fer even Mrs. Blaine, whe
who had positive will of her own.
Mrs. Blaine, when spring came, Said
she was tired Of keeping a hotel. If
her husba nd had some official posi-
ton to sustain. the social prestige.
might have compensated her. She
said to Mr.. Blaine that she was tired
Of the whole thing. 1t was an ele.
phaEt The game was not worth the
candle. The family was small, and
there was no reason why she should
work like g:!ley->Iave to keep the
hotel and servants in order TO sustain
merely a private position. Every
thing in social life in Washington
runs after the people in power,
Mr.. Blaine ranked rs a worty citizen
and member of the btst society
none of the society leaders ran after
MIN. The great louse did not make
up to t BlaiDes the loss of their OF
fetal position. This was anoth.c
alsa appoint:ng element TO Mrs. Blaine
in the new house. When he went
away this summer Ms. Blaine had
resolved 20 Civ" up the hou~e ab-o-
luteiy. Mr.. Blaine, who was hard
at word on his book, and cnnsrquen.-
ly ready to Go'anytsins f0. Il ouie,
life, consented readily enough, 1nen
the shrewd speculator left his bo"i,.
long enough to rent his place to Lei
ter, the Chicago millionaire. Tie
Letters are going t. do what is called
1.-THE social act" and as he has so
OOO, ,OO) to do ii with he was q good
customer tor Mr.. Blaine. The latter
has rented ,e house for 3ll O0D and
the pa .,nlent of the taxes. This is Ii
good peCentage On his original i'll
vestment. Furniture and all INSIDE
must lie inside ot 5 90, coo.
He is certain to make a very hand
some some Of money on b history
Of From LincouIn to Garfield"
The hook is t. b.. sold by st,>crip-
ton. Blaine is to have Il on each
volume Ut the very lca-t. As Mr..
Blaine has other work. nn the st 'cks,
of historical character, il viii b,
seen that he is not Very near starv.
alton, whatever may hahpen to what
he has already acquired IVashjny-
ton Letter.