Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-17

The Palace of n Former Washington
Correspondent.

The Palace OF Former Washington
Correspondent.
New York Correspondence Of the Chicago Interocean
For long time the dwellers on Murray Hill
have marveled at the reported splendors OF the
mansion being erected on Madison avenue by
Mr.. Henry Willard, the railway magnate.
Through the courtesy Of the architects. your
correspondent to-day procured the necessary
pass and visited the Colossal structure Mr..
Wizards new house. or rather houses. occupies
an entire block having a frontage on Madison
avenue of 200 feet.
That part which he will occupy is on the
corner of 5lst street. Its frontage is GO feet
and its depth 100 feet. The other wing will he
precisely similar. except that it is divided int
three houses. and between the two wings is a
court 50 feet in width and 15 feet in depth That
portion of the building back of the court extends
back 10 feet beyond the wings aud is double
house OF itself.
In the center Of the court will be placed a
magnificent fountain around which will be a
broad drive. and in each corner a grass plat
Each house Will communicate directly with the
court. Mr.. Wizards house and the two center
houses are completed, excepting the interior.
while the walls OF the remaining Winrs are I'D TO
the second story. The exterior of the great
building is more grand than beautiful 1t is the
result of a combination Of Roman and Florentine
architecture. plans of the Cancelleria Palace at
Rome and the FarneSe Palace being copied by
the architects. The material is Belleyilie sand
stone. the light grayish amber stone of which
Trinity church was built
EVERYTHING Is MASSIVE
and there is little attempt at ornament Huge
blocks OF stone are piled one upon another, and
overtopped by heavy cornice of the same ma
terial.
The wings are three stories in height. besides
the basement and attic stories From the side
walk to the top of the cornice the measurement
is is feet The basement and first story are rus
ticated and the others plain stone asher, with
the angles strengthened by rustication. The
front OF the two center houses is supported by
i've arcadeS. with heavy columns of polished
Jonesboro' granite. Dutch tiles cover the root
The whole effect is severe and digniied.
Entering the spacious portal OF the Willard
residence. your correspondent found himself in
a magnificent reception room. IA feet by IS in
depth. Everything here was in inlaid wood.
tioor ceiling, walls and columns. On either side
opened the drawngrOoms. They are each 10
by % feet. and are being finished in mahogany,
inlaid with light woods, satinwood and maple
being noticeable. Between the pilasters will be
hung rich embroidered stutls. The predominant
ing tones are light reddish brown and light
yellow.
THE DRAWING ROOMS AND RECEPTION ROOM
II
one spacious apartment 100 feet in width and %
in depth From the reception room hall IA
feet in width and ~ in length leads to the music
room. Aladdns lamp never revealed a hall
more magnificent. 1t is entirely in mosaic. The
material is yellow italian marble The floor is
in chaillOn marble in small pieces woven into
beautiful designs.
The mantel Is masterpiece of the sculptor
from an Italian design, and the whole apart
ment was executed by Italian artists in the
style of modern POmpeian palaces The hall is
spanned by three semi-crcular arches in Sienna
marble with sculpture by Louis st. GaudenS. A
yestibule in the same design leads out of the
hall, back of the drawng groom. The music
room is the chef d Guvre Of the decorators
art. 1t is dininutive theater IS by a feet in
dimension and 81 feet from floor to ceiling. eX-
tending to the third story. 1t is in the style of
the Francis |. room of Fontainbleu palace. The
coiors are white and gold. A wanscOting s feet in
height in carved pine surrounds the room. At
one end is a gallery for the musicians. The
ceiling is an eliiptical vault. and every detail
shows the skill of the artist. Between the
niuslc-room and vestibuie marble stairs II feet
broad lead TO the upper stories Again the tone
is yellow. An elaborate renaissance ceiling
spans the stairs. An elevator way occupies the
remaining space. Across the hall are the main
dinng-room and breakfast-room. which can be
thrown into the apartment 20 by 60 feet in size
Carved woods again replace the marble. The
room is executed In English oak inIaid with ma
ho%any. The ceiling is divided with beams
cased with English oak. and the carved frieZes,
three feet in width are inlaid with floral de-
signs. The two nlantcls are of red Verona
marble ana are copies of those which Mr. Mead
was sent 10 Italy to select. but which arrived in
somewhat damaged condition and were pre-
snnted by him to the Museum Of Art. Here also
st. Gdu,lens skill is seen.
The upper stories are in keeping with the
sDlendcr below, although. of course. not so
elaborate. The general style is Italian renais-
sancc.
THE FURNITURE
win be especially magnificent. That of the
drawing room will be upholstered and of colors
harmonzing with the decorations, the reddish
brown tone predOminating. 1t was designed
by the architects who executed the rooms. The
other houses will he finished in a style bccom-
ing their pretensions. although nothing like
this. The cost Of the building unfinished will
be an even million dollars. OF this amount the
decorating OF the drawing-rOOms cost S50. 900;
the dinng-r ROOM $50 000 the hall, $50, 900, and
the music room $50, 900. As much more will be
expended on other work in the latter room a
year hence. To finish the interior of Mr.. Vii
lards house necessitates the expenditure Of
$50, 900. The upper floors are now about COM
pleted and the furniture Is arriving.
Mr. Wizards family will occupy them in two
or three weeks. and the remainder of the house
viii be finished by mid-wintcr. Mr.. Willard has
disposed OF the two houses in the main part of
the building to Messrs. Holmes and Adams,
lawyers who will occupy them
The structure. when completed, will be the
most magnificent residence building in the
country. far surprising the Vanderbilt houses.
1t is the first attempt made to reproduce an
Italian palace in America and the architects
are deservingiy proud of their success. Henry
Nillard's house may we'll be said to be palatial.
1t is a palace, in fact