The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-09-06
Houses at Homo and Abroad.

"A correspondent TCccllly lh0kcS some re
hectlons on the subject OF carriage entran
ces, as arranged in PArislan houses, whlcI
are quite worthy OF attention. Very few OF
onr architects. and still fewer persons OF
other professions, understand the value oi
This feature IN giving dignity and import.
ance TO an elevation NJ we'll as u plan. and
as consequence many opportunities for
the display of architectural magnitlcence,
which would he eagerly seized and adroit-
ly used by French architect, are In this
country thrown away. In fact. the whole
subject OF dlyniticd domestic architecture
needs serious study among the profession
here. The increase of wealth and expcnd.
iture has been 50 great that scores OF
houses are now bnilt every year IN New
York, Boston. Philadelphia and other
| cities which would 81 far as cost ID con.
ccrncd, be cass"d in any other country as
palaces, just as their owners would rank
among princes to tho extent that money
and luxury can give such distinction; but
these structures, 50 far from presenting
any grandeur or slatclincas OF aspect, gen
orally have an ar of inflated mcdlocrity,
like hotel, rather than the appropriate
shelter of That complex organism of scrv-
ICE and responsibility which even here
goes to make up n large establishment.
with all our democratic ways, there Is no
need of planning great houses. as we often
und them, in Which hundreds OF visitors
and guests arc entertained every week,
with exactly the same provisions for re-
cclving them that would be furnished in
the cottage of a mill operative, with tho
difference that everything in the n,anslon
would be on u larger scale. GA the occa-
81 inn nj II m FcIt, Is, ,,c
the owners OF houses on which millions OF
dollars have been spent are generally ex.
pcctcd to land from their carriages on the
sidewalk, to be welcomed by Il gihing
crowd or ruff ins, restrained by one or
two policemen from pressing upon the
dirty little strip OF carpet which leads ur
steep flight of stcps to the scene Of the
festivities, which proclaim themselves to
the hearing an'l sight of all the passcrs-by,
III manner quite destructive tn dignity.
Common as this disposition is To large
hous3s in London as we'll ~ in our owa
cltlcs, we imagine that there are few per-
sons who canno. SCI the advantage of the
French plan, by which the guests of the
honse, instead of landing on the sidewalk,
ar brought directly into the co ,rlyard,
where they are received, If not by their
instead of dirty mob and take their
leave in the same way, wilhOu, fear ot
annoyance from the rlllcncss 0t strangers.
Such distinctions as the carriage entrance
and courtyard give are easily obtained,
even in honsr built with strict economy
in regard 10 the amount OF ground COW
cred; hut where the owner of the mansion
can afford the cost great increase OF Dig
% I,N hn ftl, ;I,l a,lo
Hnfrc cOHr rF .jnytffn, tho ntroot front
being formed by ii low structure, contain
ing the rooms Of the concierge aud other
servants, with the carriage entrance in the
center, thanked sometimes 10y two project.
Ing wings OF the main house, which are
brought forward to the street. These,
with the low structure on the street, cn-
close the courtyard, beyond which is the
higher portion of the building, containing
the state entrance nnh the grand saloons,
which extends across the whole width of
the lol; and behind this portion, whose
facade gains greatly in distinction by It's
haughty w,,hnrawni from the public thor
ou ,htarc, is The garden, which is entirely
concealed from the view Of any one cX-
ccpt The inhahilan,s Of the hnIise, and Is
often hrou 5hL INTO very close connection
with this, nS sort of open. air pnrlOr.
Every architect can Gee TIM admirable
way IN which this ARIA IgcincnL lends
itself 10 stately and convenient ,iistribu-
ton Of rooms, aa well as to perfect
light and ventilation, ana although
house 80 planned would not be cheap.
there arc many people now who would
bn both alle and willing to pay for the
advantages winch il would possess, II
they were once pointed oat to them.