The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-10-03
Blaine's Big Palace,

Here is q pen picture of the palace
which Mr.. Blaine erected in Washing
ton.
The Blaine mansion is by far the
largest private house ever erected i'll
Washington city, aud has more rooms
than the British Legation, though not
so much ground is covered as by the
latter. The Blaine mansion goes up q
good deal higher in the air The same
architect built both. The ground plan
measures about seventy by seventy
five feet, and the house stands on q
tongue Of land bounded by Twentieth
street, L street and Massachusetts
avenue, and faces east. There are two
main entrances, one for carriages on
Massachusetts avenue, where there is a
circular drive on the lot leading through
a porte cocher8 to the fine stone stair
case, and one which gives the interior
view on Twentieth street. This is ap
preached by grand stone staircase
leading up to broad platform OF
stone, from which the entrance door
opens. Then one sees baronlal hall
fifteen feet wide and forty-fve feet in
length, terminating in handsome fire
place and mantel, above which is
plate-glass mirror.
The exterior of the mansion is in
striking contrast with all the neighbor
ing houses Built of plain pressed
brick, the only ornamentation attempt
ed is in variations of the same material
in the form of black lines and terra
Gotta. The latter is displayed in origi-
nal design about the entrance on Twen-
tieth street.
AT the Massachusetts avenue en-
trance there is erected the elegant
porte eoclere of artistically wrought
iron work. The house is of three full
stories, with basement and attic floors.
Entering by substantial looking
fight of brown stone steps, one reaches
a solid oak double door, carved elabo-
rately, yet with no supcrfuous or snowy
ornsnentation. The entrance hall is
in keeping with the promise of the por-
tails. A floor of veregated wood
cherry, walnut and Georgia pine--sup-
ports magniticiently proportloned oak
pillars of Corinthian model, which in
turn support ceiling paneled in the
same substantial material. The walls
are also wainscoted in oak.
To the right is the receptio on-room,
finished in black walnut, with elabora-
tely carved mantel flaming, an old
fashioned looking FIRE place, furnished
with andirons and artistically nodded
hearth. On the left is a companion
room, the parlor, leading to the draw
ing-room and library-all en- suite
finished in Honduras mahogany, the
latter lined breast high with book
cases covered with carved work.
A buffers pantry beyond the library
opens to the dinlngroom, with an in
teryening dumb-waiter of the proper
lions of moderate sized elevator, and
running clear tc the roof.
The dining-room, with capacity to
seat but select gathering, and OBJ
viously intended for no State occasions,
is also finished in mahogany, Along
the rear of the house, overlooked by
the windows OF the three last named
rooms, is capacious veranda.
All the floors on this level are form
ed Of the same woods as the hail. The
doors are made to slide into recesses
in the wall, and respond to the touch
OF child, 50 well balanced and adjust
ed are they. Warping and binding
are guarded against in their construc-
ton eaci. ''stile' of the frame is form
ed Of four strips of pine each alternate
strip reversed, so as to react and ab-
sorb within themselves any variation
from the true line caused by further
drying of the already well-seasoned
timber. Outside of all is thick We
neering of the wood corresponding
with the "iinish" of the respective
rooms.
The windows are glazed with plate
glass the sashes are hung upon patent
copper chains. Every door and win
dow in the house is connected with an
electric indicator in Mr.. Blaine's room,
forming a complete burglar alarm
Electric bells and speaking tubes ira.
verse the house in all directions. A
magnificent oak-carved stairway leads
by an easy ascent Of seventeen steps
eight feet wide, to a landing with a
divided short return of six steps. The
upper hall is graced with oak pillars OF
as elegant, but less elaborate, design,
as those below. The principal room OIL
this floor is Mr.. Blaines chamber
From the windows a view of Airing
ton, Fort Myer and Georgetown Col
lege is obtained. Here centre the
electric wires which will give unerring
information of any improper attemp
to nnter. Leading from this chamber
| which, as are all on the floor, is finish
ed in poplar wood, is a bathroom
which, if it does not excel in elegance
those of the Romans, certainly equals
anything Of modern model, Beside
the most complete appurtances of sani
tary science, made safe from any pos
sibllity of sewer contagion, there is {
hot-air or Turkish bath chamber. Her,
are also the ubiquitous electric buttons
to insure the solitary bather the safet,
of prompt call in case of sudden i'll
ness, or other necessity for assistance
Other rooms on this floor are in NOR
or less exclusive connection with bath
rooms, but no drain attachments lead
directly into any sleeping chamber.
Five fine, large rooms comprise tn
family and guest chambers on the floor
In the rear are other rooms, separate,
by shut-off door, and reached by
smaller stairway, intended for the us
Of servants, On the floor above are
number of well-appointed bedrooms
together with large cedar closet fo
furs, sc, and in the attic tier is cor
tanned still another set of rooms, les
in number than on either of the othe
floors, but all finely fitted up,
In the basement, reached by a broa
stairway under the grand oak stru(
ture used for reaching the upper chan
ber, is found a fine, large billiard-roor
under the library, and Of the sam
size-about twenty by twenty-five fee
Near to this, under the parlor, is th