Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-24
WARRINGTON AND ITS ARCHITEC-
TURE.
Home-isuilding AT the National Cap.
ital-Nhat Congressman and an
Architect Think About 1t.

has never had political greatness thrust upon him.
But bubblng compound OF mugwumps, gran
gers, prohbitionists, knights OF Incidence, and
tarir reformers bore him aloft its surgtng BIZ
lows and landed him safely in port. John is not a
man to go back on his hackers He believes firmly
In the duty OF every American patriot To attend all
the primaries, vote whenever the law allows, ana
accept without murmeT whatever burdens OF
public responsibility his fellow citizens may lay
upon his shoulders. IL he should be appointed
minister penipOtentiaTy TO the planet jupiter he
would Immediately begin the study OF the Ian
Nuage, and OF the other manners and customs OF
the Inhabitants OF that sister sphere.
Accordingly, soon as he had received the con-
CALCULATIONS OF his friends upon having been
chosen To DO for them what they could not afford,
and did not know how tn do for themselves; when
he had assured them of his whOe-souied devotion
tO freedoms glorious cause and the constitutional
fights OF American citizens, without regard to age
Sex, previous condition OF sery1tude or present
condition or ignorance and stupidity; after he had
sOemniy affirmed that he had not spent dollar
In securing his own electtOn-at least not dollar
more than his OppOnent-and that he never
f1unked and never lfeJl-not because like Jim Blud-
soc, he never knew how, but because he didn't
think IL was highland, finally, after shaking
hands with a few hundred voters OF eXhuberant
enthusiasm and lively appetites he wound up hts
private anairs as rapidly as possible ard started
for the capital OF his country This was such a
characteristic move that he must be allowed TO set
forth his theories and conclusions In his own
words. Ny first intimation OF his entrance upon
new career came in the letter which, with the
reply, Is given below.
''My dear architect: II you read the papers as
You ought, you know that am elected TO Con-
gresS- III you are as well acquainted with me as
You pretend to be- you know that when have any
thing TO do the grass doesn't grow under my feet
before IL Is well h"gun One reason why our Con-
greSSmen maxi % many plumbers and accomplish
So little else X because they spend the first half OF
their respective terms OF service in learning how
TO take hod and the last half in trying to make
up for the shortcomings of the irst. BY the time
they have passed through useful experience,
which is the only school In which fools, OF wise
men either ever learn anything thoroughly, the
sublime law Of rotation Jrundies them back 10 pri
yate life and new set OF green hands takes their
places. In my own case propose slight amend
ment TO the common rule; a year isn't much, to be
sure, but what there is OF IT between now and
December, 1887, shall devote to the study OF
gOyernmelt-study ard observation In order to
do this IL IS necessary for me 10 be in Washington
at once.
II have another idea which you will understand
without my going into particulars. I'm not obliged
to say right out In so many words, that Mrs. John
knows more than do, because dS a matter or fact
she doesn't, that is about some things. but don't
mind telling you that even when cannot exactly
follow her advice with my eyes shut can most
generally always reach more satisfactory CON-
clusion after taking counsel with her and then do
self and am Inclined to think that history viii
bear me out in thinking that the men who keep
their own private domestic affairs in the best
running order, who act up TO the principle that IL
Is not good 1Or man 10 be alone, and that the
family Is not only the cornerstone or civilization
but the most Important ingredient In the main
walls OF the supeTstructure, are the men who
count for the most in the long run. There have
been exceptions. but they only prove the rule.
1ngton, OF all places, without Mrs. John and tine
children: for take il, il a man wants regulator
and balance wheel anywhere in the country IL is
here. propose to light it out GA this line.
..It viii take one more paragraph To explain Why
am dragging you into the affair. Whatever you
and other men may do, as for me and my house,
we cannot serve the Lord, nor the nation, either,
In a boarding house The grandest suite OF roonls
I'm the most gorgeous hotel in the country, French
cooks, swaliOw-tailed walters, purple and gold
menu cards. and twenty-nine COURSES for dinner
every day are not good enough us. Any ordinary
by paying for them have already spent a week
hunting houses. and 1nd that for a house in which
We should be willing TO live, should have to pay
as much in five or six years il would cost to
build a new one. There are plenty of cheap tene-
ments TO be had, but they were al Quilt before the
war was over Il don't refer TO the conflict between
the states, but TO the modern upon sewer gas,
that Is still raging in many localities that profess
10 be decidedly respectfully. They are mainly
planned too, in the fashion that prevailed in that
same unregeneraJe period, and with degree OF
ignorance that can no longer be winked at with
IMMUNITY. As 10 their internal arrange mentS they
bear about the same relation 10 lay idea of what
home ought to be that a meal bag bears to a re-
spectacle suit OF clothes; they Viii Ii
d., chooses to put himself inside OF them A, Tar
as can learn leveI-headed and conservative peo-
pie are agreed that real estate In the District
OF columbia has not yet reached the explosive
stage that Immediately precedeS fatal cola pSe,
so consider IL safe Tor me TO buy bit OF land In
any clean part OF the city, and decidedly safe to
puld good, sensible n0t3e upon ~. Ihere Is no
10 sell before the close OF my first term, but fully
expect 10 need il myself for the next tel years, at
least. The men VINO have S'Et Inc here are not SO
wickedly foolish as 10 puc some one else in my
place soon as thoroughly underStan the sittl-
alton and begin 10 be worth something to my
country.
sAnd now you have the whole story OF course
we must live in hired house this winter, but aSSOOn
as possible / must have home OF my own within
easy reach OF business headquarters. / know you
can make plans for the house; can you come and
help me select a lot? Ihave not Yet learned which
IS the most arStocratc part OF the city, but shall
seek first region OF healthfulness- You know
something OF my sentiments In regard to light and
air, and VIII understand how dislike, country
people that We are, house in block. even on a
corner sun 1t viii cost a small fortune 10 keep
open grounds all around Us in the city, and the
suburbs strike TOO far away from business
especially in the winter. Undoubtedly can buy
plenty or houses, old and new: they are building
all the city, and Carlyle said OF the forty
million pe0pe-mOStly fOOl5-I should say sixteen
hundred houses every year-mostly failures. IL is
no wonder that city folks are conventional ia
manner, and seem TO think departure from
good form" "a more serious offence than smasnin,
the ten commandments. Their houses are laid OUT
for them IN such a straight and narrow, cut and
dried square toed, HAT headed rectangular fashion
that they must adapt themselves 70 the mold in
which their delightful lot is cast or be forever mis-
cradle.
Il can't stand anything OF that kind. It would
Kill me in year, and then what would become OF
the fond hopes OF my constituents? The more
look into the matter the more firmly am per-
suaded that the eorruptions OF The capital, OF
which we hear 50 MUCH and OF all large cities.
have their origin. more OF less remotely, in the i'm
perfection OF Inc dwellings OF the people. Neither
vile and uIlnI for human habltation but TO all de-
grees or uncleann-os, di5co.aIOTI, ugIiuess and
vanity The times may be badly out Oh joint but IL
I'm not m1SIakcn the dfSiocatlOn begins at home.
Yours. JOHN
'sDear John: I have always understood that
Congressman were The most modest people on The
lace of the EARTH ana how perceive The fitness OF
your calling anu 6icctiOn- No, cannot 20 Wash
1ngton at present To help you select the heaithful
central, safe and arlStocratic site on which you
propose 10 build the truly esjhetic and altogether
practical house that is 10 DC the corner stone OF
new domestic d15pensation.
Il understand your aversion to house In block
There Is no DOUBT that modern civilization is
very near the foot VI the ladder In the matter OF
city houses; IL Is scarcely correct 10 call them
houses, for they are In general simply tiers OF
rooms arranged Ike boxes on i shell, TO hold the
greatest amount OF merchandise in the Smallest
compass. III staying were all there is or living
they would answer their purpose we'll enough, Tor
they give security from Intrusion and protects ion
from the elements; store room Tor a certain
a-brac beyond that Their possibilities are extremely
limited. There is something wrong however, In
your architectural diagnosis Ot Washington. 1 am
not wholly unacquainted with the city, and from
your comments 1 conclude that your Obserya-
lions have been confined TO the more ancient
and honorable parts of the city that make no pre-
tensions TO architectural merit being the out
growth OF poverty and need. 10 the modern nd
dishOnOrable parts that have fallen into the hands
Of active but shOrtsighted spectators whose chief
aim Is To crowd as many houses possible upon
given area OF land, and then 10 dispose OF them In
The shortest time and or course, at the highest
prices 10 whom>Orver can be- calOled into bliyinp
Them Such persons have no more regard Tor the
welfare OF the city than anarchists and burglars.
a. al fak a hlT hay