Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-21
4 HOUSE FOR HIS BRIDE.
r,zI, PRESIDENT NEGOTIATING
FOR COUNTRY RESIDENCE.

sotsctjpc Cosy Manor House on the
5irhest Point of L and Near Washing
ton. and Commanding - View of the
Capitol.
From tAs Ne,0 York Sun.
WASHINGTON, May I.-President
cleveland is negotia ting through one OF
the leading real estate agents of this city,
nr the purchase of a country residence in
tho neighborhood OF that which Secretary
whitney bought soon after he entered the
cabinet, and which he occupied last sum-
mar For some weeks the President and
rol. Lamont have been taxing afternoon
drives into the country, carrying in their
noeSets permits" from real estate agents
n examine houses that are for sale. and
tbev have looked over nearly all the de-
sirable seats within distance of ten
miles from the capital. Among other
uiaces examined was "Bleak House." the
FARMER residence of eX-Gov. Shepherd,
which now belongs to the latter's wife;
mldlewoOd," which has been rented for
the summer by Gen. Sheridan, and sit
Ia the country home Of the late Hay
ward Hutchinson OF the Alaska Seal Fur
IOm0AUNs
extensive and expensive to suit his views,
md he selected as more to mis- taste an
oId-fashIoned manor house called "Dud-
dingtOn Hail." about four miles north
west of Georgetown, which is at present
owned and occupied by George b. Chit
fenden an engineer and contractor who
has an office in the Corc0ran building.
The house Ia a com paratively small one,
and was not built for the entertainment of
large parties. 1t Is cosy and comfortable
and lust such place as man would like
10 take a bride 10 in the month OF June.
There are i've rooms on the ground floor
and SIX chambers on the second floor,
with accommodations for servants in the
attic. 1t stands upon what is known as
the Heights, the highest point of land for
a long distance around Washington and
commands a view OF the city and the PO-
tOmac. The prospect is one of the most
beautiflll that can be imagined, and to
student OF nature or lover OF Landscape
beauties such an outlook is capital
prlze. The house is somewhat unpreten-
tious and l1Stic in appearance. but was
built for GOODNESS by man who was COM
pelled to remain in Washington during
The summer months. The walls are made
OF ccbbe stones laid in cement, and are OF
unusual thickness. The interior is I'm
ished in plain but substantial manner,
without any effort at artistic effect, but
with comfort alone in view. There is one
room that the President seized upon at
once as Offering all the advantages that
could be wanted in a library or a study,
and when he saw it he remarked to his
private secretary:
II think, Lamont, that this Will d0.p
The President was not particular in his
examination of the chambers, but took
rorA ab1 81. hn mis- q nd
contemplated the landscape with the air
Of a man who has found haven from the
storms Of life while Col. Lamont went
through the closets and cUpboards, ex-
amined the drainage and the water sup
ply tested the draughts Of the chimneys,
and made other Investigations with the
practiced eye of one who had been house
hunting before. He suggested that one
room would require painting, and in an
other he found that the floor was not
quite smooth. A brick had dropped Oft
the northeast corner of the chimney, and
one of the knobs of the pantry door was
gone. The President manifested very lit
Vie interest in these details. He was APP
parently absorbed in other thoughts.
Col. Lamont made a close inspection OF
the barn. and observed that two loads of
gravel on the driveway would do no
harm. The haylOft was pretty well
stored, and he suggested to the President
that it might be musty, but no material
topics of this kind seemed to have any
interest for Mr.. Cleveland. He was not
thinking of musty hay, and Col. LamOnts
comments made no more impression upon
his mind than the passing clouds upon the
Potomac. The park OF twenty-five acres
that surrounds the house appeared to
please Mr.. Cleveland, and he seemed to be
moved from his abstraction by the sight
of a group of children playing upon the
lawn.
The price for the place is $4,000. The
President authorized the real estate agent
TO offer Mr.. Chittenden $15, 200, which was
refused. Mr.. ChIttenden says that he has
several times declined to sell for that
money. The agent recommended an offer
OF $l7,500, but the President has not yet
made 1t.
President CleveIand's predecessors
have lived at the Soldiers Home. There
Is house there which has been occupied
by Lincoln, johnson, Grant, Hayes, Ar
thur, and is known as 1.-THE Presidents
cottage" 1t is cOmmOdlous and comtorta-
ne, but is rather conspicuous, as IT ad-
joins the main building of the Home, and
is not protected by so much as hedge
from the staring public, who are always
admitted to the grounds, and find this cot
tage the greatest attraction. 1t appears
that Mr.. Cleveland Is seeking more Sc
Guided spot, and wants home he can call
his own, The place he wishes to buy is
about three-quarters OF mile from Mr..
whitney house on a side road.
Miss IGOTEnnV,G GUAnTTATTNC