The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-03-04

crushed strawberry velvet. For general
entertainment and daily uses, the floor to
this hall is covered with costly rugs, an
occasional ornamental stand, chairs scat
tered here aud there in graceful negligi
but when :" the german is called, and the
dance is on, all rugs and tapestries are
removed.
Hon. Washington Mclean, father of
John R. Mclean, proprietor of the Gin
cinnati Enquirer, has, during the last year
or two, purchased real estate here largely,
and but few weeks since Mrs. Mclean
purchased the very aristocratic property
on Lafayette square, known as the Gen
eral Sickles property. The house is hon
orable, as ancient, and in the McLeans'
coming, Washington acquires valued
addition to her wealthy and entertaining
citizens. Senator Sherman's house, on
X" street, is another of the solid as or
nGmental residences. The senator also
built and owns the two houses
next east of that in which
he resides. The three are similar in con-
struction, of red pressed brick, but little
introduction of the renaissance or Queen
Anne architecture. In the residence he
occupies the halls as we'll as parlors are
spacious and wide, the stairs elaborate,
wide and of easy rise. At the head of the
first flight back from the street, is the
great financier's library, well stocked, and
where he solves the knOtty problems on
currency and finance with which he is sup
posed to wrestle. Ex-senator WINDOWS
palatial house on Scott Circle, is among
the costliest and most valued houses in
tho nil, with tho crrpnp1 C10n
600, besides "costing" the then senator a
defeat for reelection to the senate
Photographs of this house, with elaborate
description, were scattered broadcast in
Minnesota pending the election and it is
generally understood that this evidence of
rapidly accumulated wealth and tendency
towards regal pretensiOn was too much
for his agricultural constituency. This
house is five stories high, is OF pressed
brick, finished inside with hard and orna-
mental woods; with room enough for a
first-class hotel, and every room almost
perfect in appointments and gorgeous in
decorations. 1t is now rented by Hon.
Benjamin Warder, of Springfield, o., one
of the wealthy men who has selected
Washington for his future residence, but
who has just purchased the corner of 81"
and 18th streets, where he has already
contracted with Boston's famous archi-
tect, Anderson, to at once eract one of the
finest and most finished and costliest pri-
vate residences in this country. 1t will
cost at least 100000. Opposite Win
dom house. stands the not less magniti-
cent, Don. CamerOn's residence, but which
during the past year he sold to Mrs d. p.
Morgan, widow of one of New York's mil
lionaires, who had, like the hundreds of
others, come to the belief that Washing
ton is the pleasantest city for home
i'll the world-but who died in this
same house, only a month ago. Appro-
pos and in the line of the misfortunes
that have settled down en- these two
houses it, may be said that Scott Circle is
sometimes called misfortune Circle;''
and to give ground for the appellation
only needs hurried view of some of the
calamities that have befallen those resi-
dents; Senator Cameron only lived in his
house three years, but in that time his
health became a wreck, and daughter
became injured for life. Since that its
recent owner, Morgan, died there. Prof.
Graham Bells elegant home is here. In
the last year his children have had the
scarlet fever, and in recovering it is feared
each of them has lost hearing for life;
while dark cloud in the shape of the
great suit against the Bell Telephone COM
rany rests pretentiously over his house
Elk Senator Pendletons house was here
also, and while occupying it his daughter
had an accident making her a cripple for
life, his wife lost two sisters by death and
the great author of the civil service law
himself lost large amount of money and
his reelection to the U. s. Senate. Here,
too, was Ex-Secretary Robeson's house,
and here he met his Waterloo, political
and social