Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-05
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.

REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.
A Veteran Builder Expresses An Opin-
Ion Of the Lien Law.
| SOME HANDSOME SUBURBAN HousEs--rHr otp crun-
HOUSE ON LAFAYETTE SQUARE soLp-xR Z. KuBrz
JoHSsoSs FINE HOUSE, NEW 16TH-srREEr In
PRovENHST.
Il nave very little work now on hand" said one
OF the best known builders In Washington to
STAR reporter. 'There is a good deal OF building
now going on In the city, but It seems to be prin-
cipaliy small houses. When 1t comes 70 bidding
on small houses generally get left. can't begin
70 get DOWN 70 the ngures that some men give.
occasionally, when 1 put In q bid at the lowest
nnit leaving the slightest possible pront for my
sei1 md that some man has gone a thousand
COLLARS, perhaps, below me. 1t puzzles me TO
know how they can possibly do the work for the
amount OF their bid. But two or three hundred
collars makes great difference to man building
house. and, as a rule, when / make a very low
uer me 70 that extent With the majority OF peo-
pte VINO want to build a home a difference
IKE that Is suficient to decide the question be-
tween Two or three builders without regard 70
otner considerations OF course people have a
rlght 10 do what they please with their own
money, and II is natural II two articles are offered
apparently OF the same value to take the cheap
est But 1t Is this desire to get things cheap that,
Ia my opinion, is at the bottom Of the trouble over
bidder without considering whether It is possible
Tor the man to do the work that he contracts to
90 for the amount named OF course there are
very lew builders who are willing, even II they
are able, TO make up out OF their own pockets the
dlnerence between the contract price and the cost
OF the building. The usual practice is either TO
slight the work or else to fail to pay all the bills
In either case the owner of the building has to pay.
IN the nrst Instance he issobliged TO be making re-
pairs constantly, and In the next place his prop
erty Is liened and he to meet all the bills left
unpaid by his contractor. IL people were willing TO
pay what Is right for the work done, and were
tracts with, there would be very little trouble even
under such lien law as we have In the District"
SALE OF THE OLD CLUBHOUSE.
Thomas j. Fisher & Co. have sold for the heirs OF
A. b. stoughton to Mr.. David King, for s67, 500, the
residence on the east side Of Lafayette Square re-
Gently occupied by the Commssary-G eneral. 1t Is
tne intention or the purchaser TO refit the house
LOT residence purposes. When the property was
purchased oy Mr. Stoughton, some time in the sos
III was USED as clubhouse. The price paid then
was $1,000. Commodore Rogers, who was the
owner, had built the house some years before and
occupied IL as his home. After his death it was
purchased by MIR. Stoushton and became FASH
lonaole Doard1ng-house and then clubhouse. To
one OF It's rooms Barton Key was borne after being
snot oy SickeS In the street nearly In front or the
house. IL was in the old clubhouse that Secre-
tary Seward resided, and it was here that the at
tempt was made TO assassinate him the night
PRESIDENT Lincoln was Shot In recent years 1t has
been occupied by the office OF the Commissary-
General ana was lett vacant when the new state,
peted.
The property has a frontage of 81 feet and
ueplh Oh about 145 feet, and without considering
the Vaiue OF the improvements, the price paid per
foot was about $500 The Old TaylOe residence
occupied oy Senator Cameron. He bought it about
Two years ago and paid SOS, 900.
HENRY E PELLEw's HOUSES
Two houses are being built by Mr. Henry E.
Pellew on the south side OF Rhode Island avenue
between 10th and 18th streets The feature of the
plans prepared by VIM. NJ. Poindexter & Co.,
architects, Is simplicity combined with good con-
structlon. square porch provides a handsome
approach to the main entrance. The porch as well
a. the bay projection Is finished at the second
story with copper trimmings The three stories
terminate In plain corntce. The arrangement of
the interior provides for central hall which sepa-
rates the MAN rooms OF the first story. The wood
work, as In a number OF houses now being built,
Will be painted in colors TO harmonic with the
furniture. stables have been built In the rear OF
these houses.
FINE SUBURBAN HOUSES
handsome residence is to be built by Mr. John
Francy on Euclid avenue, University Place, Just
west OF 14th street. The house will be a double
one, and Will be built substantially OF brick laid In
Dlack mortar. The outside walks Will be lined with
terra-cotta blocks, which will be hollow, thus pro-
vldlng an air space between the outside air and
the interior. The hall VIII be in the center Of the
house, with the rooms opening from It on both
slides. surrounding the two stories viii be high
pitched roof. The exterior lines Will be relieved
by tower. which will be at one corner. The in
terror OF the house will be handsomely finished
This house viii be an adiition TO group OF
picturesque suburban houses which have
recently been erected in that locality.
Harlan stands at the corner OF Euclid avenue and
14th street. Adjoining IL on the west Is the artistic
home or Mrs. Woods, the widow OF the late Justice
Woods. The new house OF Mr.. Francy will OCCUPY
the next lot, and his partner, Mr. John Lyn owns
the adjoining lot, and has under consideration
plans for the erection OF a house. Mr. w. c. Hin
Is contemplating the erection OF two stone resi-
denceS at the corner OF Huntington street and
University Place.
3. KURTz JoHNsoN's RESIDENCE
On the triangular-shaped lot fronting Scott Cir
Gle on the west fine stone and brick residence
will be erected by Mr.. Z. Kurtz johnson The
house will stand entirely detached as it fronts on
Massachusetts avenue, scott Circle, and n street
and has side lot on the west. Resting upon a
stone, the superstructure rising to a height OF
three stories, is built mainly OF brick with corners
and trimmings Of brown stone on the Scott Cir
Gle side are two large towers, connected az the
third story by stone arch that will form pleas
ing feature. On the MISUNDERSTANDING front
three stone arches resting upon stone columns
form logg1a- The roof Will he high pitched and
will be covered with slate The cornce and finals
will be copper. The main entrance will be from
MassachSsnasa avenue w1th Through wide stone
arcn Nahheu Win stone columns. The
side walls and floor OF the yestibuIe
Will be tiled. high wainscOtinp Of
oak is or the features OF the wide and Spacious
entrance hall, and the ceiling is panelled win
the same wood. On the Scott Circle side are
spacious reception and drawing rooms which will
be handsomely finished In mahogany Connected
with the latter room by sliding doors Is the
library, which will have the southern exposure
The woodwork viii be red-quartered oak On the
right or the entrance bail Is the dinipg-room
which will be beautifully finished In white
Quartered oak. In the center or the house is the
staircase hall, with the staircase at the
nghfR6 larpp-Sf AT nod
windows which look into the side yard At
the first landing OF the staircase Will be seat in
q recess There are four rooms on the second
story and connected with one OF the rooms Is a
bathroom with a porcelain bath-tub and tiled
floor and walls. On this floor there is another
bathroom with toilet facilities occupying a
spacious room. The thfrd-story contains i've COM
modious rooms, and In the basement there is
bilLard-room, Kitchen, and other rooms for
domestic purposes. The house will be heated nv
steam on the principle OF indirect radiation. The
architect Is Mr.. Robert Stead, and the builder Mr.
W. c. Morrison.
DR. LTTTLE's HOUSE.
Mr.. T. F. Schneider, the architect, has designed
residence for DIR. ]. w. Little, which Is to be
built at No. 1913 14th street. near Rhode Island
avenue The housewife have frontage OF % feet and
be four stories high; the first story being an
English basement and the fourth story covered by
high slate roof. A swell bay window extends TO
the fourth hoOr. The front Will be OF brick with
stone trimmings and steps, and the entrance will
De through an archway with no outside doors The
DOCTORS reception-roOin, office, laboratory and the
kitchen, with pantry, &C., Will occupy the first
on the second floor, ana there will De six cham
bSrS In the two TOD stories with cIOSets batba ona