Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-03
CITY AND DISTRICT
Extensive Grading Operations I'm Prog.
ress ON the Little Tract.

Real ESTATE MATTERS.
Extensive Grading Operations I'm Prog
rsss ON the Little Tract.
How THEY SLICE OFF A HILL IN THE SUBURBS
SOM EISz IMPROVEMENTS GOING on IN TIE crrY-
Jas NEW RESIDENCES FoR MR. BRTrToS. Mr. WIN
DON AND MIA sHERRILL NOW BEING BUILT.
There Is an elevation some 20 feet high between
18Th and 18th streets just beyond Boundary. IL
IL proposed 10 slice o1 this DILL and distribute Il
around In the vicinity 70 oil up the holiows and
d.pre@siOus Mr. Albert Gleason has contracted
with the owners OF what Is known as the Little
Tract to accomplish this feat within ninety
dAyA he ands that he has about two hum
dred thousand cubic yards OF earth TO move.
Bs has now 4 large force Of men at work, and a
long line OF carts swarmlns over the ground. But
purnng and snurting at the brow Of the hill Is a
great wooden framework which Is eating its way
through the hill at great rate IL Is steam
shovel on wheels and itrolls over the ground with
ease, shaving on any excrescences that are above
grade. and dumping the earth into cars which run
well on a Temporary railroad track that has been
built Tor this purpose. The working END or this
steam shovel IS a large iron SCOOP which Is su-
pended from a swinging derrick The edge or the
s4,oop Is rni he'd with thin iron teeth or spikes,
Ike the ends OF picks When the engine snorts
tue iron chains In the derrick rattle, the long
arm swtnrs around and the scoop nestles gently
Ia the bosom OF the bank OF earth Then the engine
gnoans there Is a confused minglng or sounds and
IN, teeth OF the scoop takes good hold OF al the
real estate In their Immediate Vicinity. As II eats
IT'S way into the mass or the earth the scoop,
which is really q stomach, eeeom filled with
movement OF the great arm, II turns upside down
IN mld-air, and the contents fan into q
as It contains about two cubic yards OF earth.
The cars are drawn oy mules to the dumping
place Mr. Gleason proposes 70 work at night as
ms steam sSovs is he rsI one brought into he
District for such purpose. II has been purchased
BY Mr. Gleason. as he nnds that there is work
enough OF this character TO be done TO warrant
the Outlay. He has made contracts for laying out
suburban subdivisions which viii involve the re-
As som as he has ieveled the hill on the Little
Tract he VIII remove his machinery 10 kalorama,
where be has $4,000 cubic yards OF earth TO move
barton there are some 100000 cubic yards TO be
handled- he has DOW about i've hundred -len at
work on these subdivisions aud large Lumber OF
carts Last year be had contracts 20 more about
7o<.ooo cubic yards Of earth, and he SAYS that be
expects the next year VIII witness still greater
Oferations In tnis direction.
When the grading Is completed In the Little
Tract II VIII s.Ipe gradually down from Columbia
road TO Boundary street, where there will DC
terrace Of some feet In height The s reefs VIII
lie Laid on and the entire tract divided up into
b;lding lots
DAVID A. wISpsoR's RESIDENCE
The only vacant lot remaining on the west side
OF CoupNtlcut avenue. between VI and streets,
Will SOFA be improved by a house TO be built for
MI Ds.Sii A. windsor. This house will be built Of
the MARYLAND white stone, which Is found along
the POtoIaG some miles north Of the city, and will
OF q pleasing contrast with the brck residences
on 10Th s.deS The Ohio white stone Will be used
Tor ShS courses and will be dressed, while the
OF her stone viii b. rOck-faced The plaas as pre-
a front which Will De an effective piece OF arch1-
lecture. The house viii be what Is known AS an
English basement house; graceful arch viii
m. na OF r 0r M
De open The walls OF the vestlbule win be lined
with enameied brick. and the door will be tiled
tower extends through the entire height OF
the building and terminates In projection
which harInonzes with the hign-ptched root
There Is recessed balcony In the second story.
The stone OF the front Will be enriched
rangement the rooms on the .rst moor
Will occupy the entire width Of the house and
VIII be separated by central hall where the stair
case VIII be located The entrance leads directly
into the hall, where there Will be fireplace. This
so@e specimens Of wood carving, win serve in
place Of partitions A small reception room or
once viii open out from the central hall and Is TO
he Lighted BY windows looking on the avenue. The
house VIII be four stories q height
MRS sHKRRILLs HOME
That part OF n assachusetts avenue, between 18th
and 18th streets, has been improved very rapidly
recently by the erection OF fine residences The
vacant ground IS being nled up and the avenue
On both sides viii soon present a solid front OF
dwellings new house on the south side W II
soon oe begun Mrs Chas- II. Sheriff. has made a
OF q handsome house from plans prepared by
Mr.. Harvey l. PaSs, architect The wide frontage
or 30 feet permits somewhat different interior
arrangement than Is usual In city houses. The en-
trance door opens directly into large square hall
This - lighted BY large window at the side Of
the entrance The antique oak finish Of the han and
o fireplace OF generous Width VIII make IL an at
tracrive feature An oak screen separates the
staircase hall from the entrance hall which can
be used as a sitting room. The drawing-rOom
p M
farther back on . line with the entrance hall Is
the q Lining room, thus allowing view through
enty-rve feet. The material used In the construc-
ton viii be brick, resting upon a basement Of
brown stone. rounded bay window extends TO
The top OF the house, where 1t terminates In
tower.
4. ]. BRfrToS's NEW RESIDENCE.
The contract for building Mr.. A. 7. Britton's
house has been given TO Mr.. Vim. p. upscomb, and
work VIII be begun as soon as the weather per-
mitS II VIII be just north of Scott's circle on the
east side or 10th street, and viii have frontage
Of 40 feet and cepth Of 80 feet. The front viii be
brown stone 70 the second-story windowsills, and
the rest pressed brick and stone. An elaborate
stone pOrchway leads 10 a broad-arched entrance
On the south corner Is a tower which Is round
10 the second-story. and from there runs up
The projecting corners OF which are supported on
The shoulders Of grfffns carved In stone. On the
north corner Is circular turret starting from the
second-st0ry, and supported on q carved stone
coroel The roof OF the house Is high pitched,
covered With slate Tue house stands alone, and
al sides are faced with pressed brick The en-
trance-haIl Is a large room With high-p anelled
oak wainscoting and panelled Ok ceilfng and
elaborate maptel ON either side OF the chimney
breast there are seats upholstered With leather.
Above these seats there are four little windows
with handsome designs In glass A little hat and
cane alcove occupies one corner OF the hall and Is
finished with leather seats, mirrors and hat
HOOKS. This hall Is overlooked by a balcony,
formed by the stairway, which occupies a large
square han adjoining IL, and separate from IT BY
a carved oak screen The ceiling OF this hall Is
also paneiled and the walls wainscoted. and the
stdircase which l. broad and OF elegant design Is
made OF oak and lighted By handsome windows
and la &c skynshL On one platform there Is q
httle alcoye, with seat and vs. ndOw. On the nrst
Moor, beside the two halls are the two parlors the
library and dining room, the back stairway
hall, t0uet-room. pantry and conservatory.
The library and dining-room are divided
by richly -carved oak screen, the lower part OF
which can be removed and the two rooms thrown
Into one, making room IS feet long. THESE rooms
are finished In oak and have high paneled vain
scoting and elegant mantels. The tao upper sto-
Ties have each six large chambers bat6-rooma
elosetA &C. The cost OF the house win be $4,000
or $4,000. and Is designed by Mr. I. F. Schneider,
architect.