Morning journal and courier., 1890-02-27
Minister W.lllam Walter Phelps, New


 Home.
 The finishing os the new home of Minister Phelps in Berlin, Germany and the architec- tural changes, interest and surprise tho Ger mans from the novelty in that region. His many Yale friends will be interested to read what the Berlin National zeitung of Feb ruary 3 says:
 Yesterday William Walter Phelps took possession of his new home at No. 57 Doro. theen strasse, on the corner of Neue Wilhelm strasse. It is probably the first time that such extraordinary and extensive alterations were made in e private house in order to adapt 1t to purposes of public entertainment when, in all probability, the term of the oc- cupant could last but year or two. How ever, Mir. Phelps has set 1t as one of his tasks to represent his country here in good style. and a he possesses the necessary means and energy, he has made, at au expense of 20 900 marks, in . comparatively short time, strange l transformations in the architects line. The now residence stretches Its length through three stories, some shops, which, as shops, have been put out of commission and turned into rooms for the servants and into Q kitchen, and through Q line of living and company rooms on the frst door-with eight windows on each of the streets-and through finally. in the upper story, some more ser- vants' rooms. All these rooms had to make connection in some way, and besides 1t was found necessary to hire one of the shops in the Neue Wilhelm strasse and to change this into . second vestibule.
 All these doings were necessary to make "An American Home" And If the ideal as far as the exclusion of all outsiders and the exclusion of all inside Is concerted is not completely attained, 1t is the nearest that one can come to under Berlin conditions. But as far as the inside arrangements are concerned the ladies of MT. Phelps' family were able to make the rooms to suit their own notions of living. This was . severe strain on Berlin decorators, who found to their horror that the first object of American effort was light air, sun-just the points where their skill tlimped.
 h the whole house no lambrsquins, scarce ly . portiers, absolutely no dust catching drsperies. Before each window nothing bu costly white curtains of lace or other feecJ stuffs. In the same purpose they have taker all the doors off the hinges, so that one car look through the whole suit of rooms with out anything to break the view. The darl papsrinRs were stripped from the walls ant their places supplied with hangings in al cheerful shades of color that could ples.e th eye. On tho walls there Is not side painting with dark backgrounds and heavy frames t. drink up the light; there are only engraving and stchings. Wherever there were darl
 woods in parquet or wainscot, they wer taken out and woods of lighter color put ii place.
 One can truly say that there is no such in terior as this in all Berlin, ,and whoever gets chance to see 1t will reach the conclusion tha in this line we have . great deal to learn fron ] the Americans.
 , The rooms of the house which are not con !. fined to private use consist of drawing roor
 in yellow. of a library, of . large ball FOOT
 and dining room. So far as the furnish
 inss represent Berlin art, the task has bee F excellently performed. In the new vestibul , which has been changed into a hall of mil TOTS, the eye is caught at once by an Amer can of monstrous folds which shuts of tn background. In the second entrance th 3 German colors are blended with the Ameri 7 can as . welcome. All the work is not ye !, done. As soon as 1t is, Mr. Phelps will ope l his hospitable house to the full extent ths 2 court mourning will permit.