Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-30


ticeable lack Of the rows Of brick and
stone houses extending with monotonous
regularity along several blocks. In this
city the houses are built I'm blocks. IL is
true, but each house has a distinctive
design and gives q variety to what would
otherwise be an uninteresting stretch
of brick or stone fronts 1t is to be expected
that the large elegant residences which are so
attractive In their graceful outlines should
arrest the attention and absorb the interest to
the exclusion ofhouses of more modest exterior.
But after all it is the latter class Of residences
'hat attract those who like to observe how the
great majority Of people live. The fine resi-
dences are occupied by the few. The homes Of
the majority are found in the more modest
houses, which constitute the great bulk of the
residences of the city. casual examination
will show that most of what may be called for
the sake OF distinction small houses differ
| size and extent
In architectural design, in the interior ar
rangement and finish, the modern small house
is a repetition of the large expensive house.
only on smaller scale. The design conforms
| TO the prevailing fashion. 1t is Romanesaue or
colonial. IL ii is the style to use stone in con-
necuon with brick in the fronts you will find
| tnese materials employed in the construction
| OF the small house. So of other details of the
nnlsn OF modern houses. You will see in the
small house the parlor finished in white and
goid You will find cabinet mantels and open
| hieplaces throughout the house, and il the
WOOD finish is not hardwood the cheaper ma
teriai used is made to look as much like hard
wood as possible.
ELECTRIC APPLIANCES.
In the halls and rooms will be found the cleo
trio arrangements which will light or put out
the gas by touching button. There is hardly
| residence erected in the city, however small
| tnat mas not a front hall. Attached to the
! dining room will be found q buffers pantry,
whlie bath room is considered just as essential
as front door. In the kitchen there is a range.
| and 1t Is not uncommon to find fur
| mace in the basement, which heats the
| entire house. In fact there is scarcely
feature Of the finest, most expensive resi-
| dence that is not reproduced in the small
mouse. These modern conveniences, and it
might also be added luxuries can be secured
| In house that rents from S25 to $35 per
month. 1t is not to be presumed that all these
details are introduced into a house by those
who build to rent or to sell, because they pre-
| Ter to build houses that way. All these things
| add to the cost Of building 1t is found, how-
ever. that in order to make house desirable
| these conveniences must be supplied Some
times the complaint is heard that rents are
nlgn and houses for people of moderate means
are expensive. There is no doubt that this item
| In the cost of living is quite a large one
but 1t Is claimed that the rents asked here for
houses of modest character compare very
| fayorably with those that prevail in other
cities.
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES IN THIS CITY.
Some interesting figures have been got
! together by those who are interested in the
plan for providing fund to pension govern
ment employees when retired on account of
long service and enfeebled health According
to this authority there are employed in this
city some 1000 clerks who are in what is known
as the classified service. The annual salaries
Ps,a 70 these &c clerks 0ad soo aggregate the
to the clerks in the classified service there
are large number who occupy positions which
do not come within this classification Some
OF them receive more pay than is given to those
who in the classified service and then there
Is another class which receives less. Altogether
it Is estimated that there some 16, 900 people
| employed by Uncle Sam whose duties require a
residence in this city. 1t would be low rather
than high estimate to say that the annual
amount paid to this army of employees is at
least Sl2. GOO, 600. The disbursement Of such q
sum OF money each year is an important factor
| in the prosperity Of the city, especially
when 1t is considered that such a large
proportion of the government employees
are careful and frugal in their manner of life.
and are, therefore. good citizens. To con-
siderable extent they are property owners
here, owning at least their own houses which
they have paid for out OF their savings Thew
| form considerable element in the class Of real
estate buyers
MR.. Boards RESIDENCE.
An important addition to the summer homes
which form such an attractive feature of the
town Of Rockville will be made during the
present season. Mr.. Henry Beard of this citv
| owns tract of land near that place containing
some 15O acres. He intends to erect a summer
residence there, and plans are now being pre-
pared by Mr.. Robert Stead, architect The
house will be Of brick, a large double structure,
lx>xst h 4 -
| substantial character that the house can be
occupied as residence all the year around,
The design is an effective example of the
| colonial style of architecture. The feature of
the front will be long porch supported on
Ionic columns and finished with a balustrade.
The exterior brick walls will be painted cream
| color, while the columns and the trimmings
will be in white. That characteristic feature of
an old-fashioned country house will be repeated
in this residence. and there will be wide hall
from front to back. From this hall the rooms
will open.
SOME SUBURBAN HOUSES.
Prof. c. V. Riley has had plans prepared for
| the erection Of nine brick houses on street
between I'd and Sd streets in lexington Dur.
ing the coming season Mr.. ]. H. Lane will
build three or four frame houses on street in
the same subdivision. Mr.. Lane will also build
two brick houses on Quincy street in West
lexington. He has completed two brick houses.
which are located on street in West Ecking-
ton and expects to build two more on the same
| block.
MR.. pu BoIs' RESIDENCE.
Plans have been prepared for the erection Of
| a handsome residence for Mr.. James T. Du
Bots. The location is a choice one-on Chaplin
| street just west of 14th street-and the house
| will be rather more elaborate than those usually
erected beyond the bounds OF the CITY, It will
be large double house, the broad front being
built Of stone and brick in an attractive design
Solid stone work will be continued up to the
| second story and upon this substantial foun-
dalton will rest the superstructure of brick.
The feature of the house will be tho main en-
| trance. which will occupy the center of the
| front A handsome stone porch will lead up to
| tho doorway, which will be marked by a semi
circular stone arch, and will be within the open
| vestibule. The window openings of the second
story will be arranged in series of
arcades which will give variety at the
same time preserving the correct proportions.
| Above will be the high-pitched roof, which will
| be pierced by dormer windows. The arrange
ment Of the interior will carry out the impress
| sion Of spaciousness which is conveyed by the
exterior. The entrance hall will be ten feet wide
and will DO separated from the staircase hall
| by grilled screen. On one side of the hall
will be the parlor and dining room and on the
other the library, with smaller room adjoin.
/ ing, which will be known an the amokinC room