Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-01

From the New York Sun
II the inscription .Huhnah Villa" written
over the iron gateway leading into the grounds
Of Senator David b. Hills recent real
estate investment, were mentioned few would
know what place was designated. But if "Fritz
Villa was spoken Of all would recognize that
the Senator's new residence was none other than
the costly, fantastic structure which merry,
large-hearted Fritz" Emmett commenced 10
build little over decade ago and vsinly tried
to make home. Fritz Villa il is called to-
day, notwithstanding that the divorced wife OF
Emmett efaced the familiar Fritz" and sub
stituted the Indian word "Huhnah" as soon as
the place became hers.
Senator Hill in buying this place has bought
the queerest, most erraticslly arranged resi-
dence In the country. Fritz bought the fifteen
acres surrounding his villa in 1850 The land
Is situated on top Of the bluff which extends
along the west side Of the Hudson between
Albany and Menands. Van Rensselaer, avenue
or the Northern boulevard, q carefully con-
structed but very sparsely settled street ex-
tending from the edge of Tvola Hollow to the
Rural cemetery, constitutes the front or eastern
line of the villa lot. The house and lot are
barely within the limits Of the city OF Albany
and about mile and half from the center
and business portions. The grounds that sur
round the villa were originally laid out by the
landscape gardener Of Washington Park, as
sisted by FritZs whims, and are full of odd
hooks. mounds, rockeries and rookeries, strange
trees and statuettes, which are encountered SO
Unexpectedly in walking about the grounds as
to startle the visitor. gully in front Of the
house, by means Of q fancifully constructed
windmill, which pumps the water from a natu-
raj spring on the place, has been transformed
into q small lake, on which even now floats
tho Venetian gondola which Fritz
brought from the very waters that splash
about the doge's palaces and the Bridge Of
sighs. The pumping apparatus for this lake
idea alone cost Fritz 81 900. Soon afterward
Fritz built another artistic windmill and set IL
to pumping water from the lake into the house.
10 prevent intrusion when he had his villa
built he put up a tight board fence seven or
eight feet high around all but the front, where
he had an equally high fancy iron fence with an
old-country stone gateway and gstekeeper's
lodge. Back of the house he built . queer rustic
stable, costing 81 900, and the next year he
enlarged 1t by building another just like il and
sapping the two together.
But the house itself is the oldest conceit Of
this most whimsical Of American actors. The
original villa idea Fritz picked up piecemeal
on his travels, and the first plans he drew him
self, and he even constructed q working model
OF what he wanted out Of paper. This was to
cost s25, 900 and was about half the size of the
present structure. To arrange the grounds
with its lake, rustic bridges. hooks and mounds
cost S2O 900. No sooner was the house COM
pleted than Fritz began to alter it by the addi-
ton OF tower or q room or a gable or some
other odd-shaped extension, and he kept the
architect. f. w. Woolcett, in q ferment. though
he added largely to his income. The FIRST year
he put two roofs on the house before he secured
one that suited him. As he travelled about this
and other countries he would see q gable, tower,
mantel, fireplace or an odd room or window
which he would hastily sketch, color up and