Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-26
cLEvELAND,s SUMMER HoME:
Rumor Has Already Selected Two Sites
Near This City.

CLESELAND'S SUMNER HONE.
Rumor Has Already Selected Two Sites
Near This City.
RossIE PARK AND Kx-oov. sHKPHERp's BLEAK
ROUSE on THE SEVENTH STREET ROAD MEN
TroSKD AZ PLACES BEIxo coxsIpERRp By
TIE PREsIDEST-ELEcr.
From the New York sun.
Real estate lawyers in Washington, and there
are many Of them, are on the qui vive over the
information that Prssident-elect Grover Cleve-
land is again on the lookout for . suburban
residence. He can be accommodated in anv
locality he prefers, for presidential resident s
good advertisement for any suburban prop
erty. The first report was that Law partner
Bissell had. through representatives. bought
tho old Lay farm On the It'll street road
from Don Cameron for = price somewhere near
sl00, 900, which would be little over o., 900 an
acre The second rumor soon followed and was
TO the effect that it was no. Don Camerons
place, but sI-Goy. Shepherds Bleak House
estate. further up the road. The price was not
given and the story was not 90 circumstantia
ss the other. Then It was asset ted that ex-
Marshal Al Wilson was looking for . country
place for Mr.. Cleveland In Maryland, some
where along the beautiful rocky stream known
r
who In 1886 bought Oak View for Mr. Cleveland
his reconnoissances in that region were founda-
ton enough for the story
None OF the agents or lawyers who have
charge Of the lands said to have been bought
for the President-eleot will say word about
the alleged sale. 1t is believed that instead
Of having bought farm Mr.. Cleveland has
taken an option on two places until be and Mrs.
Cleveland can inspect them In person and de-
eide which they want One thing seems GER
tain, Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland will live IN the
White House just as little possible during
their four years stay here, for they found their
life at Oak View much more comfortable than
town life in the hot summer and fall months
at the capital. Besides a country home will
be all the more desirable with q baby in the
family.
The apparent choice Of the presidential rep
resentatives Is the Lay farm. This is now
known as Rosie Park, and embraces ninsty-one
acres. Don Cameron bought it five years ago,
and spent several thousand dollars in subdivid-
ing, building roads, planting trees and other
wise improving 1t. 1t was put on the market,
but at such high prices that nobody would buy.
and 1t has remained intact as one holding 1t
is bounded on the north by the Bleak House
property, on the east by the 7th street road. on
the south by Congressman Coopers farm, which
he bought last summer for $4,000, and on the
west by the proposed Rock Greek Park. There
Is fine large frame house on the place, and the
greater part OF the ninety-one acres Is in grass.
An electric road runs in front OF Rossle Park
and turns at the Northeastern corner off toward
the pretty suburb of Takoma Park. which would
be Mr.. Cleveland's nearest post office. His next
door neighbors would be Mr. Cooper the lively
Indiana Congressman; b. H. Warner, a well-ad
vertised real estate operator, bank president
and Y. NJ. G. A. man, and Louis p. Shoemaker.
| a country gentleman with fine stable OF riding
horses and q splendid pack Of hounds.
Bleak House is inhabited only by the people
who take care Of the place during the absence
of the owner in Mexico. The big stone man
sion, with its sumptuous furnishings, is never
opened except for its regular airing and dust
ing. If Mr.. Cleveland should buy Bleak House
be would have probably the finest suburban
place south of Philadelphia. Shepherd fitted
it up in the sunniest period of his stormy
career, and not a dollar was withheld that could
in any wise add to the luxury of its appoint
ments. The region is one of rare natural
beauty, and 7th street road, wide highway,
well macadamized for eight miles out into the
country, is the most important thoroughfare
leading out of the city. 1t was down this road
that Jubal Early came in 1864 and threatened
the safety of Washington.
There was sharp lighting on both the farms
that Mr.. Cleveland is said to have in mind for
no e. The old barn on the Lay farm was
riddled with bullets, and for over quarter Of
century the school boys have been digging
them out Of the doors and lintels with their
Jack knives. Just south of the Lay farm is the
battlefield of Fort Stevens, where nearly 200
rebels bit the dust before the retreat
sounded. About mile north of the Lay farm
is the old Montgomery Biair place. where the
barrel Of whisky is alleged to have been drunk
by Early's officers. by which supposititious in
PREVENTION Of Providence the defense and res
cue of the capital by the Union troops were
made possible.
A few steps up the road from Mr.. Cleveland's
possible home is a little cemetery where lie the
boys in blue who fell at Fort Stevens. The
place is maintained by the general government
and is beautifully improved. From a flagstaff
in this cemetery Mr.. Cleveland may see the
national colors from sunrise to sunset the year
around. To the south of the Lay farm and on
the same side of the road is picturesque little
Gothic church known Battle Abbey"
whittier Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland and little Ruth
may wend their way any fair Sunday and hear
a stalwart Methodist sermon long enough to
give them some idea of eternity.
These proposed homes for the Cleveland fam
lily are on the highest land in the District of
Columbia, in the region where Mr.. Cleveland
wanted TO go in 1886, and from which he was
only with great difficulty persuaded to turn his
face toward Oak View. He then selected the
former home of Mayor Emery in the little vii
lage of Brightwood. mile and half south of
where 1t Is now proposed he shall live. Mr..
Cleveland found Oak View a good purchase,
buying it for $2S000 and selling it for clio. 600
1t has been cut up into blocks and lots, roads
have been built, sidewalks put down, terraces
graded, houses built and various other improve
ments made. so that Mr.. Cleveland's Jersey
heifer and the seal-brown horses would never
recognize their former pasture. Either of the
other farms that Mr.. Cleveland is repol ted to
have in view would prove nearly good an in
vestment as Oak View. They border on Rock
Greek Park, the eastern boundary of which in
that neighborhood is 10th street extended
That street leads directly to the White House
and through the most highly improved part of
the city. With the construction of q fine boule-
ward along 10th street extended Mr.. Cleveiands
farm would be greatly improved. What is now
the back would then be the front. But such O
change could be philosophically borne in con-
sideration Of an advance of 100 or 200 per cent
in the market value of the tract.