Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-07-22
a L A
Description Of a California MiIionairs's Pro-
jsctsd Hom, OF Metals.

Description Of a California Mnlionairs's Pro-
Isetsd Hom, OF Metals.
Ralph brisbane Nonesuch. who Is
.eputed to have made a fortune Of s25,-
300, 900 in South African diamond
mines, has purchased a 500 acre tract
n the Temescal district, near San
francisco, where he will erect a novel
residence, a palace in fact, upon which
81, 500, 900 will be expended aside from
the finishing. This is TO be a structure
built almost entirely of steel and glass.
The building, says the American
Contractor, is to be about 230 feet long
by about 100 feet wide. At n end it
will be surrnounted by a tower rs feet
high, at the other end 10y a similar
tower, but of less size and height.
A striking feature will be the sides
below the cornice, which slope 10 h
ground with a curve at an angle OF
about forty-five degrees. In the slop-
ing sides are 10 set huge oval windows
twelve teet long and made to conform
to the lines of the sides of the walls.
The roof will be a huge gable extead-
ing the entire length of the building,
and terminating in another gable at
right angles, in which are placed i'm
mensc stained glass windows, one OF
which will be fifty feet long and thirty
feet wide.
Not a foot of lumber or wood in any
shape is t o be used in the building.
The materials will be iron, steel, alumni
MUM. brass, bronze, platinum, silver,
concrete, cement, and stone And
the only stone used will be
sculptured marble in the stair
ways and the main frieze,
and onyx and decorative marbles in the
bath rooms, the stairs, and a few other
places. Even the foundations will be
OF steel and concrete. The floors will
be of concrete, brass, and aluminium,
the walls of steel and thereof of steel,
brass and copper. The ms de walls
will be some OF oxidized sheet iron,
some brass covered with a preparation
that protects the FURNISH Of the metal,
some copper some nickel, and SO on To
correspond with the decorations of the
room. The ceilings will be arched and
relieved here and there with great
brass medallions. The partition walls
will be composed of metal grilles ex-
tending from floor to ceiling, arranged
in various designs, forming a vast net
work through which the visitol
can see from the grand stairway
at one end to the great ball
room at the opposite end. Rich
tapestries will ordinarily cover the
metal grilles, and divide the interior
thus into fourteen apartments. eight OF
which will be chambers and consis;
each of a suite of four rooHIs-a sleep
ing room, dressing room, ba throom and
study. All the heating, lighting, ven
tilation and cooking will be done by
electricity. The servants quarters,
| the kitchen, the machinery and the
laundry will all be In the basement.
The water wheel and dynamos will be
located at the foot of the hill, n consid-
cradle distance from the building. The
sole entrance to the basement from
without will be ut the foot OF the hill
through a tunnel, SO hat no
one from within or about the
house will see the approach or
entrance of servant, grocer, butcher, oil
delivery wagon of any kind. The
structure itself will be surrounded by q
broad walk and outside OF the walk
will be an artificial lake surrounding
the building and forming n moat to be
trossed over a movable drawbridge,
thus placing the house practically upon
an island. This lake will be fed by
water from artesian wells already in
operation and pumped up by powerful
pumps. The water of the lake viii
also serve to run the dynamos that fur
nish light, neat and power for use in
the building. The floors of the build
ing will be of brass and aluminium
grille work of ornamental design. the
interstices filed with n new hungarian
cement, which is said 10 become hare
rs granite when set and to admit of a:
high and durable polish. The cement
will be of various colors and so laiC
with the metal grille as to surpass il
effect any mosaic flooring in existence
Everything about the building is 10 b.
fireproof except the furniture. Ever
the draperies and tapestries will b.
dipped in a solution of glyeerine ant
ammonium borate, which renders then
permanently understandable.