Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-21
REAL ESTATE GOSSIP.
Handsome Residences to Be Erected
in This City.
TIE POPULAR TASTE TENDS TO YELLOW
Public Property Occupied for Pri.
vate Uses.
SOME PROV MENTS

Gen. Wadsworth of Geneseo. N. Y. who
has represented his district in the House Of
Representatives for a number Of years past
and has had a home in this city while en-
gagged in his official duties, has decided to
erect residence for his own use on K
street between Connecticut avenue and
18th street The plans have been prepared
by Harvey L. Page, architect and the build
er Is John s. Larcombe. The house Is to
have frontage of thirty feet and will be
built of brick. 1t win, when completed, be
complete home, with nothing very snowy
about 1t, but such a house as a man is apt
to feel comfortable in. The erection of this
house will add another to the number Of
handsome houses which have been built
recently on this square. The reputation Of
X street as a street Of handsome residences
by common consent did not extend much
further along that thoroughfare than west
OF Connecticut avenue. In the last few
years, however, this block has fairly
laid claim to place in the procession with
the eastern part Of the street. In addition
to the house which was formerly the resi-
dence Of Mr.. Charles Nordhon. Mr. Titan
J. Coffey has built fine house. Then there
are the residences Of Mrs. Woods and Miss
Gale. The houses on the southern side of
the street have been built some years and
are good types Of the modern city house.
Yellow IL the Color.
Even casual inspection Of the material
that seems to be the most popular in the
erection Of houses in this city affords con-
vincing proof that red brick is still by all
odds the favorite. 1t Is often said Of Wash
ington that 1t is a red brick city. Certainly
ride through the streets and an examina-
ton Of the buildings would prove that the
title Is not misplaced Red is not a bad
color and the remark that ia SO often
made is not in a critical vein. 1t is &C.
knowledged. however, that Washington
has made better use Of its red bricks than
any other city. and 1t Is also conceded that
the bricks are Of superior quality. This lat
ter fact is one reason why bricks are so
much in use. Stone is employed q great
deal too, but generally in connection with
brick, and, as has been claimed, mainly to
set OF and enrich the brick. Perhaps, how
ever. the stone men would make the oppo-
site claim.
Recently. however. 1t has been noticed
that red is no longer the fashionable color,
and as houses are almost as sensitive to
the DEGREES Of fashion as the dress Of wom-
en-, the color is being changed. The colon
AehA SyAS Va diSmtcCtuIS Is having a run
now and the prevailing color is of course
yellow. and in cases where building is to
be erected the owner can easily conform to
the style by using bricks Of the accepted
color. However. the same end can be
reached by painting over the red bricks,
ana this is being done to an extent that is
surprising to anyone who is not familiar
with the influence Of fashion on the style of
houses. In few years more the prevailing
color Of domestic architecture in this city
will not be the red, and there will no doubt
be pleasing blending Of colors which will
perhaps better suit those who are afraid Of
monotony.
Representative StOrer's Residence.
A large addition is being built to the res
idence OF Representative Bellamy Storer Of
which is at the southeast corner
Of Rhode Island avenue and 18th street
This new improvement will not be seen
from the street and the exterior of the house
will be unchanged. The interior, however,
will be greatly enlarged, as the addition,
which is a back building. will be seventy
feet long and will add very much to the
capacity. The new part will contain a din
ing room, with the ceiling the height Of two
stories; music room, and then what will be
known as studio. The latter will be the
special province Of Mrs. Storer, as it win
contain q fine furnace where pottery can be
baked. The plans for this Improvement
were prepared by firm Of Boston archi-
tects, but the work is being done under the
direction Of Washington builder, Mr.. John
S. Larcombe. The plans call for a roof Of
such heavy construction that some thought
1t was the Intention OF the owners Of the
property to have summer garden on the
roof.
EncroachinE ON Public Property.
The erection Of the stone fence around the
residence Of Mr.. L. z. Letter on Dupont
Circle has by its height and its extent at
tracted attention.
The high gateposts, especially at the north
end. it is claimed. will prove to be an
obstruction to the occupant Of the ad-
joining house, when 1t is erected. One
of the purposes Of the ample parking
which the system Of streets in this
city affords Is to allow all the residents on
a street to have an equal show at the SUM-
light and the air as well as the view. The
occupation of the public grounds in this in
stance is by means Of handsome improve
ments and no objection can be urged on the
score that the fence Is below the grade of
improvements in that vicinity. But. it is
held by those who think Mr.. Letter has
invaded public rights that. however costly
a fence, it would become an intolerabie
nuisance II every house owner should
want to do as Mr.. Letter has done
and erect a tall fence IN front OF his resi-
dence. 1t would make no difference whether
the citizens house had frontage OF twenty
feet or fifty feet, he has just as much right
to use the public parking. 1t is claimed, as
Mr.. Letter, and 1t is difficult to see how the
building authorities could refuse to grant
such requests.
Not an Isolated Case.
There are other cases which are almost
as fragrant. For example there is the occu-
patton of an immense stretch of parking
in front of Lieut.. Emory's house on Con-
necticut avenue just opposite the British
legation. A stone wall shuts the public out
from the property which belongs to it and
further, in the opinion Of a good many
mars the appearance of that section of the
city by substituting for what ought to be
an expanse of soft Sward, the hard lines
and color of stone and iron and cobble
stone. 1t would seem to be a good rule that
a man ought not to be allowed to build
he owns In this way every body will have a
fair show. and the parking along our streets,
which is one of the most admired features
of the city, would then be devoted to the
purposes for which the reservation, SO gen
erous in extent and SO unprecedented, was
intended.
The Monthly Flow of Cash.
The effect of the steady payments each
month made to the employees of the gov
eminent in this city has frequently been
commented upon. The exact volume of
money paid out has always been a matter
of more or less conjecture. The reason is
49, fo