St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-09
MIR. BLAINE's HOMES.
He Has Always Been in the Thick
Of Politics.

He Has Always Been in the Thick
OF Politics.
Mr.. Blaine has had many homes IN
Washington, and they have, with one or
two exceptions, been located in the pc
litical and business center of the city.
He was fond Of life and hustle. 1t has
happened that his homes, most of them
at least. have interesting historical as
sociariOns attached. While he was
speaker of the house OF representatives.
he lived at No. 621 Fifteenth street, in
the block of houses situated between
the Shoreham and the Normandie, and
now occupied by John Chamberlin as
hotel. 1t was while living there that he
experienced the first illness which at
tracted national notice. 1t occurred on
the Sunday before the meeting OF the ma
tional Republican convention IN Cincin-
natl to nominate its candidate to sue
coed Gen. Grant in the presidency. As
il was their custom, Mr.. and Mrs. Blaine
went to the First Congregational church
to attend service. While walking into
the building he fell upon the stone
steps, from the effects of what was then
said to be a Sunstroke. but which was
really, it is believed. the first mani
feStatiOn of the disease from which he
suffered in these later days. He was
carried to his home and for hours lay
i'll an apparently dying condition. The
news of his illness created great ex-
element in Washington and large
crowds gathered about the house.
Hourly bulletins were hung OF the iron
picketS in front Of the house To keep
anxious friends from inquiring at the
door and that all might know of his
condition. He still resided there when
made secretary Of state by President
Garfield.
The next winter, however, the family
moved into the new house on Dupont
circle, still known as the Blaine house,
although he leased 1t subsequently to L..
Z. Letter, formerly of Chicago, who oc-
cupied it until it was badly damaged
by fire. Then Mr.. Blaine's eldest
daughter married Col. COppinger.
The house never suited either
Mr.. or Mrs. Blaine, and the former
deemed it too far from the life Of the
city. After another winter in the Win
dom house Oh Scott circle, now the home
of Mr.. and Mrs. Mum, the Blaines
moved to the house on the west side of
Lafayette square, next to Gen. Beales,
the winter home of Mrs.-Scatt Town
send. Here he enjoyed himself very
much, and here he finished his Twenty
Years in Congress"
1t was after his appointment as secre-
tary of state by President Harrison that
Mr.. Blaine took the house at present
occupied by the family. The first
months of the administration the secre-
tary occupied rooms at the Normandie.
and there it was that he gave the dinner
to the delegates to the international
maritime conference when electric
lights were first used for table decOra-
lions in Washington.
The residence No. II Madison place
has q most varied history, interesting
probably beyond that of any house in
Washington. Originally it was the elite
boarding house of Washington. and had
among its occupants John e.. Calhoun,
when he was Jackson's secretary of
war and vice president, ana Henry
Clay, when he was Adams secretary
of state. 1t also sheltered Presi-
dent Polk, who occupied the third
floor while some repairs were
being made on the White house. Pass
sing into possession of the Washington
club, it became the resort of the fashion
able young men of the capital. SickIes
and Key were members, and the tragedy
which associates their names was enact
ed in front of its door. The tree against
which Key fell and died has been re-
moved, but the root still remains.
During the war it was the residence
of w. Il. Seward, Lincoln's secretary of
state, and the deadly assault of the as
sassin was made upon him while lying
in the chamber which Mr.. Blaine has oc-
cupied Since the war and before the
Blaine family took possession, the house
was used for government purposes, ard
afterwards long remained vacant. The
location of the house, however, was so
convenient, and the opportunities to
view what Mr.. Blaine was fond of call
ing the life of the city, were SO
excellent, that all other considerations
were overlooked and ten years lease
of the property taken with the privilege
of purchase. 1t was transformed into a