The morning call., 1894-03-25
THE GRANT HOME.
San Diego's Latest Social
Acquisition.
A HOUSE WITH A HISTORY.
4" Buck" and Jesse Grant Pull Weeds
and Build Chicken-Yard
Fences.

High up on hill on Seventh street. San
Diego. the widow aud sons of Ulysses S.
Grant have decided TO make their home.
and have given evidence of their intention
by purchasing for their dwelling the finest
house in San Diego. The location they
have chosen is so perfect that they felt
they could find none more beautiful in the
whole of California. Seventh street is one
of the highest streets in San Diego, and on
its loftieSt part the new home of the
Grants is situated. 1t is really in the heart
of the town and is not Ten minutes walk
from the principal business blocks, but it
commands a view OF the whole of the City
the Saint, with San Diego Bay beyond
and Coronado IN the distance. One can
look straight out through the Silver Gate,
as the entrance to San Diego Bay is called,
and see the tumbling billows of the ocean
from any window in the Grant house.
Surrounding the house are no less than six
verandss, all very broad, and on these are
any number of lOunging chairs where the
family may Sit and enjoy the vlew. So
much for the location.
The house which the Grants have bought
has quite history, history which is
common to several of the beautiful resi-
dences N San Diego and Los Angeles. 1t
was built ten years ago, when the San
Diego boom was at its height, by Mr.. Ora
Hubbel. banker, who made his money
in San Diego real estate, aud. falling asleep
a poor man. awoke to find himself very
rich one. He selected the site Of the house
as the very choicest III the town and as
one from which the turrets of his projected
mansion would be visible to every citizen
of San Diegn.
The architect who built the house had
full swing, and he demonstrated his ar
iiStic capacity to the tune Of 500. OOO
When the house was finished II had cost
that sum, and most of the money had been
put on the interior, which. by Comparison,
makes The beautiful exterior seem de-
cidedly plain. For couple of years the
Hubbei family enjoyed the mansion. They
gave elaborate entertainments aud dinner
parties galore. spending their time be-
tween the beautiful house and the hotel at
Coronado Beach. But the boom came to a
climax suddenly and then broke very
much like one of COrnnado's own breakers.
The Hubbels lost their home when the in
flated real estate was reduced to its nor
NAL value, and, unable to bear the sight of
any one else in IL, they left the State and
went East to live. Then the house re-
msined empty for three years. II was
carefully teI. ded, but no one could afford
to rent II and furnish il. so it remained un-
tenan ed. Then Mr.. Havermale of Spo-
kane bought 1t. He had made his money
in boom of real estate al Spokane Falls
and came south to a werner cline To spend
it. The money came easily. and was spent
with neatness and dispatch. Again the
house was lost and the owners moved out.
Mr. HavermaIe paid $4,000 for II, and
when he failed he could not find a buyer at
any price. Since then the house has been
unoccuDied save by the caretakers. ana ex-
cept for three years in the ten since ii was
built il has been for sale.
When the Grants came to California
they Intended to winter In Santa Barbara.
aud engaged apartments at the Arlington.
On the first trip that u. s. Grant Jr. aud
his brother. Jesse, took 10 San Diego, they
saw the Hubbel housr. The next week
their mother and her daughters-in-law
visited San Diego and the house, and the
mex! day they made an offer for the place,
which was accepted. People were aston
ished at the sacrifice which the owners of
the house were glad TO maze. The
S100,00O home went TO the Grants for less
tnan $50 600.
Soon after the Grants gave up their
rooms in Santa B 'rbara and their plans
for trip To San Francisco later In the