The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-06-23
THE MORSE ESTATE.
Becomes the Property of Mr.. j., r.. Libby
of this City.

The elegant estate at the corner of
Park and Danforth streets known as the
Morse property. has passed into other
hands. Mr.. J. r. Libby of this city, the
prominent dry goods merchant, has
purchased it, and will, we understand,
make.l 1T his residence. For years this
has been one of the show residences of
stone front, the richness of it's archtec-
ture 1.-The solidity of of the granite walls
that surround the grounds, and the wide
stone-haggged pavements, all showing
that no expense had beensspared in it's
construction to make it palatial home
for it's owner. It's cost originally was
Sl25, 600. aslarge sum for private man
sion in a city that at the time of it's con-
struction did not.much exceed popula-
ton of 80, 900. That the furnishings should
be i'll keeping the furniture was especially
made for the house, and to it was added
beautiful bronzes and costly paintings.
Mr.. Libby, it is reported, has secured
the furnishings with the house, the price
paid being somewhere between SIS, 600
and $4,000.
Naturally the question arises whyswas
so valuable property sold for such a
depreciation of the original value. The
answer is simple. The house and grounds
stand almost at the foot of Park street
hill. The loation at the time the house
was built was more fashionable than it
is now. The tide of fashion has swept on
caused by the great fire of
1866 At the present time the residences
in the vinity of the house are, many
of them. Occupied by we'll known and in
several instances prominent citizens, but
with the opening of the new streets 1.-THE
West End came new houses of modern
architecture. The builder, of the house,
Mr.. Ruggles S. Morse, died, leaving a
widow, but no children. The house is
necessarily an expensive one to run, and
the widow preferred a cosy, comfortable
home. In the hands of Mr.. Libby, the
house will doubtless resume it's former
splendor; it is still a magnificent place
1t the architect, New York man, who
planned the house. had not made mis-
take and taken the grade of Danforth
street instead of that of Park street,
when he. built it, the house would have
much m ore commanding appearance.
1t was finished at the close of the fifties,
or first of the sixties. Mr.. Morse was then
the proprietor of the st. Charles Hotel in
New Orleans, and after the house warm
ing-one Of the handsomest parties ever
in thn oil Y, II
Orleans, and was here only semi-occasion-
ally. A fter the war, Mr.. Morse, who
was a native of Leeds, in this state re-
turned here and passed the summer.
The house that originally stood on the
site of the Morse house was long story
and one-ha1f gambreI rooted wooden
building that reached from Danforth
street up Park-then Ann-street to the
Carroll estate. Tt was very attractive
house with it's quaint windows and it's
climbing roses and jesamine. The
great gardens stretched downsDanforth
street as far Dis the Mussey house now
occupied by the Bellows school The two
houses that stand on the grounds now
were not there at the beginning of the
century or until comparatively recent
date. This house was occupied by Mr..
Robert IlIsley for several years the post
master of Portland during the admins
tration of President Monroe. After his
death his widow Mrs. Alice IlsIey con-
tiued to reside there with her nieces the
Misses Paiue and after her death the
house came into their possession and it
was from them that Mr.. Morse purchased
the property.
Mr.. Libby will occupy the house this
fall, moving from his present residence
on Deering steet.