The herald., 1895-09-05
A THRIFTY YOUNG COUPLE
That Live in the House That
William Built
AND HE ERECTED IT ALONE
A Young English Carpenters Labors
When Off Duty
Has Taken Him Fifteen 7snths, Evenings
and Holldays-On the Corner Of Ingra.
ham Street and Lucas Avenue

The trite old sentence, ''what man
has done. man may do, ''or words to that
effect. is held up by relentless elders from
time to time in everybodys experien ce
in austere zones. and with sledge-ham
mer-like succinctness. The telling of
what one man has done here in Los Ange-
les may serve to encourage others to go
and do likwlse and show that whrere
there's a will, and capacity, there's a
way, among the laboring, as in other
classes, for acquiring that always desira-
BILE, not to say necessary factor toward
happiness and prosperity-a home.
Some fifteen years ago there came to
America young Englishman, William
Holt by name. a carpenter by trade. and
judging from his recent achievements, a
rustllng, enterprising, persevering man
by nature. He travelled all over the
United States, even into Texas, always
plying his trade. About six years ago he
reached Los Angeles, and with shrewd
foresight bought lot on what is now the
southeast corner of Ingraham street and
Lucas avenue. At that time the locality
was something of All unsettled wilderness
ant, ,the investment cost him compare
tlvely small sum in cash. Once or twice
business took him to San Francisco, and
there he met and grew to love sweet
faced. fair-haired young German girl,
whom he married two years ago last May.
and having brought her to Los Angeles,
decided that 1t behooved him to procure
for them both home. AT that time he
was an employee of the Kerckhoff plan
ing mill, and he is still working there.
Meanwhile the tract in which he owned
tie lot above alluded to had been graded,
heen made habitable, Mr.. Holt decided
to erect a house in that place. He built
q couple of rooms near the Ingraham
street side; they moved in, and IN June.
1894, he commenced the arduous labor OF
building, alone and unaided, two-story
house, with tower, which is now almost
completed. His duties at the kerckhoff
lumber yard have occupied him constant
ly during the day and consequently the
house has been built entirelyiat night, on
Sundays, or at other times when he was
free from his daily labors. Mr.. and Mrs
Holt have occupied the two rooms on the
ground floor all the time, and the rest of
the house has been built around and over
them. The result is not only an
ornament to the neigh borhood. which
has meanwhile built up RAPIDLY, bat it is
as well conclusive evidence of well-di-
y
talent. The two lower rooms, that are
now used as parlor-bed room and dining
room-kitchen, will, when the house is
done. be dining room and kitchen re-
spectively; both have walls and ceiling
OF sealed wood, and windows that face
the north ard east in the former room
and the east and south in the latter.
On the floor above, to which short
fight of front steps lead, are also two
rooms, drawing room and u library.
There are two front doors on the little
square portico, one on the side opehlng
directly into the drawing room; the
Other, facing the steps, into square hall
way in which are the stairs leading
above. The drawing room faces on In
graham street, with a gorgeous bay win
dow which takes in the entire end OF the
room. A single window faces east, on
the side opposite the door, and in the
south end of the room is the fire place,
or rather crate and mamtel. The library
is a smaller room, opening out OF the
front room with a wide sliding door, and
with east and south windows. Again,
on the floor above. are three sleeping
rooms and a bath room all supplied gen.
erousiy with windows and closets. Gas
and electric bells, Jewellednstained glass
windows, the CRATE and mantel and the
plumbing, togetaher with the plastered
walls and ceilings of the two upper stor-
les, are the only things about the house
that Mr.. Holt has not himself executed
as well as planned; and they had to be
the best in each case in order to be har
monious with the carpenter work every
where. The bath room is equipped with
porcelain tub. stationary bowl and
closet; the faucets are nickel-plated and
the plumbing Is the best to be had.
Over the front portco is small room
that may be used for sleeping, or that
other purpose so dear to woman's heart,
sewing Its windows face west, down
ha NJ 70 ali Of N ~ N "a street in fba
direction of Westlake park, and the view
is charming, while that from the roof of
sbe same room is very extended, and the
eye may sweep uninterruptedly from
Cahuenga past the Soldiers home. across
Santa Monica to the ocean, and on over
the southern portion Of the city. The
interior wood work is all hand made is
unique in design and executed with beau
tiful precision. Every window and door
casing, the base boards in each room and
the doors themselves. all have the same
decoration. No room is sighted, and
although there is no attempt at elaborate
or snowy decoration, the most workman
like care and attention TO detail is evil
denced. Every part CT the house, outside
and in, is marked by the same character
istics, and Mr.. Holt has every reason to
be proud of his achievement. If he is
not, his wife is, and with the most affec-
tionate interest in the work she showed
Herald reporter over the house yester-
day, and explained in her quaint and
charming English the various attractions
of the home that will be completely fin
ished. 'even to the flowers in the gar
den," in about two months. Mrs. Holt
says she always sits with her husband
when he works on the house, plans with
him this and that detail; that she has
learned much by doing so, and has be-
come so interested that sometimes she
uses the hammer and nails herself in his
absence. and can WELD the former i'm
plemeht now without 'hitting her
thumbs" which is an achievement that
the most ramp pant of tho new women can
but envy her. And it is only few on
the ''old" women in this day and gener-
alton who have the privilege of owning
and living in home tnat their husbands
have not only paid for, but have spont
the time and literally midnight oil to
build, themselves, little by little, by the
sweat of their brows.
cHAMRFQ OE COMMPPCp