Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-11

the house, from architectural stand
point, may practically be considered as If
1t were located on a corner. The color
scheme is soft shade of cream, and the
materials used, which are mainly terra
Gotta and brick are of that color. The
house rests on strong foundation OF
rock-face granite. finished with a course
of ashlar of the same material The upper
portion of the structure is built entirely of
terra Gotta and brick, comparatively a
small proportion of the latter. however.
being used.
The general design of the front suggests
the French school of architecture, although
the tendency to ornamentation Is re-
strained, and what appears Is delicately
dore, and softens the severity in the out
lines of the building. There are no pro-
Jections. The openings for the windows are
broad. and the massive effect Is accen-
tuated by the sills. which are deeply bev-
eled. Between each story there are string
courses of terra Gotta, with the sill and
lead courses marked out by heavy blocks
of the same material Leaf ornamentation
nodded in terra Gotta forms feature in
the central portion in each course.
The lines of the window heads, as we'll
as of the stills, are straight, and the same
style is followed in the cornice, which is
supported by corbels, with dental course
below. The piers in the window openings
as well as the windows jams are Of terra
Gotta.
In the section of the front of the house
directly over the main entrance which is
at the extreme east end there are some
Gotta. The doorway, which Is on level
with the ground, is thanked on each side by
futed pillars, with carved capitals, sup
porting conventional figures of lions. In
the center of the pediment of the doorway
Is design consisting of shield, with fig
ures of Cupids on each side, the whole sur
rounded by lines of foliage carving. Above
and on line with the second story win
dows a panel is set in the wall, which is
filled with foliage, and shows he figures
of the year in which the house was erected.
This section is finished with 4 mansard
roof effect and dormer window, the pedi-
ment and sides of the latter being richly
orEamented. On the side of the house over
looking the lawn, as well 70 that of the
Hale house, a small balcony has been built
from the second story. The chimney
stacks. which are carried up some distance
above the roof show some pleasing designs
In ornamentation worked out IN terra Gotta.
A Spacious Interior.
The interior plan of the house, which has
received the careful personal supervision
of Mrs. Childs, shows to advantage the
generous proportions. The entrance steps
are within the vestibule and lead into a
large staircase hall. and from the latter
access is had to the various rooms on the
floor. These are arranged en- suite, so as
to afford an extended sweep from the front
to the rear Of the house. The parlor, which
is very large room, occupies the front of
the house. Then comes the library, and
last of all the dining room. All these rooms
are large, unusually so for a city house
but owing to the provision made for light
and air on the side they will be attractive
and cheerful. Just at present the interior
of the house Is being plastered. but it is the
intention to finish the parlor in pine, the
library in mahogany and the hall and din
Ing room in oak. The basement will be
used for domestic purposes and a subcel-
lar viii contain the heating apparatus. The
house is being built in a substantial man
ner, under the direction of Mr.. Lowry, who
is the representative of the architects. It
Is expected that it will be ready for occu-
pancy some time next September. AS the
size of the lot permitted not only the cree
of spacious residence. but left space for
stable as WELL one has been built Of
brick similar to that used in the construc-
ton of the house, with an opening on a
thirtyfoot alley. The lot, which has a
frontage of fftythree feet, the house being
forty feet in width, contains about GOO
square feet, and cost about $4,000. 1t Is
estimated that the expenditure for the
house and lot will be something over $780,
COO
As Place of Residence.
The erection of this house may be re-
garded as another of the many substan-
tial tIibutes of the same character which
has been paid in recent years to the de-
STABILITY CT this city as a place Of resi-
dence. The owner of the house, Mrs. Childs
as is we'll known. is the widow of George
w. Childs, the distinguished Philadelphia
newspaper publisher and philanthropist.
Her home has been in Philadelphia, where
her husbands business was. Blu. upon the
death Of her husband, when she found
that the necessities of business no longer
bound her to one place. she followed her
incllratious and of all the cities in the
country she found that Washington pos
sessed more attractions and advantages
as place of residence than any other.
In this respect Mrs. Childs Is not alone
For several years past our resident popu-
lation has been enlarged by the removal
here OF people prominent in social, lit
erary. scientific and art circles. in fact all
who like to live in a pleasant place, where
they are free from many of the annoyances
which mark life in other cities. Among
the many who have come to Washington
In recent years because they like it as a
place of residence and have made tteir
permanent homes here are the following
Mrs. b. II. Warder, Mrs. Washington Nc
Lean. Mrs. Scott Townsend, the Misses