Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-27
Over Ninety Thousand Dollars Paid
for the Strong House.
INCREASE IN BUSINESS FACILITIES
Practical Results From the Coming
Here of Summer Visitors.
AN TIVE CITY

.
ingstone of New York city of the old CO.
1onal mansion on the south side of *
street between 18th and 18th streets north
west for S92, 700. This property was built
several years ago by Col. Henry Strong,
but was never completely finished on ac
rount of the ill-health of Mrs. Strong, who
was ordered by her physicians to Santa
Barbara, Cal, where another residence is
now under construction.
The new owner has employed Paul j.
PelZ, architect, to make changes and adj
ditions, which is estimated will cost about
$1,000. The lot is spacious one. having
frontage Of seventy-one feet, and contains
s,153 square feet. The house occupies the
entire front, and, stated, is built in
what is known the colonial style, the
material used beng a Hght-colored brick,
trimmed with light stone.
The rear of the house Is especially at
tractive, it has an outlook not only on
the spacious lawn, but upon the extensive
grounds which surround the residence of
the late George W. Riggs. the latter front
ing on l street. The ground Oh which the
Strong residence is located was formerly
a part of the Riggs place, and Colonel
Strong was one CT the first purchasers
when it was decided to place this portion
of the property upon the market. To the
east of the Strong residence is the hand
some home of Senator Quay, recently erect
ed. Colonel Strong paid s. a foot for the
{, l13 square feet, and 1t IS said that ne
expended between $4,000 and 100000 in
the erection of the house. The price OBJ
tanned may be considered a good one, and
OILY furnishes another evidence of the
stability of real estate values in this city.
Summer Visitors to the City.
In an indirect way it is possible to do
considerable business in the real estate line
during the summer months. There are
great many people. especially those who
are in the habit of spending a consider
able portion of the heated term away from
their homes. who have an idea that there
is not much activity in the business cir
cies of Washington. While, of course,
there is a letting up for the summer pc
riod in the energetic hustling that char
acteriZes the business world of the ma
tons capital during the rest Of the year,
still something is being done and every
body does not leave town as is popularity
supposed. Ii fact there is quite an adj
ditIon to the population, owing to the
number of visitors who find their way to
this city.
AS is well known, there Is a natural de-
sire on the part of nearly every American
citizen to visit the capital of their own
country, and the summer presents the best
opportunity for a large majority of them
to be away from their homes and business.
The result is that they come here and
make the tour of the various points of
interest for which this city Is noted They
mire. the many attractive specimens of do
nestle and business architecture which
Ere found here.
In its summer dress Washington is rec
oSniZed as an attractive place, and the
summer visitors go away carrying an i'm
preston of the city which they are not soon
apt to forget. If for any reason they wish
to change their place of residence any of
their friends i'll the same situation the
desirablity of this city is very likely to
appeal TO them strongly, and the conse-
qucnce is Washington gains new residents.
In this way the city itself may be re-
gardcd d sort of an advertisement, and
1t is important that it should be in its best
hress during the heated term, as well as
curing any other part of the year.
The Lawns of the City.
In this connection the individual citizen,
well as the District authorities, have a
duty to perform Certainly the city would
b. much less beautiful if it were not for
abe attention and oney which individual
citizens expend on the parking or lawns in
front of their houses AS is we'll known, all
the space in front of the average city house
belongs to the public but Its care and
maintenance is a charge voluntarily assum-
ed by the individual householder. How
well this is done glance at the well-kept
lawns which fringe most of the streets and
avenues OF the city Will attest.
Here and there. however. appears rag
ged piece Of lawn, where the grass grows
rank and long. As a rule this marks the
residence of people who have left the city
for the summer and made no provision for
sence- 1t is thought that all that is neces-
sary is to call the attention of house
holders to this subject, and this defect,
which is largely believed to be the result Of
an oversight. would be remedied. Undoubt-
edly correction of this evil would tend
to enhance materially the attractions of
this city.
improvements in the City.
1. is a matter of congratulation to those
who are Interested in the welfare of Wash
ington that progress is being made all the
time in the Improvement OF the city. Ad-
dItoEs are being made constantly to the
number of residences, and the facilities for
carrying on business of various kinds are
being increased by the erection of enlarged
and modern buildings. While the amount
Of money expended in these direction has
not be IN as large during the past year or
two as was the case in the period before
the financial depression. yet it Is gratifying
to know that even the stress of financial
difficulties which has been felt here as we'll
as in other parts of the country has not
entirely checked the extension of business
or the growth of population.
In another important particular a steady
and gradual progress may be noted and
that is the increase in the facilities of COM
munication from one part of the city with
another and between the city and the SUBJ
urbs- This has been ACCOMPLISHED not so
much by the building of new lines of street
railways as by the substitution of modern
motive power for horses. 1t is safe to say
that in the near future the system of street
railways of this city will be looked upon
as model. not only in this country but
abroad 1t is not meant to be understood
that the system has by any means reached
perfection. but in its main features 1t Ia
Tar superior to that which prevails in many
cities where the overhead trolley still
marks the highest point in advance made
Mr.. Covers Residence.
Plans will be completed this week for
colonial residence to be erected at Terrace
Heights, d. c.. for Mr.. Amos Cover of this
CITY The house will be 3.'x3S feet will be
three stories in height, and will contain
eleven rooms. The plans provide for par
lor- library, dining room. pantry and kitchen
on the first floor four chambers and bath on
the second and two chambers on the third
and finished rooms in the basement The
first floor and stairs will be finished in hard
wood. while the chambers will be finished
In pine. decorated to harmonic with the
finish of the rooms. The main stairway
Will open into the library, producing an
artistic effect. The building site is OF side
hill, and the exterior arrangement of the
house. combined with spacious verandas