The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-09
CURVES FOR SPOOKS.
A CALIFORNIA WOMAN TOOK ALL
CORNERS OUT OF HER HOUSE.

der the Promptings of tho spirits-The
Unique House Is Now the Home Of the
Occidental Club.
There is one house In San Francisco the
interior OF which has no corner. This Is
the Occidental club building on Stockton
street, which recently became the property
OF Chris Buckley. Where there commonly
are corners in apartments III residences in
this house are only gentle, well rounded
curves. The vertical walls fail to describe
right angle to the ceiling. The base of
the vertical walls melts bya curve into the
foor, and where ordinarily are corners of
room are other curves.
Architecturally in this respect the inte-
rlor Of the clubhouse Is unique. When the
architectural fact first dawned on the ap-
prebension Of Buckley's followers, they
speculated awhile over the proposition and
finally gave IL up as to why rooms should
be built on this plan.
In the basement Is a large apartment
which is supplied with numerous rows OF
chairs, and there" as one of tho mem
bers OF the club expressed It, sis where de
boys do do rough work. 1t Is large
enough for u meeting room. Its ceiling is
high above she floor. 1t Is far enough re-
moved from the main apartment on the
next floor above and shut off with suf-
ficient thickness OF flooring and tight fit
ting doors, so that the enthusiasm which
aecumulatos there on occasion never dis
turbs the more tranquil politicians assem-
bled above. In this room originated the
ideas architecturally expressed throughout
the interior.
The property was formerly owned by
Mrs John NJ. Peck, who was q spiritualist
and listened to the promptings Of medi-
ums.
Mrs Peck was a woman of very deter
mined mind, positive and possibly aggress-
I've, and when she began an enterprise
she carried it out. There was nothing re-
markable about the property until her in
genuity and energy began to change the
Interior II is sufficiently imposing
structure on the exterior, with turrets and
various projections, but its location is such
that whatever external beauties IL has are
liable to escape attention.
The spirits said one day to Mrs John
NJ. Peck that they objected TO corners.
AT least that Is the story, and those who
knew Mrs. Peck will suggest that this Is
very reasonable supposition considering
"
Surely no attenuated ghost, walking
through the library or smoking room, or
any of tho other apartments. which now,
as a club, are devoted to different uses
from those for which they were originally
designed, could ever violently como in
contact-if such thing can be imagined
as violence in that connection-with q
right angie.
This is not 10 say that there are spirits
In the house, excepting such as have been
moved in there in large quantities in jugs,
bottles, casks and other receptacles for
fluids. 1t il said very good authority
that Mrs Peck, modelling and remodcling,
building up and tearing down only to re-
build and tear down again and once more
reconstruct at tho suggestion OF spirit
voices spent between ESQ., 600 and $75, 600
In making the interior of her building
what ID is.
The large room in the basement previ-
ously alluded to was devised particularly
for n seance room, and IL was fitted up
with benches, some of which may have
been occupied, according to her fancy, by
intangible beings, while the others accom-
modated people In the eesh.
There is q staircase which, in its present
shape, is tho product Of three attempts to
make something satisfactory. 1t was
twice pulled down and third time allowed
to stapd At the foot of this staircase a
magnificent bird, with delicate and finely
elaborated plumage, carved out OF single
block Of hard wood, stands as warder to
Its beauties.
There are only 10 rooms In the entire
building, and yet within very short
period between $4,000 and $1,000 was
paid TO painters for painting and repaint-
ing in different tints and colors. A small
fortune, in fact, went into these adorn-
ments and changes, all Of which had some
thing of the eerie about them, because
Mrs. Peck supposed that her judgment
was either guided or approved by ghostly
voices.
Circular cupboards, one being especially
devised for silver safe, carry out the gen.
eral idea Of evading right angles, and they
observe well the lines of beauty. There Is
one window in which Mrs. Peck INDUCED
the frolic mood. Displayed on this in
characteristic attitudes and pursuing their
favorite pursuits i'm mountain Businesses,
in jungles and tangled copses, are lions,
bears. tigers and hyenas--a general assort-
mcnt, In fact, of carnivora Oh dress parade.
In observing the general theory OF TO-
tundity Mrs. Peck's mind, or the sugges-
tions made to Mrs. Pcck's mind, did not
lack variety. Taking counsel OF many
hints, either from within or without o
variety of finish was devised which, con-
sidering there are only 15 rooms and that
her ingenuity and acceptance OF suggos-
tions manifested themselves mainly on the
two floors, certainly displays great mental
fertility.
How Mrs. Peck, listening TO what she
supposed were voices from another world,
chased the fluctuations Of the stock mar
ket up and down, sometimes making mon
ey aud sometimes losing 1t, but always
having within her the calm assurance that
some time she would possess n large for
tune, Is a matter Of common knowledge
among middle aged people now residing
here who knew her. But her architectural
exploits IL such they may be termed. are
less known. II Is said that she discarded
the advice ot architects and very likely ex'
pended much more money than was neccs.
sary TO have accomplished the same results.
Apart from the impulse which actuated,
the house would attract attention only by