The morning times., 1896-09-02

Next year tho finest residence In tho
District OF Columbia win be erected. II
Is to be built to get away from peoples
backyards.
1t win be the property OF Mr.. A. L.
Barber. Tue site viii be the twenty five
acres OF ground on the south side OF
Woodley Lane at its junction with tile
TeDleyt town road. The cost OF tie structure
will reach into the hundreds OF thousands
of dollars and may go to O million.
1t Is to be the home OF the Barber fam
ily in the future. Mr.. Barber's business
requires his presence in New York most
OF the time, but he will make 1t con-
venient 10 be here part OF each week, at
least during the season.
When Mr.. Barber purchased this property
some months ago there was a general ex-
pectation that land In that vicinity would
take q boom. but after q little furry
things settled back to their normal con-
ditioD. The property is very near Red
Top, President Cleveland's first summer
home. and the site is one OF the most
beautiful iD the District.
HOMES IN SEVERAL CITIES.
Mrs Barber, 1t is said. Is very fond Of
Washington and washington society. She
and Mr. Barber have handsome homes In
several cities. and their Fifth avenue resi-
de1ce in New York is a magnificent one.
With her heart In Washington Mrs. Barber
has never enjoyed New York life as she
otherwise might, 30 the decision was
reached to build a permanent home In the
District.
After carefully looking over the property
for sale in the District Mr and Mrs. Barber
concluded they would purchase on the Ten
leytowD road. When the property now
owned by him was put up for sale Mr.
Barber bought 1t because lie wanted 1t and
paid the price lie bid.
Nothing has been done this year toward
the erection of the new home. That is to
come during the winter and spring. They
know what they want and eau afford TO
build as they please. With twenty-five
acres of beautiful wooded land to build On,
Mr.. Barber will have all the ground neces-
sary on which to erect his palace, for
palace 1t will be. 1t will surpass any
private residence in the Capital City.
THE BARBER HOME.
The Barber home, In this city. now Is
one OF the most striking residences IL 10
n beautiful stone house, built on the hill
at the corner OF Fourteenth and Clifton
streets northwest. 1t commands most
beautiful view and attracts the attention
OF every stranger. Even the oid-time cti
zens cannot refrain from admiring 1t as
they pass by. So handsome Is the home
that many people will wonder at the
change; but thereby hangs tale.
Many years ago Senator John Sherman
OF Ohio and Mr. Barber bought up Columbia
Heights, and Mr.. Barber erected his hand
some home. The upper part OF the square.
and 1t is a long one. which is bounded by
Thirteenth. Fourteenth and Clifton streets
and the Boundary northwest, was the site
he selected. Half Of the square was his,
the other half belongs to Senator Sherman.
The lower half is the same property for
the purchase OF which for a Presidents
residence Senator Quay introduced bill
in the last Congress. 1t was never heard
from after that time.
Since then Senator Sherman has deter
mined to utilize this idle property. He
intends to run street through 1t from
Thirteenth to Fourteenth. This street is
not to be the dividing line between the
two halves by any means. The senior
Ohio Senator knows a trick or two. The
street is to be laid out through his half,
far enough down to permit OF q row Of
houses being built on each side Of It, A
third row will face the boundary.
NO BACK YARDS
This plan of Senator Sherman's thus
changes the magnificent view from the
Barber home into a simple gazing into the
back yards of other peoples houses.
Ii is said that Mr.. Barber tried TO pur-
chase from Senator Sherman his shaN OF
the square, but he wouldn't sell Then he
tried, SO It, is further said, to buy the strip
which would lie on the upper side OF the
new street, but the price asked was larger
than the ylauc of the square.
So thus it is that Mr.. Barber has pur-
chased the land on the Tenleytown road
and will there build a palace, the view from
which will not be spoiled by other peoples
back yards. The present home will bc
given up after the new one is completed