The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-10-28
A CITY OF STREET CARS.


CnrViIIe, on the Pacific Coast, and Ita
DOmiciIes OF Abandoned Vehicles.
The idea of converting an abandoned
street car into Il domiCile is strictly
Californian-as original as the house,
boat life of Belyedere bay or the slave
traffic of Chinatown. When you think
of it, there is no reason why some such
use should not be made of those Obso7
lete vehicles, with their glazed sides
and vanished panels. Yet there is
nothing about the style of them as they
were borne through the streets in other
and older days to suggest this ultimate
purpose of their being, Who, though,
sees his old clothes in the white paper
of the morning journal, or mere coal in
the gas flame which Eliminates his
dining-room? OF the availability of
street car for living purpose there may
be question, but of the adapUability
of the structure there is no doubt--not
at least, after visit to Carville. Car
vile is on the verge of the Pacific
ocean, and on the northwest edge of
Golden Gate park. 1t is founded on the
sand dunes, and its residents are free
of the sea breezes and the sunsets. Be
fore them the park stretches out its
vistas of dark green; around them are
tawny sand dunes-a veritable Sahara
billowing away to the hills. To the
west the Pacific stretches illimitably its
bright wastes of blue waters. An adj
mirable site surely-a seaside resort
within stones throw of San Francisco.
Carville and its cars belong to Adolph
Sutro. You may occupy a car there,
lease it even, at the rate of five dollars
per month. You may convert it to do
nestle purposes, furnish it deliberately,
but you cannot purchase it or its site for
love or money. The location, thinks Mr..
Sutro, who is a man Of much foresight,
has future. What other great city has
a seaside resort at its doors, he wants
TO know. Here is London with its
Brighton in the suburbs, New York
with Narragansett pier on its water
front. Why, it will be worth millions
yet. The plutocrat of the twentiesh
century Will have his villa here rather
than on Pacific Heights or at Burl-
ingame. Indeed, Mr.. Sutro, who had
the Imagination to build the biggest
| and ugIiest baths in America, and a
Cliff house that looks like a fortified
| dry goods box, has but to close his eyes
| and see vision of pale pink palaces en-
powered in verdure along the boulevard
stretching over the sand dunes to the
gum trees in the distance, and all pay
ing tribute to his foresight. This is
the ocean beach according to Sutro.
w. NJ. COward's domicile is summer
villa-the swell show place of Carville. Il
is hung with portieres, equipped with a
| dining-table, a tiny kitchen and all the
other domestic attributes. Its outfit of
| furniture and trappings cost $3.50, and
really the impression you have of the
| interior is quite sumptuous. 1t might
| be Pullman car, or a costly corner in
| a pIutOcrat's mansion, or something
equally luXurious-if you can think OF
it. Here cOmeth the owner every Sun
! day armed with the materials of the
Sabbath dinner, and he and his family
enjoy the ozone and the freedom Of
beach, park and sand dunes. If he
chooses, he may live there the week
| through-as Capt. Daily does. The cap
! tain is Il gentleman of prominence and
education, who found himself a few
| years back broken in health and out of
pocket There was a bit of a hut set out
on the edge of the ocean which he OBJ
tanned leave to occupy, believing that
the fresh, free air of the Pacific was en-
lowed with healingyirtues which the at
mosPhere of the city proper did not pos
seSs. An invalid yeritably, though
young in spirit he Iaade the hut his
domicile, and ever since he has waxed
strong and hearty, ;egained his lost
health and secured new lease of life.
The little cabin has been TRANSFORMED
into a quaint residence ornamented
with the spoils of the sea. Behind it
are stacked up timbers and shells and
cocoanut husks and innumerable other
articles of tlotsam and jetsam. A dim
lng-room has been Scooped out of the
sands and around the walls grow
flowers But it is the collection of bot
ties you will look at with the deepest
interest. Such an array of bottles stand
ing in every corner and brasure of the
establishment, every one of them picked
up by the captain in his morning tramp
along the great, broad beach, which
curves in shining reaches away to Lake
MERGED. He will tell you of the charm
OF life on the ocean shore and assure
You that the sea fogs have their abiding
place, not on the waters edge but
amid the chimney pots of the city. He
will descant to you of renewed vitality
and buoyancy of spirits gained from the
sea breeze.-San Francisco Wave.
Cafe Parfait.