Evening star., 1897-04-07
\ MOUNTAIN PEACH FARM.
Mr.. Frank G. Carpenter Improving
. Handsome Place mt Snicker's Gap.


Mr. Frank G. Carpenter Improving
. Handsome Place mt Snicker's Gap.
Mr.. Frank G. Carpenter, the well-known'
newspaper correspondent, who for seven
years past has been a regular weekly con-
trihutor to The Evening Star. has become
a resident of Loudoun county, Va, where
he has bought fine tract of land on the
Blue Ridge near Smokers Gap. Last fall
he planted on this farm thirty acres to
apple and peach trees. and he is now en-
gagged in plowing and planting about ten
acres more. When this work Is done he
will have an orchard of about 1000 trees.
Work was begun last week on a large
house and barn on the place. the contract
for which was let some weeks ago to a To-
cal builder for s.. 500. The site chosen for
the house is a high knob to reach which
Mr.. Carpenter will another spring drive
through nearly half mile of peach bios
SONS. From this point, which is conspic-
uous for miles in almost every direction.
there Is a marvelously fine view of the
Shenandoah valley far south as the
Massanutten mountain. in Page county.
and northward to Bolivar Heights. back Of
Harpers Ferry. To the east the Loudoun
valley, the whole Katoctin range. the Po-
tomac, Sugar Loaf mountain and the tum-
bled horizon Of the Maryland hills are to
be seen On a clear day, without the aid
of glass, the Washington monument can
be seen, a mere speck of cleaning white
on the horizon in a straight line with Mum
sons Hill. near Falls Church. Mr.. Car
penter has selected an exceptionally beau
tiful spot for summer home, and with
the thrifty forethought of a western man
has given 1t a practical and commercial
turn in tree planting that can hardly fail
to bring handsome results. His farm Is
about eight miles south of the noted
Becker farm, on the Blue Ridge, where in
single orchard there are 24OO acres of
peaches. the largest fruit farm in the
United States this side of California.
Several Washington residents have noun
tain farms at Smokers Gap. among them
Mr.. Charles G. Smith of the Potomac
Stone Company, who went to the noun
tains last week with his family to spend
the summer: Prof. Josef Kaspar, the vio-
linist; Mr.. Louis P. Shoemaker. Miss H.
Grace Brown of Mount Vernon Institute.
and Mr.. Jules Demonet of Demonet & Son.
The plans for Mr.. Carpenters new house.
as prepared by Messrs. Speiden & Speiden.
architects. of this city, comprise a struc-
ture ffty-two by forty feet of COLONEL
style. two stories and attic. A broad-cov-
cred ve-anda, with massive stone columns
surrounds three sides of the house, the
columns resting a heavy stone coping.
The wide doorway opens into reception
hall fifteen by twenty-five feet, connecting
on the left by sliding doors with spacious
dining room, and on the right with a WELL
appointed library. The lower rooms are
provided with large stone fireplaces OF
special design, provision being made also
for heating by furnace. If desired. On the
second floor are five large bed rooms, bath
| and servants room.
The stone work is of granite found In the
vicinity. and special precaution has been
taken in the anchorage of the lighter por.
tions of the structure to resist the noun
| tain blasts. While Mr.. Carpenter intends
| to use this as his summer residence. pro-
! vision has been made for comfort in the
| coolest weather.