Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-14
BRYANT MANSION BURNED
The Palatial Structure Reduced to Ruins
Last Night.
Heavy Loss on Building and Contents
Upon Which There Was Nearly
Total Insurance.

The palatial mansion built by Mr.. c. o.
B. Bryant, who died few days ago, was
burned to tie ground last night about 8
o'clock, and no clue to the origin of the
fire has been yet obtained. No one was at
the time occupying the handsome resi-
dence, but yesterday a force of workmen
was engaged in making repairs to the prop
erty- The men had stopped work for he
Gay and were at an adjoining building
after eating supper, when one of them
noticed flames issuing from the top story
of the house. 1t was not long before the
Whole country for miles around was bright
ly Illuminated The fire was fierce and the
flames SO high that a newspaper might
have been read by their light a long dis
lance away. The glare from the burning
structure could be seen for miles, and
brought the residents of the country in
large numbers to the rescue
The structure was recently purchased by
Messrs T. H. Pickford and John II. Wal
tiers of this city, and they went to the
ruins early this morning. 1t is stated that
the building cost about 100000 and that it
was nearly covered by insurance.
Building Not Completed.
The Bryant mansion, as it is usually
called, was located at Four Corners, a
short distance from Silver Spring Md One
of the characteristics of Mr.. Bryant's build
ings was that he rarely ever finished any
of them, or SO frequently made changes
that virtually none was ever completed.
This fate attended the mansion burned
down last night. The front entrance was
never built, and only a temporary one in
dictated where he eventually expected a
grand one should be built, and even this
was rarely used.
Wh tal,
ously furnished was not occupied the last
year of the late owners occupancy of the
farm, because during the winter the heat
ing arrangements were not satisfactory,
and In the summer because spacious cot
tage two or three hundred yards from it
was so comfortable that Mr.. Bryant
thought he might just as well remain In
1t. Last fall the heating plant was torn
out and new system, and very elaborate
one. was introduced to replace it, which,
however, was not completed.
Interior Adnornments.
The house had very spacious hall, draw
ing and music rooms, and a beautiful din
ing room on the main floor, with the
kitchen facilities in the rear. Every room
was richly adorned with the best that
money could buy. Fine rugs covered the
highly polished hardwood floors, valuable
pictures hung on the walls, and, In fact,
Mr.. Bryant had so many choice engravings
and oil paintings that, as big as his house
was, 1t was difficult usually for him to find
room to display a new purchase Many of
the doors and other pa IS of the woodwork
were bought in New York from old Broad
way mansions, torn down when business
invaded that thoroughfare, and many of
these had not only substantial beauty. but
had historic interest, which made them
doubly valuable to their owner. The library
was the most valued part of the house In
its owners estimation, whose tastes con-
tinually led him to the purchase of rare old
books and any and everything that would
make his collection Of literary treasures
more complete. On top of the house there
was a large conservatory