Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-11
THE ROBSON HOUSE SOLD
Mr.. W. Bourke Cochran Disposes of His
Sixteenth Street Residence.
1t Was Built by Grants Secretary
of the Navy-Details of
Big Deal.

Messrs Fitch, Fox & Brown received a
letter from ex-Representative w. Bourke
Cochran of New York this morning an
nouncing that he had sold his former resi-
dence in this city, situated at the sou.hea st
corner of 10th and o streets northwest. i'm
mediately north of Scott Circle, to Mr.. Jonn
7. Williams of New York. The firm had
been Mr.. Cockran's agents for the propertv
ever since he gave up its occupancy, and
were the agents who sold the propertv tn
him for the late E. Kurtz johnson of the
Citizens National Bank, January & 1852.
The residence was built and occupied for
number of years by Secretary of the
Navy George NJ. Robeson while he was a
member of President Grants cabinet. and
1t was the scene of many brilliant social
gatherings. When Mr.. Cochran, while in
public life here, occupied it, the same dis
tlnct1on characterized 1t.
Description of the Premises
1t Is fine. large, four-story brick struc-
ture, occupying a lot 81 feet inches bv III
1eet' ana contains twenty-five rooms 1t is
peculiarly adapted to entertaining.
In the basement are an office room a ser-
wants hall and dining room, kitchen. lam
cry, pahtries. furnace room, etc. The first
Hoor contains a reception hall with f;ra
pace large parlcr, library, dining room
breakfast room and bath room There are
iiVe chambers. sewing room and bath
room a on the second floor. six chambers
ana bath on the third and four servants
rooms In the attic. The interior decora-
.lons are OF great artistic merit and the
hard woods and their finishing are regard
ed as the equal of any In Washington. 1t
was matter of gossip when Secretarv
Robeson built the house that the hard
wood interior was finished by the most ex
pert artisans in the navy
The price at which Messrs. Fitch. Fox q,
Brown held the property was $50. 600 hut
IN the deal by which Mr.. Cochran disposed
or 1t the residence was rated at 500. 600
Very Large interests Involved.
BY the terms of the contract which Mr..
Cochran entered into with Mr. John r.
Williams, who is a millionaire real estate
operator and builder Of New York, the
residence above described and his former
dwelling at No. 125 West 9th street, New
York, are conveyed to Mr.. Williams. the
latter being placed at xO,OOO.
IN e4change for these properties and cash
Mr. Cochran is to receive from Mr. Will
lams the recently completed nine-story
stone front mercantile buii,ifng, Nos. :, and
Waverley place, on the north side, 100
1eet west OF Broadway. 1t is :JOX1OS feet in
size, and 1t figures in the trafe at S:ssO ogO.
Mr. Cockran's idea irf making the trade.
1t is understood. was to effect consolida-
same time a property that would yield him
a regular income without much attention
from hlmself. ~,
His Wffe's Sole Heir.
The real estate to be conveyed to- Mr..
Williams as part payment for the Waver-
ley place building was lnhsrited by Mr.
Cochran under the will Of his late wife,
who was daughter of John Mack, a
wealthy merchant Of NeWAYork. Mrs Cock
ran, who died on February 20, 1895, made
her husband sole heir to her estate. which
consisted of personal property that, ac-
cording to records In the surrogate's office,
was worth $4,000 and real estate valued at
$4,000.
These estimates, made for probate pur-
poses. were probably very low, especially
SO far as the real estate is concerned, as,
besides the property affected by yester-
days exchange, Mr.. Cochran owns fine
country place on Long Island and other
property.