Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-02

& Burgess for the erection Of the Mckin-
ley building on the grounds of the Amer
lean University. This structure Is to be
started at once, and will form a part Of
the group mat has been planned for the
uses or the university. 1t will be built of
marble. was the case with the other
building which has been erected, and 1t Will
cost about $4,000.
The enlargement of the Ontario apart
ment house, or rather the carrying out OF the
original plans of this structure Will place
IL in the ranks of the largest buildings
of the sort in the city. Its location. on on
tatio avenue to the west of Columbia road
and some distance north of Cincinnati street,
does not make it conspicuous from al
points of view. and so 1t is not generally
realized what a big building is going up
there.
1t stands in a plot of ground that is sur
rounded on three sides by streets, and COM
mands a fine view of the Rock Creek val
ley. The entire area of the ground Is nelr-
ly two acres, and about one-third Is COW
cred with the building, or will be Wien the
extension to the west is compile ed. The
first section. which was complettd year
ago. contains fifty-four apartments, and
the new part will have seventy-two max
ing a total of 12i apartments in the SIX
stories of the building.
The only buildings of the sort that at all
compare with the Ontario in size are the
Portner. on 18th street above u street. and
the StoncleiSh, on Connecticut avenue. The
three-quarters of n million of dollars. The
property is owned by a company, of which
Mr.. Charles d. Walcott is president, James
+. Hood is vice president and A. NJ. Nc
Lachlen, secretary and treasurer.
Wholesome Respect for Years.
At this time of the year one is apt 20 no
tce the carelessness, or. at any rate. the
selfshness, of the average man and woman
as he sees the effecl upon the grass of
trampling feet. Where the grass is not
fully protected, and even when an effort
is made 20 ward off unnecessary Intrusion
of piSSers-by, there are indie itOnS that
people in order to save a step are willing
to mar the beauty of the city. Household
ers who spend their money and also some
of their time to keep in order and have
slightly the bit of public ground that is
reserved in front OF their houses fire.
quently defeated by this habit of the pub
lie in general in apparently disregardinS all
other considerations, providing they can
save an extra step.
So 1t happens that what ought to be green
swdrd inviting to tine eye becomes barren
VASES. a blot upon the beauty OF the city.
All that could be avoided if people who
used the sidewalks would think moment
and keep their feet off the grass
plots. There should be as great respect for
n piece of grass in this city as for an oil
painting or anything else that is of value,
FOR after all is said and done there is no
more expensive crop 10 raise in this latitude
tndn grass
For the German Embassy.
According to the statements made by
those who are connected with the recent
purchase Of the large tract of land on the
uUIt... sac VI . street between 22I and 23d
streets northwest, some time during the
present season the old Kali house as it
Is known. is to be removed. and on this
site is to be erected a residence which it
is asserted Will cost a half million of Col
lars. AS is well known, such a sum of
money will pay for great quantity OF
brick and stone and ornamentation, and
the conclusion that may be drawn is that
the proposed residence Is to be a large
one.
come as well the name of the pur-
chaser OF the properly is still well-kept
secret, although the transaction was made
public some weeks ago. and transfer of
the title has been recorded. Still nothing
is known positively to the ownership,
but there is quite a general belief that when
the spacious residence is completed it will
become the home of the German embassy
TO this country.
A Favorite Place of Residence
Across the street is the spacious site
which is now the property of the French
government. and where it is the intention.
as soon as the necessary appropriation can
be secured, to erect residence for the
French embassy. The location in both in
stance is an attractive one in several par
tl@ulars, as it has elevation, affording an
excellent view of the city and the surround
ing country, and is also accessible to the
residence portion of the city.
This was the view which evidently the
early residents of the city had of this To-
Cdlty, for ii became the site of homes very
early in the development of the city. The
old house, which is still standing, was
erected, as shown by the date on the Chin
rey, in the year 1875 four years after the
site of the city had been selected. 1t was
built by Anthony Holmead, who was one
OF the owners of the land selected as the
site of the city, and is known, therefore,
one OF the original proprietors of the city.
An Original Proprietor.
d Mr. Holmead was not living in the old
house referred to when he joined with the
other proprietors in the year 1871 and sign
ed an agreement 20 convey TO the repre-
sentatives of the United States such por-
lions OF their holdings as might be needed
for the uses of the new city. There is a
tradition That the Holmead home was the
building that stood until a few years ago