Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-03

Sprague, Warner & Co. has one Of the fin
est houses. and ]. M. Durand. the Chicago
grocer, has a beautiful mansion OF gothic
architecture which has been the subject Qe
amusing and ridiculous exaggeratons. Last
winter, when II was completed, an aston
fishing story was sent out concerning the
extravaganza displayed in its construction,
and provoked considerable unfavorable COM
ment We were told that the door knobs
and other hardware throughout the house
were Of solid gold; that the chandeliers and
plumbing were, of solid silver: that the
carved woodwork In the Interior cost $3.50, .
600; that the mantles and hearths were OF
Numidian marble imported from Africa;
that the bathtubs and washstands were or
turquoise onyx; that the equipments OF the
kitchen and buffers pantry cost thousands
o. dollars, and so forth. The family do not
understand why any one should have in
vented such a Monte Cristo sensation. be-
cause there was no foundation for It,
Everything about the Durand mansion Is
fine and solid and perfect as 1t can be
made but the entire cost. from the founda-
ton to the tips of the turrets. was only
5,0G0 instead of several millions, and IT is
unnecessary to say that very few gold door
knobs could have been purchased for that
sum. The family are often annoyed by the
curiosity of strangers, who expect to see
palace.
Life in Southern California.
There are large numbers of pleasure
places about Los Angeles. This part Of the
country seems to have a pleasure-lovlng
population. with time and money to crafty
their tastes. The seacoast is lined with re-
sorts, handsome hotels and cottages which
are crowded the year round Everything
possible is done to attract and entertain
visitors Electric railways run In every d.
rection, giving cheap and rapid transit:
and the fact that the pleasure season lasts
for twelve months makes II profitable. II Is
the only place l know where families may
live in seaside cottages all the year in COM
fort, and there is seldom day in the en-
tire 3G5 when surf-bathing is not agree
able You can get any temperature you
want. If the air along the sea beach Is
too cool or damp, or the fogs which often
rise after sunset. are not agreeable. you
can move back into the country. to Pasa-
dena Riverside. where the air is warm
er and dryer and the farther you go from
the sea, the warmer It gets. There Is a
chain of seaside villages reached by trolley
cars. where a large portion of the business
population Of Los Angeles live, as well as
the leisure class They are more resorted
to In the winter than in the summer by
eastern tourists. but the permanent popula-
ton live there the whole year round. Many
of them are well-to-do farmers from the
colder states. who have left their grown-up
children in charge of their farms and have
taken small cottages OF three or four rooms.
which rent from $40 a month upward. and
live at a comparative small cost. A Dakota
farmer not long ago figured up that his
saving IN fuel, extra clothing and other
railroad fare from Yankton to Riverside.
where he can live just as cheaply through
the winter months as at home.
Thousands of people come here for the
summer, also July. August and Septem-
her are just as pleasant the winter
months. The difference In tempera ture be-
tween January and July is about fifteen
degrees, owing to the trade winds which
blow In constantly from the ocean. Those
who prefer to camp out can rent tents, fully
equipped with beds and other furniture, for
$40 per month and upward. They can
take their meals as thousands do, at the
nelghboring retaurants and hotels.
There are several colonies of eastern art
lists along the coast, who find plenty OF
material. There Is as much to attract them
here as In Italy. Southern California Is the
Riviera of the United States
The latest attraction is called 1.-The Ven
Ice of America" where Mr. Abbot Kinney
Is reproducing, nearly as possible THE
Queen of the AdriatIc." with modern at
tachments. He appeals to the intellectual
and the cultivated class as well as to those
who merely seek diversion and In a beauti-
full auditorium provides series OF lectures
and concerts during the week and religious
services on the Sabbath. after the Chau-
tauqua plan. All of his buildings are copies
or those In Venice, and this seaside city II
infersected with canals upon which Condo
las furnish transportation. The place II
unique and attractive; a great deal OF at
tention has been paid to landscape garden
Ing and the floral displays are superb.