Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-05-20
THE AIExANDR1A GAZETTE WEDNESDAY evening MAY 90
The Mt. Vernon Stables.

The handsome swell front, 4-story
brick building, with stone trimmings
and mansard roof of Spanish thing,
and center tower with staff where flies
the United States flag, on st. Asaph
street is a modern apartment house
for horses It was built by p. 7. Har-
rington. a man who loves horses and
has raised some fine ones on his farm
in Loudoun County, where he was
born. He came here four years ago,
and went into the livery business after
having been a passenger train engineer
on the Southern Railway for fourteen
years.
The building in question is 124 feet
deep and "a feet front, and Of 120 stall
capacity. The supports, columns,
beams, and rafters are Of steel, and
the floors are all double, the building
is practically fireproof. In the front
part heated by steam are the offices,
and separate waiting and toilet rooms
for ladies and gentlemen, on the first
floor, on the second and third private
harness rooms, lockers, etc, as on a
railway dining car, space everywhere Is
utilized for some purpose. The stalls
with wide alleys between are on the
second floor, which is reached by a
runway in the rear and by self-stop-
ping electric boxed elevator. The stalls
are ventilated on all sides, the vents
so arranged that no wind blows di-
rectly upon the horses. Each stall
with concrete incline T. IS connected
by trap, of Mr.. HarrinSt9n's own de-
sign. with a sewer, through which
water Is constantly running Through
this sewer also passes all the rain from
the roof, and water from the vehicle
and horse washing rooms. On the
third floor is the vehicle repository,
and on the fourth the storage quar-
ters, feed bins, hay mows, etc. all
provided with shoots to expeditely pass
feed and hay to iron troughs in the
stalls On the first floor are found the
vehicles needed for use, besides sew
cral box stalls for blooded stock, also
an ambulance, with team and hanging
harness.
There are two entrances from the
front. and all hitching and unhitching
IS performed inside. No teams are al
lowed TO stand outside and block the
street The manure pit is inside, and
has ventilation TO the roof, each floor
: kept clean and tidy, and there IS a
marked absence OF the odors common
20 stables There is a paved drive
way around the entire building, and
nothing has been omitted by Mr.. Har-
rington, who planned the structure to
make his stable as complete as mod
ern constructive skill is possible OF
doing it.
A sheltered outlook or observatory
on the roof of the elevator shaft af-
fords one of the most inspiring views
possible of being attained elsewhere In
The city. The Potomac from Mt YER
non to Washington is In plain sight
including the long shore line in Mary
land. besides all of the city Of Alex
andria and a good deal Of Washington.
powerful field glass is provided for
the use Of visitors, who have free
access. The building is credit 10 Mr..
Harrington and the CITY, to which he
has set a striking example of up-to-
date methods His equipages are Of
The best makes, with horses for rid
ing and driving purposes. bred on Vir-
ginla farms, noted for producing as
fine animals as any in the world.