Evening star., 1909-04-24

Two residences on DeSdleS street, ad-
joining on the east the Grafton Hotel, at
the northeast corner of Connecticut ave-
nue. and DeSales street. are being re-
moved. On the site Harrington Mills,
the proprietor of the hotel. will erect an
addition to that building. which will be
five stories in height and of fireproof
construction. The architects. Marsh &
Peter. have designed the exterior so
that while it will harmonic with the
present structure. it will differ from it
both in outline and in the color of the
material used. The front will be of gray
iSll brick.
Interested in House Planning.
1t is estimated that about fifteen hum
dred persons proceeded to Bryant street
between 1st and North Capitol streets
Sunday before last to see the houses in
which had been incorporated some of
tho hundred ideas which had been
furnished Middaugh e. Shannon at their
request by persons in this city The an
nouncement was made in the advertising
columns of The Star the preceding Sat
1irday that the houses would be open
for inspection on that day. Somewhat
similar announcements had been made
by this firm many times in their expe-
rience as home builders in this city
during the past ten years, but this was
the first time they had attempted to re-
produce in houses suggestions received
in response to public invitations.
However. it did not occur to the MEM
hers that the conditions were at all diff
fercnt. SO they were completely taken by
surprise by the throngs of persons who
vis ed the new houses. The crowd be-
came so great that for fear of acct
dents some of the houses were closed,
and in others men were stationed so that
the people could be kept moving in an
orderly fashion.
New Houses Being Built.
A residence is being built for DR.. L.
ii. Reichelderfer on Connecticut avenue
near S street. 1t is to be three stories
in height, with a front OF rough buff
brick and terra Gotta trimmings. The
first f1oon above the street level will be
the principal story Of the house, and will
be marked by a triple window with an
ornamental iron balcony. The roof will
be finished in red tile and copper.
A large residence is to be built by
William F. Lemon on Kalorama avenue
overlooking the new Connecticut avenue
bridge. 1t will be thirty-six feet square
and will have a front of brick and stone
of light shade The roof will be covered
with red tile.
Sudden Coming of Spring.
Spring seemed to arrive all at once.
The closing days of last week and the
beginning of. this week were marked by a
summerlike temperature. and under its
influence the foliage appeared to burst
out, that where there were only the
bare outlines of the branches in the brief
interval. il seemed that one could turn
his head the baroness was covered by the
fresh soft green of the garb of spring.
Sometimes il has been said when ma
ture has thus been quick In it's action
that one could almost see the leaves come
out. and this thought has. no doubt. oc-
CURED frequently to the observer during
the last few days. But the qufckness OF
the coming of spring has not taken all
people by surprise. and so much of the
early spring agricultural work that has
to be done each year by the city residents
is completed. and the lawns in front of
the houses are prepared for the genial
influence of rain and of sun. and so are
the back yards.
Unique City Features.
The latter with the general public. is
mainly matter of imagination, but not
so the parkings or front yards. which the
unique street system of this city provides
for every house in the city without regard
10 any distinctions which may have
sprung up as to the neighborhood. To
keep these grass plots in good order is so
generally a matter of pride with the
householder that 1t may be said to be a
universal practice.
While there are great differences in the
degree of care and attention which is be-
slowed. still, as stated. ii is rare that this
feature of the home Is entirely disre-
garded. In some sections of the city the
seal Of public approval has been given
10 such manifest ations of public spirit by
offering prizes for the best kept lawn in
a given district. But even without such
encoura cement the citizens very generally
see to IL that these spaces present neat
and orderly appearance.
Grass Not an Easy Crop.
VI is not easy to keep a good lawn in
this city. Even the public gardener who
las learned all about il. and does nothing
else but lcok after sths lawns and the
Shrubbery in the parks. has his troubles
with the grass so that each spring Inc
LAS to 20 over the surface and restore in
places the grass which In some way had
isappeared. The householder has the same
trials. He gets his parking in fine shape
one spring and IL does well. with. OF
course. the proper amount of care and
watering, and then may be. before the
close of that season. or perhaps not until
for one who pays the bills, in what seems
TO be a very short time. the ugly bare
spots appear, and the ground must either
be resodded or dug up and seeded. The
fact of the matter is. grass is hard
crop 10 raise in this city. much more sc
than flowers and shrubbery. and what Is
perhaps more remarkable. more than
trees.
Sale Of Large Residence.
The most important real estate trans
action in private residences on Columbia
Heights of late. was consummated re-
Gently through the real estate corpora
tion OF Boss 4 Phelps in the sale of the
Fay house, 1"2p Cirard street. Judge