The Washington herald., 1911-09-23
MEN OF WEALTH
LOCATE ESTATES
NEAR THIS CITY
Millionaires Coming to Real
ize Districts Advantages.
JOSEPH LETTER TAKES LEAD
Chicago Millionaire, ApprecIatinR
Value of a Magnificent Country
villa and Estate Near Washing
ton, Has Purchased 3BO-acre
Tract Along the Potomac.

If one feature of real estate activity
during the past summer has stood out
more boldly than another, it has been
! the suddenly awakened interest of
wealthy people in the possibilities offer
ed by Washington and surrounding
points for handsome country estates
Talked of for years by those who could
not afford themselves to plan estates
that would need the income OF a mil
lionaire to support, this feature of
realty development was brought to its
first real activity last summer.
MAY LENGTHEN SEASON.
This apparent inclination of million
aires to purchase large tracts of sub
urban property and lay out magnificent
country estates with palatial summer
homes, may result in a counter-move-
ment against the present system of main
tanning palatial homes in Washington
for use during the short months when
the presence Of Congress and the height
of political and social activity makes
Washington attractive as a winter re-
sort-rather than as a home. 1t may
mean that moneyed people who. be-
sides maintaining a cottage" for the
season in Washington, have homes in
other cities to say nothing of aCcommo-
datlonS at various summer resorts, will
be brought to a more full realization Of
the possibilities lurking in the Virginia
hills and the rolling Maryland country
adjacent to the Can. J.
The season" here en- when Il meets
a long session of Con yss, is far shorter
than the climatic con lions make nee
essary. In fact. the season fits in
nicely between the ideal weather of the
year for this vicinity-from now until
November Is. or even later. and from
April Is. generally. until June l.
Two Ideal Periods.
One will go a long way before finding
more temperate, seasonable. delightful
weather than obtains in the immediate
vicinity of the District OF Columbia dur
ing these two periods al least They are
the heart of the year; the ideal patches
in the calendar.
Moreover, these two periods. coming just
before the beginning and just after the
close OF the winter season, offer ideal in
ducements for the semi social whirl Of
fashionable suburban life. the apprecia-
ton of beautiful lawns under temperate
sun, long. ever Iugs in the open air before
and after annoying insects are at their
worst, in short, every feature that COM
mends itself to suburban life.
That these advantages are coming into
some degree Of the appreciation they
merit is evidenced by the action of three
wealthy families during the summer just
passed. The movement to establish hand
some country estates around the District
has been started by Joseph Letter. of
Chicago. head OF the famous Windy City
family that has for years maintained
palatial residence here. and which has
taken always a leading part in the i'm
provement and Identification of Wash
ington.
Letters Select Site.
The Letters have selected as the site
for their beautiful villa and estate the
Palisades Of the Potomac. we'll known to
lovers OF the river, but little known to
others. The north side Of their estate OF
$50 acres ends at a steep blum or palisade
that drops to the south bank of the river.
The estate is within five miles OF Wash
ington, and from the bluff on the edge
of which the villa will stand can be
seen the Monument, the Capitol, and nu-
merous other public buildings.
Other villas and estates are to follow
the Letter idea. George II. Earle tr., |
the wealthy Philadelphia lawyer whose
testimony before the Stanley committee |
the sugar trust last summer |
gave Chairman Stanley so much pleasure, |
did a bit Of prospecting while here. in |
with Felix Isman, who Is re- !
garded as somewhat of a real estate !
wizard in the Quaker City. Together they |
wandered through the suburbs of Wash |