The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-04

Lulu Rittenhouse. The first division Of
the estate through sale was made IN
1sGt. whep Howard Hinckley purchased
a.. 900 feet. including the site OF the his
toric Belle Vue" residence, all of which
Mr.. Hinckley sold to John l.. Newbold.
president of the Merchants Transfer and
Storage Company, in 1911.
When the city decided year Or so
ago to condemn property in the vicinity
for the extension of Q street after the
completion of the new viaduct. Mr.. New
bold determined to improve the property.
but he was equal y determined MT to
sacrifice the historic residence. Ensas
ing the services of i. ]. D. Fuller. archi-
tect, and the LAWS Construction Com
pany as general contractors. it was
found that by removing two wings of
the structure the main body of the house
could be lifted from It's present site and
set back far from the pavement boun-
Diary OF The Q street extension and that
when this was done the two wings could
be rebuilt and the house remodeled into
a modern residence on its original archi-
tecturaI plan.
Unusual and Difficult Task.
To move the house without destroy
ing 1t or even damaging the structure
became something of a problem. This
difficult undertaking has been accept
ed under contract. however, by c. L.
Saers & Son.. house movers and rails
ers, 1875 Newton street northwest.
who are now preparing to set the
house back nearly sixty feet from the
street and then lower 1t six feet from
the present level of its foundation
without loosening a brick in the body
of the house, breaking a window pane.
weakening the partitions, shaking
down the chandeliers, or permanently
injuring any portion of the historic
residence. Contractors say that Mr..
Saers has undertaken one Of the most
difficult and delicate tasks in a huge
way ever known in the District.
When the house has been located on
its new site Mr. Newbold will rebuild
one wing as sun room and the other
as a breakfast room and remodel the
body of the residence. after which he
will build a retaining wall on Q street
with an ornamental gate entering on
a landscape garden and leading to .
ma snificent colonial portal with or
nate columns supporting colonial
balcony These improvements will
cost between $4,000 and $4,000
The construction Of the Q street via
duct has rejuvenated real estate values
in that section of Georgetown a. well
as on the northern side Of the visduet In
the vicinity of Sheridan Circle. When Q
street mas Dceu Opcucu binO1Bh lkiO
Belle Vue" residence property, the peo-
pie of Georgetown will have q new.
shorter and much more convenient route
to the city and trafhc over the new via
duct will be heavy. Already the city
has leveled @ street on the south side
of the viaduct for considerable dis
lance. William F. Cush. general con-
tractor, 20l 8 street northeast. has ex-
cavated about 5000 cubic yards Of dirt
Tor the new site Of the Belle vue"
residence. and when the house has been
moved the city will have to excavAte
about 5000 cubic yards in order to make
connection with Twenty-eighth street and
bring the southern approach to the VIA
duct to proper grade.
New residences are being planned for
construction along the Q street extern
sion and the Rittenhous heir will soon I'M
prove ee.0oo feet Of ground and put It On
the market for home sites