THE OMAHA SUNDAY REE: NOVEMBER 29. 390.
TIMELY REAL ESTATE GOSSIP
Captain H. ftlmer Showi Easy
Way to Increase Value.
WEWS OF IDE : BUSY -HOME BMDEttS
LsOLalE FffiPffiESE WOT
6
URGES P0LITICA1 UNION AT ONCE
tireater Oman a In tmvt Waald Boast
Prfea'S5 Per Ceat, l)rlrn E
, '. rmtnultr Vrtk st
i
Blsj Deals.
"If proporty holders with to Increase the
Value of their holdings at least IS per
cpnt." said Captain H. E. Palmer, former
postmaster of Omaha, 'they ahcnld units
to work for a, greater political Omaha, I
mean that the uniting: In one municipality
of Omaha, - South Omaha and Dundee,
would mean such an Increase almost over
night in the value of lots and building.
"Just so long tta eastern capitalists see
the population of Omaha In the certain
column. Including only the people within
the limits of the municipality aa now con
'stituted, just to long 'will they have an
underestimate of the real nle of thl city
and Ita real population. Add to this the
unfortunate fact that the census of wiim
years ago. was Inflated and the showing
less come year later, and the combination
la bad. Of course, Omaha Is growing so
fast and property values are showing ao
good an Increase that there is a big gain
all the time In spit of this handicap. But
there Is no necessity for the handicap at
all and the best single movement which
could be undertaken for Omaha far and
fcway the beat movement would be con
certed: action toward political union.
'"Such union would benefit . owners of
property in' eoym umnna as muon proo
ably more than Omaha men and similarly
with Dundee holders. We are trading too
much with one another, and It la a . pity
that foreign Inverters who are nowadays
peeking realty Investments' in preference
to wild stock Issues, should havs an er
roneous Idea of the sle and population of !
Omaha. Tills will be the case, however, j
tintil union is effected."
'. The past week ssw the announcements
sf three new building projects) west of
Seventeenth' street, two on Famam and
ne on Douglas. The new office and
tore buildings to be erected by the Bran-
Jl Ici.n. rA r.t.ln 0.1mm.. Xff......... f t f .
Graham and Bridges mark an era of ex
pansion westward which la of the highest
Importance and the new was balled with
pleasure by every real estate agent In the.
City. But a few daya previous It was an
nounced that John L. Kennedy will also
put up a modern building In the same
vicinity and this makes four new buildings
of the kind.
, For one vicinity ihls ts the largest amount
of new buiming la the office building' and
retail, section enounced at ens time In
pears. and mora Uia,n justifies the predic
tions of a spurt in , real estate activity fol
. lowing'-. Tarfsf ! election. Each' ennounce
' tnent of thfc nort means a stimulus to
realty deals arid to the building trade and
It will' not fee surprising if more are not
orthcoinlng. . j. .'. V ;
; Apropos of building, there ts a ttmaly
.editorial In Collier's for the week regard
ing the favorable opportunities which are
Sin the lap of, tha present for building. The
paragraph saysi...
"This paper does npt often take therlskj
of volunteering ' financial counsel. Just a '
Jinits we advised J nose who had idle money
to put It In standard slocks and' first
class bonds. We now venture another bit
, of advice based upon the coming' end of
the era of depresslonf,' ' If you Intend ' to
build soon, do tt now.' Borrow, It 'neces
sary, whtttever, under ""your own ' clrcum- j
'stances. Is a prudent; portion of the cost.
'All th AlnfTiMVtf tnm hflph ata. f I run m r.
cneap. Money loans Tit the lowont rates
ror years: lanor is a utile less eosriy-inan
it has been for years! "snU'eTl.lOwei thatv It
rill in igi wk i,us u 3 vu'i wuro, 4 HQ
materials for construction, especially lum
ber, are wry cheap. Flooring, In most
localities. Is 39 per: cent to'low its' price, 'a
year ago; end hardwaad may be had for th
former cost of soft. woods. BuUd now for
.your own advantage; you will employ Id! a
. labor, rslleve dealers of their stocks, and
help atone; .prosperity .for .aU. For aucb aa
: ree.de where th 6' weather -makes present
building Impossible the opportunity may
wait till spring, but surely not much
longer." '
Many reel eatata men regret the fact
xnai mi new court noun is 10 do locaiea
on. we sine 01 ins on one, . inswaa ti a
block to the went. If Jhls were the case
and tha present site turned Into a plana,
Omaha would have a reasonably good ap
proach to a realisation of the group system
. of public buildings, now carried out at
' great expense In the east. The city hall,
of course, face one side, the library and
Toung Men's Christian association ara a
short distance away on Harney street Two
bis- office buildtna. th Re hullrilna- nrf
the New Tork Ufa, are coat of the city
hall. If the court house Is located where
it la now planned all chance for a public
: plasa will, humanly speaking, be gone for-
ver. Moreover, each and every public
building In the vicinity would be greatly
enhanced la beauty If the court house
square were lamed into a plasa. The
plan would give Omaha the additional ad
, vantage of being the first western city to
grain the possibilities of the group system.
. There la little likelihood that this plan
' ao easily realised In the clrcumatances.
, but It la said the matter will be brought
up for discussion at the next meeting of
4. Vis Omaha Roal Estate exchange.
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PORCH KITCHE.N I AWTHoktCLAuseM
JL fi' M ARCHITtCT
MINNEAPOLIS MINN.
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KS9BSI MSSESatst
i3lLCQit Moor,
The Sentiment of Home Building
Artha O. CAaaaan, Arohitact.
A Notseleaa City.
Fancy a city of J5.000 inhabitants, guilt
)eaa of street cars and omnlbuaes (the
ateam tram line rrora Francker, halts dts'
erectly without tha town), easily encom-
paased In an hour, for Ita alngle street its
bid moat which It haa not yet greatly over
isppra, is noi'mree miles in extent; a
wily without great noise or confusion save
upon market d lys, and clean, quiet streets
Jinea by low nouses wltn sliining windows,
peopled by rosy cheeked serving women.
tapped with gold and lace, and demurely
dressed, grave faCDd cltiiens. 8end red
aalled boata to Ha very heart until masts
are Jumbled with eleutrio lujht poles and
church towers; -plant densely follaged
trees beside its quays and few Iron railed
flower beds in its open squares; give it a
water girdle thronged with hundreds of
boats crossed by a few bridges snd many
11 tile hand ferries and you will see Leed
wardsn. Scribner's Magaalne.
;; ' Gold Silver undNickte
Kcglstara, X0
, Vtaaa Beds, Oas riatorea aad Table War.
Bealatad aa Hew.
All Kinds of Repairing
Neatly Dona f
aTlN&LU
OllA
Haplai
BstabUakasl lwa,
ISM Saner atraet
; gslspaoasa Paaglaa K5M Auta. A-afiU
TWENTIETH CENTURY FARMER
Jtrlaaa Advasttacra aXaaalta. -
From love so ewcet, O who would roam?
Ba it ever so homely,' home Is home.
Three man build for lharoselves a home
each wants a good, looking, inexpensive
home of about the sum number of rooms
the same conveniences ' and comforts and
each has studied many fnonths, engaged
the best architect he knows of . and Is
positive that no house' In the city is quite
equal to his. Why? Ii.ecadae each house
Is In harmony with the personality of Its
owner, although the three houses are ao en
tirely unlike that comparison the same
bssls would be Impossible. Each home be
comes the abode of a happy family who
kok upon their home In preference to .ll
others a the most beautiful spot on earth
The next happy family to build goes
through with the eame program as all
these who have built before, 'Still their
heme Is usually far different from the
rest.
The architect Is often asked how It Is
possible for so many different homes, en
tirely unalike, to find their conception In
tne man 'and be produced from a single
drawing board. The answer ts that thi
true architect, the n an of experience and
talent, has the faculty (which Is born In
him not roadc, of expressing in a technl
cal manner comprehensive to workmen the
combined pe"0"'11 an1 requirements o(
the home builder, and there are not two
personalities alike. It raturully follows that
10 two houses sra built alike among tha
vast number of them that congregate in
our cities, except those built by real est at;
men for Investment purposes. No one (out
tide of his family)) comes in closer contact
with tha personality of the home buildet
than tha architect who deslgna hla home ;
Before he la through with him, he knowa
Ma family relations, his likes or dislikes.
artistic tendencies, .or, more often, the
lack of them), snd these are combined with
the artlstlo talent and technical training
of the architect la the resulting beautiful
home.
It Is a very well known fact, however,
among designers that the most beautiful
home built, considered purely from the
atandpolnt of design, are those In which
the architects have been bound by the least
Instructions. But in these homes are ex
pressed the Individuality of the architect
alone and not the owner. A man's house
should be in harmony with his own tenden
cies and Individuality. For example, a
home of pure classio design and detail
placed upon a city lot would hardly be In
keeping with a man poseaslng a roving,
nature-loving disposition. For him, an Ivy
clad cottage with a gambrel roof and rose
vines climbing over the doors. The owner
knows beat what he wants and it Is the
architect who knows best what he ought to
have. It la when these two men agree per
fectly on the plan, design and details of a
home that it becomes a decided success.
The man who pays the bills Is entitled to
the home that he wants, whether tt suits
the architect's cultured taste or net. It
Is an architect's place to advise and per
suade, but not .0 dominate or dictate. It
Is his business ta consider the home build
er's requirements, ideas and building funds
and produce the most convenient and best
looking house possible under the condi
tions Imposed.
When It comes to a house or building,
which la built as an Investment, the senti
ment which enters Into the designing of
a house Is loet hi the attempt to produce
the greatest Income from the least funds.
For buildings of this character, the only
binding conditions should be the exact
amount to be Invested, the1 slxe of the lot
snd the gene"hi - character of the building
to be built. All bV.xcr detail, the pla -. the
design and the equipment should bo left
entirely to the Judgement of the architect
for he knows better than any other which
plan or design will meet the greatest aver-
age requirements, for does ha not know
through bis experience In tha planning of
other people's homes and buildings what
tboaa greatest average requirements art?
THE BEE'S PLAN OFFER
Through a special nrrangement with
Mr. Clausen, The Omaha Bea la able to
offer Us readers the complete plans,
details and specifications of the home
illustrated on this page without change
for $10. Mr. Clausen is the author
of a well Illustrated book, "Home
Building Plans and Problems," con
taining besides many designs for mod
ern homou and extensive articles on
home building, over ISO .designs lor
entrances, tlreplaces, picturesque
groups of windows, stairways, kltohsn
and pantry arrangements, etc. Spe
cial price to readers of The Beo, JO
cents. Send all orders to Arthur C.
Clausen, architect, eltudlo, 1013 dum
ber Exchange, Minneapolis, Minn.
For example, tha writer oonoelved an un
usual combination of plan, design and low
cost In a small cottage. The design was
developed Into a pastime during leisure
evenings for tha mere pleasure It gave its
designer In producing It. It has expressed
In It tha comforts and conveniences of a
large home, filling what Ita designer knew
to be the greatest average requirements of
a small home. The result is. that at
present writing, this house la being built
in twenty-five different cities.
Right here it might be well to condemn
the Infamous practice of many architects
in reproducing specially prepared plans
without the original builder's oonsent. It
has been tha policy of several large firms
throughout the country to take copies of
the plans which have been prepared to
meet the special requirements of their
clients and publish them with a key num
ber as "stock plans'" at bargain counter
prices. This Is not right. The man who
paya for having his Ideas, requirements
and little family sentiments assembled Into
pretty home haa a property right in that
design. He haa paid for It and his archi
tect haa no right to steal from him this
design and reproduce It across the street.
In the next block or even in the next city
at a third the price paid for having those
plans prepared. It la to be regretted that
this practice started In this city by a firm
that has profited to a considerable extent
by It. It la a well known fact, however,
that their star left the enlth some years
ago and Is now well Into the haze of the
h orison. There Is too much sentiment con.
nected with home building for a. firm fol
lowing this practice to permanently endure.
It is needless to add after ths above ex
pression that specially prepared plans are
never reproduced from tha office of - the
writer. An architect can carefully prepare
plana that are conceived in hla own mind
and are intended to fill the average re
quirements (but no one's Individual or
special requirements) and reproduce them
as many times as he likes at any price,
provided that each purchaser understands
that the privilege to reproduce them la re
served. - Thla of course, puts ths original
coat of producing the plans upon tha archi
tect, but It Is the only honest and morally
right way In which a stock plan bualness
can be conducted. Another infamous prac
tice followed by some so-called architects
Is to lake pictures of houses designed by
other architects, have floor plans arranged
to fit them and publish them aa their own
work, thereby deliberately stealing a repu
tation fOr good work and working an In
justice upon the original owner's and archi
tect's of the homes, as well aa a fraud
upon tha public. This practice Is archi
tectural plagiarism In Its worst form and
will probably only exist until It becomes
a menace to legitimate practitioners, when
a postal regulation will wipe It out. The
conclusion is that any architect In whom
ths commerlclal spirit la SO strongly de
veloped that he will lower himself to con
fiscating ths specially drawn plans of hla
previous cllanU or ether people and sell
them without limit throughout the country
and even in the same town where the origi
nal la built, totally lacks the fine senti
ment . necessary to -properly plan and de
sign beautiful homes. The architect must
live, he haa his family, and business ex
penses to meet and it Is necessary for him
to receive a proper and Just remuneration
for his work which seldom reaches any
where near the value of his service to the
homebullder, but It is not necessary for
him to deliberately steal his reputation or
his living If ha Is a competent deslgnor of
natural talent, sentimental, honest and re
sourceful, t
(In justice to Mr. Clausen It sholld be ad
ded that the design appearing in these col
umns each Sunday are prepared especially
for tha Bee. They have never been built
and represent his many conceptions of the
average requirements of homebullders).
LITIGATION EATS UP ESTATE
Project of a Philanthropist Destroyed
by Litigation Over
Will.
Through the recent death in St, Vin
cent's hospital of Edward Schenck, an
attorney, Alfred T. Slmonson has become
the only survivor of a little group of
men to whom In 1876 Samuel Wood, then
80 yeara old, revealed his intention of
leaving his estate, valued at more than
,000.000, to found the American College
of Music In Central park. New York.
Mr. Bchenck'a death recalls the cele
brated contest over the Wood will and
the fact that neither the college of music
nor a great hospital to which Mr.' Wood
Intended to give his name and his mil
lions was built. The town of Woods
burg, L. I., which he founded and In
which he spent $500000 for a hotel and
cottages, has perished from the mapii and
almost from the memory of men.
Litigation, In which Joseph H. Choate,
B. E. Valentine, Judge Fullerton, B. F.
Blair, E. W. Stoughton, General H. L.
Burnett, Edwards Plerrepont and other
noted lawyers had a part, began In 1871
with the death of Mr. Wood and continued
until 18B0, when Surrogate Ransom de
clared there was nothing left of tha estate.
Samuel Wood, moat of whose life was
spent on a farm on Long Island, was
born at Hempstead In February, 1795.
With his brothers, David, Abram and
Ebeneser, he went Into the rum import
ing buaineea In Front street In lfcl. The
brothers made a compact never to marry.
They also agreed to draw their wills ko
that the surviving brothers should be the
beneficiaries. They prospered In busi
ness. In 184 David Wood died, leaving
an estate valued at $900,000. In 1868
Abram died, leaving an estate valued at
$600,000. Ebenexer's death' followed
within a year and Famuel Wood became
possessed of the fortunes left by his
brothers.
His expenses were less than $800 a
year, and the additions made to ills es
tate had no effect on tha enlargement of
his expenditures. Ha lived simply, but
h had one object to attain, and for that,
he told his friends, he was willing to
spend every dollar he had. He wanted
to leave to posterity a name which would
be held in honor throughout all the yeara
Aa the first step toward realisation of
this ambition Mr. Wood founded near
Rockaway Beach. L. I., the model village
of Woodaburg. but he was not a good
business man In a bualneaa which lis did
not understand and the town which was
Intended to be something like Saratoga
oa a 'inilkr eralo filled.
When Mr. Wood was 10 years old he
authorized Dr. Elmer to issue a pros
pectus calling attention to the possibility
of the establishment of such a school.
Tha prospectus, la Dr. Elmer's name, met
with approval. Mr. Wood was so much
pleased that In an Interview at ths time
be acknowledged ba was ths man whose
24TH AND L STREETS, SOUTH OMAHA k
SELLS FURNITURE 20 BELOW OMAHA PRICES
sss ss
Special Line of Useful Holiday Presents
aft yzrtrt
$18.00 solid oak Chiffonier,
only $12.00
New Line of Christmas Rockers
$16.00 Rockers, rt-Jl fin
reduced to ...... 0 I l-UU
$12.00 liockers, CQ flfl
reduced to i)w"U
$10.00 Rockers, Q7 flfl
reduced to $I.UU
$8.00 Rockers, flfl
reduced to QO-UU
A good Rocker for. . . .$1.75
$21.00 Princess Dresser
only $15.00
' ; , 1 i . ,. - i i f
L hi' m
Macey's Section Book Case,
best in the world, at Fac
tory List;.
:r.:z::'.r z :
$6.00 Pedestal Stand, the
very latest style, at $3.50
T
Your choice of round or
square solid oak or ma
hogany finish ...$350
Like above cuts.
$11 Library Table $ 7.50
$14 Library Table $10.00
$18 Library Table $12.50
$24 Library Table $17.50
Solid oak or mission.
A well made- Pedestal Table, i(
claw feet $9.75 I j
$22.00 solid oak Pedestal Table
at ...$15.00
$28.00 Pedestal Table $19.00
Ml
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iV.
$27.00 Buffet $19.00
$16.00 Buffet $12.50
money was to make possible the noble In
stitution. His wealth was invested in
real estate In the lower part of Manhat
tan, and the property was rising In value,
so that In 1875 It was estimated that
18.000.000 was available for the new
American College of Music.
The legislature chartered the institution.
A board of trustees waa formed with the
fniinwlna- membership: Henry O. 8teb-
bins, E. D. Morgan, Dr. William Elmer,
Edwards Plerrepont, William ri- vanaer
bllt, C. L. Tiffany, H. J. Jewett, Benjamin
Ray, Morgan L,. Harris. Alfred T. Slmon
son and Daniel Klngsland. A aite In Cen
tral park, adjoining the Metropolitan Mu
seum of Art, was selected and plana for a
marble palace were drawn.
Whilo tha nrellmlnary work waa In
progress Mr. Wood died at 36 Weat Thlr- ,
ty-nlnth street, wnicn was ni iowi. ,.uu
and in which he had many times pre
pared with his own hands dinners and
suppers for his friends. With his death
came the unexpected news that his
nephew and only relutlve, Abram Hewlett,
intended to contest the will.
Litigation continued for more tlan a
quarter of a century, until the eatate bad
been entirely exhausted. Frederick Lewis,
well known In his time, waa appointed
receiver for the estate In 1878. Edwin T.
Schenck, father of the lawyer who fliea
In St. Vincent's hospital recently, wa
active In the management of the estate
Hnrinn tha 70s and his son succeeded him.
I Once the estate became a campaign laaue.
to the extent that a juuge. wno ni al
lowed $40,000 a year to attorneys con
cerned In the management of the prop
erty, was defeated for re-election because
of the circulation of a pamphlet In which
thla fact was set forth, together with an
allegation that such an allowance was ex
travagantNew Tork Herald.
middle and southern states In the revolu
tionary war. It was the same strategy
which Grant had successfully carried out by
tha capture of Vlckaburg, Isolating the
states of the confederacy east of the Missis,
slppl from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texaa.
As long as that superb master of tactics,
Joseph E. Johnson, remained In front of
htm with a comparatively small but always
compact fores, Sherman advanced warily
and with extreme caution. His army re
ceived no better news than that Johnson
had been relieved and that hla forces had
been given to Hood for a. march Into
Tennessee on the flank of Sherman's Unas
of communication.
No more fatal strategic mistake waa ever
made than that which sent Hood into
Tenaersee ta encounter Thomas In the
disastrous defeats of Franklin and Naali-
SHERMAN'S NORTHWARD MARCH
A Military Plasi That Did Kot Develop
ow FroTokea Koine H pee ab
lative "Ifs."
That General William Tecumseh Sherman
considered his northward march from
snvannah to attack Lee In the rtar a
' greater military achievement than his ad
Ivance across Georgia to the sea at Savan
Inah Is an Interesting contribution to civil
war history msde by his son, V. Tecumsen
Sherman, at the t. Louts reunion of the
Society of the Army of the Tennessee.
But In holding the view General Sherman
must have taken Into account the relative
difficulties that were to be overcome and
the opposition encountered In making the
two marches. The main purpose of hla
advance from Tennessee Into Georgia In
the first half of 1MI waa to cut off the gulf
slates from Lee's army In Virginia.
Ths plan waa agreed upon between Grant
and Sherman as the former waa going east
to take command of the army of tha Poto
mac. Tha atrategy waa tha same as that
by which Burgoyne. in 1777, bad attempted
W cut off ths New England statae from the
ville. Sherman's march to the sea was un
opposed. But when ha turned northward
from Sttvannah he had to advance through
a depleted country and a small force under
Johnson was gotten together to Impede
his progress.
If Lee could have held out, Johnson's re
treat before Sherman's advance through
North Carolina might have ended In as
stunning a blow to the pursuer aa that
which Nathaniel Greene dealt Cornwall!!
at Guilford court house six or seven months
before Yorktown,
But Grant had worn Lee out before Sher
man could arrive upon the scene of war In
Virginia. Sherman's estimate of Johnaon
a one of the greatest soldiers of the war
was Justified by the difficulties which tha
confederate commander threw In hla way.-
St. Louis Republic,
TurnYour Frame House
Onto a Oeinent House
Any frame house can be turned into a fashion
able cement house at comparatively small expense.
The cement soon hardens into stone that lasts for
ages indestructible by fire or decay. The work
is simple and easily done by any carpenter and
plasterer under the superintendency of a local
architect. The result will be one of the beautiful
cement residence, thousands of which are being
built today in all sections of the country.
The House will be Warmer In Winter
and Cooler In Summer
The saving in fuel, repair bills and cost of fire
insurance in a few years pays the entire expense.
OUR DEAUTIFUL PORTFOLIO 3:
tions, each 8 inches by 6 inches In sizS, of newly built or re
coated homes will be sent on receipt f 10 cents postage to
any architect, plasterer or anyone about to build or remodel.
We are glad to send this folio at on-third what it costs
us that we may prove the special adVanta&e of using in
cement work our Kno-Durn Steal 'plastering Lath
which has the small diamond meih that tan always
be depended upon to firmly hold the mortar.
For folio or other particulars address
iionTiinESTEM expande) uetal co.
ZB9 Daarborn St CHICAGO, ILL.