Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 April 1889 — Page 6

CABINET MEN'S WIVES.

JHESDAMES BLAINE, WISDOM, WANAMAKER, AND OTHERS. Sketches and Portraits of the Ladies of the New Administration Their Physical and Mental Characteristics and Their Agreeable Manners.

MBS. BLAINE.

able talker. Mrs Blaine was born in Ipswich, Mass., Oct. 12, 1828, and is two years the senior of Mr. Blaine. Her father was Jacob Stanwood, a well-to-do merchant, who, by no means wealthy, was a thorough-going business man and brought up a large family of children. Her mother’s maiden name was Caldwell, which is a well-known and honored name in Augusta. Mrs. Blaine’s given name was Harriet Bailey, but she dropped the Bailey and adopted Stanwood in its stead, so that she is now known as Harriet Stanwood Blaine. Mrs. Windom.

MRS. W I Ndorn’s maiden name was Ellen T. Hatch. Her father was for fifty years a promi-, ne n t Congregational minister. He lived in New Hampshire when his daughter Ellen was born, but shortly afterward moved to Warwick, Mass.’ Ellen Hatch was ended a beauty and, a belle. She was l bright, intelligent,' clever, pretty and of most charming manners. Mrs. Win-

(lorn was a graduate of Mt. Holyoke, and after leaving school she taught in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. It was there she met Mr. Windom, who was prosecuting attorney of the county. When a student ■she injured her eyesight by hard study, and has worn eyeglasses over since. This gives a slight haughtiness to her manner, although she is really the most gentle of women. As a girl Mrs. M inuom was very pretty, and she is still pleasing in face and form. Of medium height, she is quite slender. Her brown hair is turning gray, ■but to many this only makes her more beautiful. Mrs. Windom shows careful taste in dress, and while her home gowns are plain, in society she is always an elegantly dressed woman. She has two daughters and a son. The eldest child, Miss Nellie, is 22, and has been in illhealth for a year or more. She has a rare love for music, ami has made it a special study, 1 eing well known as an amateur performer. The younger daughter, Florence, will complete her course in Miss Porter’s school this year and be a debutante of next season. The only son, William D. Windom, is an architect, married, and living in Boston. Mr. and Mrs. Windom have two grandchildren, the infant son and daughter of the son. Mr. William D. Windom of Boston.

Mrs. Tracy.

MRS. TRACY.

She dresses with an elegance and simplicity becoming her years. Known as a society leader in Brooklyn in har early days, she is. better known now for her charities. For years she has been identified with the Plymouth church, and she and Gen. Tracy were among Henry Ward Beecher’s most kindly sympathizers. The Tracy family, besides General and Mrs. Tracy, consists of three children and one grandchild. Mrs Emma L. Wilmerding, the eldest, is a widow with one child. Frank B. Tracy, the only son. favors his father in appearance and in his business ability. He is a handsome young man o HO and unmarried. He now lives at home and will only spend in Washington what time he can spare from his father’s business. Miss Mary Tracy, the unmarried ■daughter, is like her mother in appearance and is in society. Alice Tracy Wilmerding, the -12-year-old grandchild, is a pretty, bright child, and resembles her grandfather. Miss Tracy, the second ■daughter, is an artist first, and after that a woman, with all the charm that years of travel and study and mingling with the artist cult gives to a receptive nature.

Mrs. Pr< ctor. Mr- and Mrs. Proctor were born in the same State, and passed their childhood days near together. They were friends at school, and when seliooi-day lessons were over their friendship grew to love and they were married. They have four children living. Arabella, the oldest, is the wife of Fred G. Holden, and resides in San Francisco, Cal. Fletcher D. Proctor, the second child, is married and resides in Proctor, where he looks after his father’s interests while the latter is absent from home. He has a daughter, who is the only grandchild of ■Governor and Mrs. Proctor. She is a year and a half old, and bears her grandmother’s name—Emily. Emily D. Proctor, the only unmarried daughter and the third

MRS. BLAINE is will-fitted to fill the position of wife of the Secretary of State, as she has knowledge acquired by over twenty years’ residence in Washington. She is tall, well - formed, with dark eyes and hair that is rapidly turning gray. She is a trifle reserved in manner, but has had ithe widest oppor'tunities of travel, and when interested she is a most agree-

MRS WINDOM.

MRS. TRACY was born, educated, and married in New York State. Mrs. Tracy was Miss Belinda E. Catlin. She is the sister of Gen. Catlin, a prominent lawyer. She is cultured and is very fond of books. Mrs. Tracy is of the fair type of women, rather plump, and of medium height, i with blue eyes and light hair. Her face I '' has the same moth- | erly sweetness as Mrs. Windo m’ s.

child, is with her mother. Redfield Proctor, Jr., is the baby. He is 10 years old. Mrs. Proctor has never lived in Washington, so that everything pertaining to Washington social life and duties will be new to her. She is not especially fond of society nor is she at all averse to it. While her husband was Governor of Vermont she was very popular and never attempted to shirk any of her social duties. She is a clever woman and weil educated. She is fond of literature and is always contented and at ease either in managing her household affairs in Proctor or in gracing some social gathering. Mrs. Proctor is a Congregationalist an I is a hard worker in her church. No amount of society can make her forget what she believes she owe* to her church, and some congregation in Washington will be the better off for her membership. Mrs. Proctor is mistress of the fine old Proctor homestead in Froctor, Vt. The town derives its name from its founder and her husband’s goods are very popular in their State. The Proctor mansion is said to be a most comfortable and grand old place, and the adjoining farm, which Gov. Proctor owns, is a model. It is kept in the best of order, and is stocked with blooded cattle. Mrs. Miller.

MRS. MILLER was a Gertrude Bunce. She was born in Ohio, but very early in her life her parents moved to Vernon, Oneida county, N. Y., where she lived until she was married. After her marriage to Mr. Miller they went to Peru, Ind., where Mr Miller was appointed superinten-j dent of public: schools. Some two or three years later they moved to Fort Wayne, Ind., where

Mr. Miller began to practice law. Mr Miller and President Harrison met and be came great friends. Mrs. Harrison and Mrs. Miller for eighteen years have been friends and neighbors. Mrs. Miller’s lovely homo, No. 065 North Delaware avenue, is almost opposite to the Harrison home. Mrs. Miller is tall, probably 5 feet 7, and is plump, but not fleshy. She has a most pleasant face and kind expression. Her eyes are blue and she has an abundance of roddish-blonde hair, which she bangs quietly in front and coils the rest around the back of her head. She is not fond of dress, but likes to lie quietly and respectably clad. • Mrs. Miller has been married twenty-five years, and is the mother of three children —Florence Gertrude, Samuel Duncan, and Jessie. Florence Gertrude is a young lady and is in society, of which she is very fond. She possesses remarkable mu-i.-al abilities, and has a lovely contralto voice an 1 plays both the piano and banjo. Florence is tall and slender, and has genuinely blonde hair and large, expressive brown eyes, which mnkc havoc among the young- men. She is very agreeable in manner and artistic in dress.

Mr*. W;in»iiiakt*r.

MBS. WANAMAKER.

a very pleasant figure. Her hair is brown and does not show any gray. She wears it twisted high on the head, and has a slight, fluffy bang. Her eyes are blui.-h gray in color, and very calm and quiet. Her mouth is beautiful and 1 her teeth perfect. Her dresses are of the richest material but the most subdued colors. No one has overseen her on the street, either in summer or winter, in any other color than a dark grrnet, a dark-blue or black. For the house and in tire evenings she wears grays and drabs and such shades. She is very particular about her boots, which must have little'or no heel. As for her daughters, fhey must wear a similar style, but without heel at all. Their garb is as, modest as their mother’s. (Jutside of her absorbing church duties she t ares for little except, her home and a small circle of friends. These friends regard her as perfection, and her family worship her. She has four children, Thomas Rodman, Minnie and Lillie. Thomas is 27 years old, and married to Miss Minnie Walsh of Philadelphia. Rodman, 25 years old, married Miss Fanonda Henry, a young Philadelphia woman, and they have the only grandchild, little Fanonda, who is familiarly called “Nina.” Minnie and Lillie, the daughters, areabout 20 and 18 years of age respectively. Mrs. Wanamaker’s manner is agreeable to every one she meets, but she has no liking for gay society nor the falseness and frivolity of it. She is, of course, charitable. Mr*. Ru*k.

“JERRY” RUSK has been twice married. His present wife, Elizabeth M., massive, fair, motherly, and womanly, was born in Norway. By his first wife he had two children, who were given the sterling names of Charity and Lycurgus, both? of whom have been! married. The children of the second marriage are Mary and Blaine, a young lad of 12, who was

named after his father’s life-long friend, James G. Blaine. Miss Mary Rusk is a young woman about 22 years of

MRS. MILLER.

M R S. WAN A - MAKER was Miss Mary Brown of Philadelphia, the (laughter of a i l-to do and prominent grocer. Mr. Nathan Brown, his brother, went into the clothing business in a modest way with John Wauamakerin Oak Hall. Mr. Wanamaker hal no money whatever at that time. She is about 52 years old, but looks much younger. She is probably 5 feet 4 inches in height and quite plump, having

MBS. BUSK.

age, ana nas a reputation for brilliancy at repartee as well as for beauty. Mrs. Rusk spent six years in Washington when her husband was in Congress. She is of prepossessing personal appearance and medium height, and has light complexion, light-brown-hair, frank blue eyes, and a kind and pleasant expression. She has an easy grace, and a natural, quiet dignity, but is so unassuming and modest that she charms every one she meets. She is a devoted wife and mother.

Mm. N<>i>l<*. Mrs. Nobla was Miss Halstead of Rochester, N. Y. She was married to General Noble in Northampton, Mass., in 1874. She is much younger than her husband and is probably the youngest of the Cabinet ladies. Her life has been saddened by the death of two children and she has never taken any part in the social gayeties of St. Louis. She is rather a prepossessing woman. She is short and somewhat plump. Her face is pleasant and she wears silver spectacles and carries gold glasses fastened to her bodice. She is not fond of society as society, but is very fond of literary society, always drawing around her a large circle of literary people whose tastes are congenial. Mrs. Noble’s name is Lizabeth Haisted—Elizabeth without the E she says. She has two interesting sisters. Leonora 8., the younger, has written one book, "Bethesda,” which, as Mrs. Noble says, the author acknowledges.

HINTS ABOUT BUILDING.

A NOVEL AND PICTURESQUE TYPE OF HOUSE. The Plans of a Pretty Cottage that Was Designed for General Grant—(Jost of Labor and Material Party Walls and Other Information.

in the feature of the cctngonal tower. As a whole, it has a quaint and comfortable look, pleasing to almost every one. The estimate of the conti actor for the erection of the house was $2,600. and it can readily be erected, with such local changes as may be suggested, for $3,000. The floor plans show a very pretty arrangement of rooms in both the fiist a»d second story. COST OF MATERIAL AND LABOR. Many people have sent lettersof inquiry as to the basis of cost in fiauiing on bnild-

FIRST FLOOR.

ings. The following price-list will give one a pretty fair idea of the cost of labor and material in Chicago: Masonry, laid in mortar, per cord $(20.00 Common brick, per thousand 12.00 Cement, per barrel 2.00 Laths, per thousand 2.00 Lime, per barrel 08 Plastering (two coats), per yard 25 Excavation, per yard .' 40 Common lumber,'per thousand 14.00 Yellow pine flooring, per thousand 30,00 Pine shingles, per thousand 3.50 Finishing lumber, per thousand 40.00 Tainting, finished work, per yard 18 Clapboards, pine, per thousand 30.00 Mason’s wages, per day 4.00 Bricklayer’s wages, per day .• 4.00 Common laborer s wages, per day 2.50 Carpenter’s wages, per day 3.50 Plumber’s wages, per day. 3.50 Painter’s wages, per day 3.50 PRACTICAL HINTS ABOUT BUILDING. Before the contract is signed, ascertain the exact location of the house, so that you may know just how much the excavation will bo. It often happens, when this precaution is not taken, that there is more excavation than ordinary, and the contractor will refuse to do the work requited, without oxtra pay; and rather than have an extra, the house is located either too low or too high from the street—an error that can never be corrected except at a considerable cost. To ascertain the exact excavation, it is necessary first to know the gride of the sidewalk, and from this measure back the distance desired from the street line, allowing a fall to the street for the wa er of not less than one inch to three feet. This will give you the gradeline at your founded on wall, and the excavation will thus be easily calculated, as the wall is usually 2 feet 6 inches above the grade, and as much below as the cellar is required deep, allowing three inches for concrete on cellar bottom. Having fixed the distance the house above the street and its elevation above the same, see to it that the top soil is carefully rembved at such a distance from the house us not to be

HE plan for the first house shown in this article is' of historic interest. The house was designed by an Eastern architect for General Grant, and it was in course of erection at Mt. McGregor when he died. Ihe design is worthy of careful examination, is of a somewhat novel and picturesque type, and is very characteristic, especially

A THREE-THOUSAND-DOLLAR HOUSE.

covered up by the poor soil when thrown out, and in such deposits as to be most convenient for top covering when giound is finally graded. This piecaution will save moving dirt unnecessarily. The poor soil should be thrown out and deposited far enough away from the wall so as notto'be in the way of the carpenters, or act as a dam to keep the water from running away from the building. As much of it as possibly should be deposited where it is wanted to remain. Handling dirt twice over is expensive, and this generally falls upon the owner, if inexperienced. The specifications generally call for a trench to be dug under the wall a few inches wider than the wall itself and eight to twelve inches below the cellar bottom; this trench to be filled with concrete of which the wall is to be built. This is a \ery -.important matter, as upon a good foundation depends the stability of the house. It too otten happens, however, that the contractor hurries over this part of ihe work, as he can easily escape detection by putting in but three or four inches of concrete only of the width of the wall. If this work be done in the late autumn, the inside of foundation wall should be well banked no with earth to keep out the frost.

THE LAW AS TO PARTY WALLS. A party wall in law is the wall dividing lands of different proprietors, used in common for the support of structures on both sides. At common law, an owner who erects a wall for his own buildings which is capable of Ueing used by an adjoining proprietor, can not compel such proprietor, when he shall build next to it, to pay for any portion of the cost of such wall. On the other hand, the adjoining proprietor has no right to make any use of such wall without consent of the owner and the consequence may be the erection of two walls, side by side, when one would answer all purposes. This convenience is often secured by an agreement to erect a wall for common use, one-half on each other’s land, the parties to divide the expense; if only one is to build at a time, he gets a return from the other party of half what it costs him. Under such an agreement, each has an easement in the land of the other while the wall stands, and this accompanies the titles in sales and descent. But if the wall is destroyed by decay or accident, the easement is gone, unless by a deed the contingency is provided for. Repairs to party walls are to be borne equally; but if one has occasion to strengthen or improve them for a more extensive building than was at first contemplated, he cannot compel the other to divide the expense with him. In some States there are statutes regulating the rights in party walls, and one may undoubtedly acquire rights by prescription on a wall built by another, which he has long been allowed to use for the support of his own structure. PROCESS OF EBONIZING. To imitate black ebony, first wet the wood with a solution of logwood and copperas, boiled together and laid on hot. For this purpose two ounces of logwood chips with one and one-half ounces of copperas, to a quart of water, will be required. When the work has become dry

SECOND FLOOR.

wet the surface again with a mixture of one-half pint vinegar and two ounces steel filings. When the work has again become dry, sand-paper down until quite smooth. Then oi! and fill in with powdered dropblack mixed in the filler. The work may light coat of quick-drying varnish. and then be rubbed with a finely pulverized pumice- stone and linseed oil until very smooth. Work to be ebonized should be smooth and free from holes, etc. HOW TO STAIN WOOD. Wood may be stained brown by a strong solution of permanganate of potash; red, boil one-fourth pound of logwood and one-half ounce soda in one pint of water, apply it hot. and then wash over with a strong solution of alum; rose, iodide of potash in twelve parts of water for a second; blue, indigo solution or a concentrated hot solution of sulphate of copper, followed by a dip in a solution of wash-ing-soda; yellow, turmeric dissolved in wood naphtha or aqua regia in three parts of water; green, verdigris dissolved in four parts of water. WHEN TO PAINT YOUR HOUSE. Paint applied to the exterior of frame buildings in autumn or winter will last twice as long as if applied during early summer or hot weather. In the former, it dries slowly, and becomes hard like a glazed surface, not afterward easily affected by the weather or worn off by the beating of storms. But in very hot weather, the oil in the paint soaks into the wood at once, leaving the lead nearly dry, and ready to crumble off. The crumbling can be avoided by first going over the surface with raw oil. Detroit, Mich., is about to undertake a flower show, and some citizens of Florida purpose -ending there gratis a carload of choicest blossoms in token of gratitude for Northern help iu their time of fever trouble.

FRANCE’S GREAT TOWER

IT WILL BE A PRINCIPAL FEATURE OF THE PARTS EXPOSITION. —■• Penetrating the Clouds a Distance of One Thousand Feet —Built at an Expense of One Million Dollars—A Truthful Picture of the Obelisk. [Paris special telegram. The great Eiffel Tower, which will be one of the principal features of the Paris exposition, has been officially opened at Paris. Premier Tirard delivered the oration. The tower cost nearly, if not quite, $1,000,000, of which $300,000 was paid by the French G overnment. The tower stands immediately upon the bank of the south side of the river, on the Champ de Mars. Its base forms a gigantic archway over the main path leading from the bridge into

THE EIFFEL TOWER.

the central grounds of the exposition. As can be seen from the picture, the tower is built entirely of iron girders and pillars, in the simple construction of four great shafts, consisting of four columns e ich, starting from the four corners of the base and merging into the single great shaft ■which forms the main part of the tower. This shaft ends in the great cupola, or Alpine reception-room, which, in turn, is surmounted by a still higher lantern or lookout, whose observation platform will be upon the dizzy plane of 1,000 feet. There are three galleries circling the tower. The first great gallery, just above the archway, stands 185 feet above the ground, and measures neatly 300 feet each way. Here are placed cases, restaurants, reading-rooms, smoking and lounging compartments, and all the amusements and comforts of a French resort. Thousands of people at one time can be made at home in this great inclosure far up in the cool air without any necessity of crowding or treading on one another’s toes. It is also proposed to give band concerts daily at this stage in the journey heavenward, so that the first gallery will probably become the great rendezvous and promenade, and the flaneurs and the hauts gommeux will use it, as they do the boulevards, for their afternoon stroll, even though they are as high in the air as the towers of Notre Dame. The second gallery, still forming part of the base of the tower, rests lightly upon its iron supports at a height of 380 feet, or about fifteen feet higher than the highest part of Milan Cathedral. Here is a repetition of the life upon the first gallery below, for a more select few. Finally, as the tower mounts up farther and farther, past the level, first of St. Peter’s, then the Strasbourg Cathedral and the great pyramid, the cathedrals of Rouen and Cologne, and, last of all, the great Washington monument, and then stretches its slender shaft through the remaining hundreds of feet toward the summit, there is placed at the top, where the cupola begins, a third gallery, 870 feet in the air, small in comparison to the others, but still more than fifty feet broad each way. Rest and refreshment will be found here, as well as below. The whole tower weighs about 15,000,000 pounds, or 7,500 tons. This weight is distributed over the foundation soil, it is computed, at a pressure of a little less than five pounds to the square centimeter. Also the wind resistance of the tower is calculated at 650 pounds to the square meter, while the highest wind ever observed in Paris would not give a half of this pressure. The tower is fitted up on the inside of the shafts with elevators. There are half a dozen connecting the first two galleries with the grounds, and two go to the top, the extreme height of which is 1,000 feet.

Nuggets of News.

On account of dullness of trade, the Hinckley Locomotive Works at Boston have shut’down. The mills of the Bethlehem (Pa.) Iron’ Company have resumed work, the puddlers’ wages being reduced from $3.80 to $3.45 a ton. Fire at Dubuque, lowa, destroyed the Dubuque Mattress Factory, owned by the John D. Bush estate. The loss is estimated at $20,000, with an insurance of SIO,OOO. Lee Brown, a colored boy at Chillicothe, Mo., was shot and killed by Scot 1 White, who was carelessly handling a, pistol supposed to be unloaded. White was arrested. The American Sugar Refinery at San Francisco, Cal., has been purchased by’ the Eastern Sugar Trust. . ]