Purcell and Elmslie, Architects Firm active: 1907-1921 Minneapolis, Minnesota :: Chicago, Illinois Philadelphia, Pennsylvania :: Portland, Oregon

Job Date (in Parabiographies entry): [1909]

J. D. R. Steven, Own Home

W.G.P. design. Up to this time, this was our most ambitious attempt at dwelling house plan and design. There is a sort of timid tightness and literalness--but it stands pretty well undated after thirty years.

An amusing circumstance--which nearly every architect has experienced--occurred in constructing this house. Mr. Steven called me long distance with irate voice to say the fireplace was a failure--come at once (100 miles). Usually I am deliberative, but this time thought quickly enough to shout back, "Ask the mason to clean the rubbish out of the stack." A letter next reported all clear and working fine. An architect told me he was called from New York to Vermont on Christmas Eve--after an all-night trip on the train and an unbelievably long and cold sleigh ride, he walked in through a glum house party to simply open the fireplace damper and permit the delayed Christmas cheer to begin at once.