Welland’s Handsome Homes

Dr. Glasgow’s Fine New Residence

[Welland Telegraph 1897]

If the camera could be brought to bear upon our town residences, it would probably reveal more handsome homes than could be found in any other town in Canada the size of Welland: it would give a picture album of which our citizens might well be proud. The advance on thus line during the past dozen years has been very marked, and visitors are sincere in their praises of the attractions of our county town. Costly and permanent homes are a pretty sure index that citizens have anchored here for good, and in this respect the future prosperity of Welland seems measured. The season just closing has seen many additions to this long list of elegant and substantial residences, among which the new home of Dr. Glasgow, corner of Division and Burgar streets, stands out conspicuously for its size, costliness and beauty. It is one of the most striking houses in town, and the exterior is but an index of the beauty, comfort and modern conveniences within.

The building is frame, with large and commodious cellars beneath, commanding colonial verandahs, spacious reception rooms, drawing room, parlors, dining room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, closets etc. The plans were drawn by that well-known architect Thos L. Nichol of Ridgeway; Marcus Vanderburg did the masonry, George Ellsworth the extensive carpenter work, Stanton & Young the painting, John H. Crow (supervised by Mr. Peart) the plumbing and heating—using Buck & Co’s combination hot-air and hot-water furnace for the latter purpose. The contractors have carried out their work  right up to the line and the completed house is something Dr. and Mrs Glasgow may well view with pride and satisfaction. Stepping from the verandah through the main entrance we enter the reception room, magnificently finished in walnut and  beautified with heavy British plate glass and grand stairway. To the right are the drawing room and parlors, and in the rear the well-lighted and cheery dining room, the features of which is a great fireplace, with its tile flooring and sides, walnut encased bevel-plate mirror, old-time brass and irons, and capable of taking a  cordwood stick for fuel. Back of this is the kitchen, into which has been produced every convenience—hot, cold and soft water, china closets, etc. On the one floor, and on the extreme northwest corner are the doctor’s offices—waiting room, private office and dispensary. These rooms are complete and fitted with every convenience for the physician. Ascending the front stairway a large hallway leads to the various bedrooms. Three large front bedrooms and a studio are finished each in a different shade of pink, green, etc—and in the rear of these are three more bedrooms, a bathroom, a great amount of storeroom—a necessary convenience in every well-appointed house. Here too, is placed a safety tank, the water from which feeds the hot-water boiler in case the waterworks should close down temporarily. The entire building has been piped so that acetylene or any other gas can be introduced at any time without interior disturbance whatever Hot and cold water is also conveyed to the bedrooms. As well as to the bathroom and other parts of the building.

The cellar is divided into compartments, for dairy, vegetable and fuel supplies, cemented floors and high side walls, giving ample room for all purposes.

The large bent glass windows and the extra large bay window glass is all British plate, specially imported for this building.

Money has been liberally spent in making this residence one of the handsomest and most comfortable in the county, and we speak the sentiment of a host of warm friends when we express the hope that the doctor and his good family may long be with us and enjoy the luxuries and comforts of their pretty home.