Correspondence, 1912-1913: Design and construction

Letter from George Grant Elmslie to William Gray Purcell (July 31, 1913)

Dear Office,

Yes, it's hot. 90 (degrees) at 10 p.m. last night--

The Gas Building [1] smells. The Cliff Dwellers full of dry rot-- I want some ice cream and a bath and lots of uncertain misdemeanors to happen to me. Worked last night. Ditto tonight. Your Joker L.(iving) R.(oom) Dining Room focal point is a nuisance. I thought it was all settled but I presume triangular back drawers are a poor proposition. I thought that there was depth enough for shallow drawers without the back triangle and I don't like the additional break into the D.(ining) R.(oom) particularly. It makes too many breaks and fritters away the long line A-B which appears to me rather nice. If you need deep drawers the only way to do is on your No. 2. You have drawers galore to the right at the back of the madonna recess, and I don't see why this group couldn't be as high as you choose (darn these absent drawers at any rate. You can have 30" of as deep ones as you want).

Please contrive to pursue A if you can.

Am not overly keen about your laminated wood surface in sight and as I never particularly considered the nature of the material it might be well to do so now. Bravo. Good start.

I'd much prefer a nice stained Keene's cement inlay particularly if any figure is ever developed for this point. It is too big for wood in this case and it would get scratched and mussed and be not quite as sightly as it should be. Color of course [to be very suggestive or as decorations suggest or intimate.

Absolutely level with the trim rebated around it. No molding-- maybe that is impractical! Well, do your best.

As to the lighting outlets that is the big problem of the house and I have been fighting shy of it-- It would be bad we conceive to disturb the main ceiling and probably we are right-- We have a mighty cute light at 5124 [2] patterned after the Swift cottage type.

Far enough down to get a 60 tungsten in the globe and it lights up that room which is about 16 x 22. No sense of disturbance as a source of light--

So I have been thinking of a series of those on a scale most effective on the flat part of the ceiling occurring as decorative accents [probably in regular series regardless--in that long line from front to rear--and apart from that have nothing but table lamps with the probable exception of the 2 posts already indicated. Maybe they had better go out...am not excited over their presence as indicated--

As to the entrance why not engage your mind on a simple leaded glass ceiling light. It is furred down there and it seems to me that this offers a nice solution as to distribution, color and waiting usefulness-- It would be a pity to bother the stair rail with a light. It is enough in evidence as it is--

I can only give my present idea on the subject and if a fairy visits me before morning with other illuminating ideas we will be pleased to advise you.

Sent you a stair rail memo some time ago.  Sent you a doorway memo some time ago. No comments--it is amusing to draw under these auspices--fierce sarcasm.

Willy Law (?) seems as undependable as the rest of them--Darn it all--

Spent 2 hours at the Cliff Dwellers today. Mr. Summy [3]; Mr. Gates [4], etc.

Spent most of the day making a rack for the Summy posts. Wished for Miss Parker's [5] deft hand to do the job--8 or 9 days more is all that seems left.

Yours, GGE

1. 663 People's Gas Building was the Chicago office of Purcell & Elmslie.
2. 5124 East End Avenue was Elmslie's current address in Chicago.
3. Clayton F. Summy, William Gray Purcell's father-in-law, father of Edna Summy Purcell.
4. William D. Gates, President of the American Terracotta and Ceramic Company
5. Marion Alice Parker, a drafter in the Minneapolis office of Purcell & Elmslie.
 

research courtesy mark hammons