The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, December 16, 1883
pg 4, col. 2

A HANDSOME AND COSTLY RESIDENCE
Mr. John Ourand's brick residence, now nearing completion, will be the most costly and the best furnished edifice of the kind in the city.  A reporter paid the location a visit last week, and took a few notes for the information of the many readers of the Gazetteer.  The location is on Sears street, between Houston and Austin avenues.  The building is nearly in the center of a plot which is one hundred and fifty feet square, and fronts north and east.  The following brief description will give some idea of the building:

The parlor, which is the northwest room, is 15x19 feet, with octagon front, and ceiling 12 feet high as is the case with all the rooms on the first floor.  The windows consist of two panes of glass only, one to each sash, 50x26 inches each, all American double strength plate.  The inside blinds shut into an invisible pocket, so that they are not seen when open.  All the openings are furnished with heavy mouldings. 
The fireplace is provided with the latest improved grate and handsome marble mantel and trimmings.
Between the parlor and dining room are sliding doors, which are operated on the latest improved brass track.  The dining room ia 14x18 feet, handsomely furnished and provided with a convenient china closet.  From the dining room the kitchen is reached by a short hall.

On the right of the hall is the bath room, which will be provided with hot and cold water, etc.  (Editor's note: This tub is currently sitting on the second floor, south side of the house.)

On the opposite side of the hall are the rear stairs leading to the servants' room, on the second floor.  

The kitchen which is the south room, is 12x14 feet, with a pantry 4x6 feet and a back porch along the west side.  The cellar, which is 20x14, constructed of stone and cement, is reached from this room by an easy flight of steps, and also has an outside entrance.  

The sitting room in the east wing is 15x16 feet, and is warmed by a grate surmounted by marbled iron mantle and trimmings, all handsomely finished.  There are four windows to this pleasant room, opening onto the porches on the north and east sides; two of these windows are extra large, size of glass being 26x56, and slide up to give easy access to the porches. The porches are seven feet wide.  The east porch has a self-supporting roof, heavy banisters and railing and on top of the columns are massive metallic urns.  The north porch is ornamented with elaborate scroll work, brackets and key stones.  Lattice work underneath both floors.  

The main entrance is on Sears street by large double doors, with center lights of American ground glass in ruby.  A large sliding door also opens from this vestibule to the porch, and another door on the right leads to the parlor.  

The hall which runs through the building north and south is 8x23 feet, in which is the main stairway leading to the second floor.  The work expended on this winding stairway is worthy of more than casual mention.  It is constructed according to the latest style of stair building.  The wind is easy and the stairs self-supporting, according to a new and novel plan.  They are finished with brackets and scroll work, beautiful hand rail and Newel posts, fluted banisters, etc.  (Editor's note: At the top of the stair landing is an alcove on the left.)

The hall up-stairs is the same size, and from which corresponding rooms to those on the first floor are reached through stone arches.  The room over the parlor is 15x19, with a linen closet.  Over the dining room is a bedroom 12x13, also furnished with a closet, and over the bath room is the servant's room.  The pleasantest room in the house, in our opinion, is the room over the sitting room.  It is 15x16, and is lighted by six large windows. In the summer it would be a delightful sleeping room.  

From the hall on this floor, a flight of winding stairs leads to the tower, four stories high.  

The tower is ten feet square, fininshed in Mansard style, heavy railing ornamented with metallic urns.  This tower furnishes a splendid view of the city and the country for miles around.
The building is constructed of brick of excellent quality, burned in this vicinity.  All the openings have massive stone sills and copes.  The roof on the main building and porches are tin, but the tower is covered with metalic shingles.  There are, all told, 225 feet of metalic cornice on the building.  All the trimmings used in the building, such as locks, hinges, etc., are nickle plated and highly finished.  

Front Door key lock

Front doorbell The doorbell still works 139 years after the house was built.

A well of pure, soft water is but a step from the kitchen door.
Messrs. Bates & Loudon, contractors of this city, had the contract to erect this palatial edifice.  They sub-let the brick work and plastering to Mr. S.M. Larkin, and he has done the work in a superior manner throughout.  Mr. Larkin has no superior in North Texas as a brick mason and plasterer, and he needs no better recommendation than the wall's in Ourand's building give him.  The stone foundation was put in by Barney Williams, and all the mechanics say it was a splendid job.  The painting will done under the supervision of Charley Hotchkiss, who stands at the head of his profession.  The iron and tin works was done by Messrs. Pettit & Waltz, two pushing young men, who have in the short space of a few months earned an enviable reputation as superior workmen.

Messrs. Bate & Louden have reason to feel flattered as this beautiful and sightly residence nears completion.  It has grown under their immediate supervision, and every room bears witness to taste and judgement.  Mr. Louden has superintended the work in person day after day, and perfect work has been insisted on by him in even the minutest detail.

The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, December 23, 1883
pg. 4

In our description published last week of John D. Ourand's handsome residence, we inadvertently omitted to state that the plans and all the specifications were prepared by Mr. J. Schott, the well known architect of this city.

The Sunday Gazetteer reported on February 3, 1884 that "John D. Ourand is now comfortably quartered in his palatial new brick residence on Sears street."