The Yankees and their "Murderers' Row" became champions under Ruppert's ownership, and many players were guests at the estate. Babe Ruth reportedly signed one of his most lucrative contracts there. The brewing business had also survived Prohibition by making near beer, and since real estate had become cheap after the Crash of 1929, Ruppert began expanding it, acquiring the land between the old and new alignments of NY 9D when the road was relocated east to its present route. In these buildings he kept a small personal zoo, with one of the largest collections of monkeys, wild birds and peacocks in the world at the time. In the mansion he had a collection of furniture, pottery, jade and Chinese porcelains. The estate employed 40 people.