The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-20
BEN HOLLADAY'S BIG FARM
TUE REGAL STYLE THAT AN1MEhh-
OAN CRESUS ESS1fED'

unn,,ns ,;round-A millionaire Crippled
The rich meadow lands of the town OF
tra,,i.o, I'm Westchester County, were onm-
ming with the sunshine and dew OF OFisht
May morning on Friday, as multitude pathere'
.round the farm houses and stables Of the great
estate Of Ben Holiday at an auction sale OF the
farming property. over the smooth macauam-
zed roads carriages rolled from an early hour
and at 10 o'clock the grounds were covered with
country vehicles OF every KIND Many OF the
travellers were drawn to the sale merely by
desire to obtain a glimpse OF the vast farm that
has for years been the marvel OF the county,
Tar many days previous to the sale
the interest 6: the people had oeen
stimulated by the announcemeH, by tne Sher'u'
4 Zlba Carpeuter, that "by virtue OF severn "Ae-
/ cutions issued out Of the Supreme Court OF the
State aud to me directed and delivered l nave
Iey,ed on, and taken all the right, title, and in
terest Of ben Holiday OF, IN, and to the prop
erty. consisting OF the stock, farming utensils
machinery, and Implements now on his farm In
the town Of Harrison" The executions that
we're In the hands Of the Sheriff amounted to
about tsa.0o0, and were on account OF unpaid
bills for work done In the construction Of the
farm buildings, and In the Arrangement and
laying out of the farm. the largest bill was that
OF Mr.. James Morgan. for about $4,000. for work
done on the stone chateau. or family mansion.
was unable to finish his wonderful country
home. and It stands white elephant unavail-
able and without value, on the hills OF Harrison.
LIKE soBLEMAS's DOMAIN.
The sheriff walked under the bossoming
boughs Of the apple orchard at the north OF the
barn and began the sale Of valuable lot OF
horses, and Mr.. Geo. X. Ous, Mr.. Holidays
agent, described the farm as he strolled through
the nowery mead, knee deep In clover, sloping
fror,, all dtran n IN Tn "a ~ n
mansion. Said he; MIR Holiday bought this
tate in 1858, and at once began the grange
ment Of q country house that should be similar
ia plan and adornment to the great properties
OF English poblemen. He bought at nrst only 4
few hundred acres, but gradually extending his
domain from time to time. he at length brought
into his pos session nearly 90 acres OF the best
farming lands of New York Stale. He made
over tho whole territory to his wife, and she
took entire charge OF the LAYING out and adOrn-
ment OF the grounds. The construction Of q
suitable dwelling house was at once COM
menced. On swelling knoll about four miles
from the village OF " hite Plains the foundations
ofthe house were iaid,ths site being about quar-
ter OF mile from the turnpike that winds from
White Plains to Harrison. The rock OF which
the house is constructed is blue ar mite. and
II was qua ried from the farm. The building is
cons 'Iucted In a peculiar style, being union
Of English and Gei III an architecture. Outside
IL Is entirely completed. but inside the rooms
are unfinished and the wa Is have simply cover
ing Of lstb and plaster. They are bare Of furni;
look. The walls are three stories In height, and
on the western side Is tall stone tower.
the building everything has a drear and
dcsolats look. In the basement, which
cellars, lauDdries, wine rooms. furnaces, and
other apartments 10 the second story Is a long,
$50 persons and In addition there are suit ss Of
rooms whose object may only be guessed. From
the first story a bare fgnt Of pine stairs, broad
enough for the ascent of a column OF soldiers.
leads up to the second story. In this story are
almost numberless rooms that NAV be used Tor
almost any purpose. some are square, some
circular, aud all are provided with every modern
appliance. The rooms are nnished with different
kinds OF wood, aud wniie In one apsrtmeut
there may be a contrast OF ok and American
walnut, In another Is . chestnut and tropio
"From the highest window OF the granite tower
there II a GLORIOUS view. For miles and miles In
every direction roll the green. glossy knobs aud
valleys OF land tn { Is perfect In symmetry and
Soa'nSn % are The ths % Pasades ' and f' sleepy w villages
Of the Hudson, to the south is a velvet spread of
hills and dales, and on the southeast is the blue
water of the Sound. 10 nll up the picture are
e5SOks wEoGisnas soes, green meSd9ws
houses Of country villages.
wEsrcHEsTERs CHINESE WALL
"Around the fertile acres Of the Ophir Farm.
named on the bars OF the great iron entrance
gates, runs a tall granite wall capped WIN
ssecis Contract eoa and IL " cost SO ROD Il e
closes the enure farm. and within its circuit are
amultitude OF farm houses and rural cottages,
n winch dwell many tenants OF the estate.
There are two entrances to tue opni,
Ear" Earn one Is the or, tSu'heast s"s .nS and
has massive stone gatehousc aud solid
gravelled drives. Just East Of the stone dwell
ing, IN grassy valley near the turnp %e, stands
asmail gothic edidce OF granite, IN which Mrs.
Holaday VINO was a deyout C,tLolc, rigorous
iy performed the dutie, OF her faith. long.
winding white eraveled lane leads from the
chateau down sloping an 10 The entrance Of
the church; few granite strps lead up TO a
landing under hravN stoned porch. Oh the side
9i which ale Dihiical statues 10 Parian marble.
lnaide the oh'uel are dazrn or more velvet
cad seats that stand before a little altar, on
which are golden cludlesicks, fsures of the
crucnXion. and waxcn candles. Many bronze
statues OF SAINTS line the altar aud beautiful
painting Of tLe lmmacuate Conception Is nung
at the rear Of the altar. AT the north and
outside OF the chapel Is the tom b OF the family,
Ia which are buiied Mrs. Holiday aud T chh-
dren. On one side Of the church Is the room.
separated by many hardwood blinds, in which
the choir sang their Catholic songs West from
tGe stone mansion, IN Il smooth, curving valley,
are the farm houses. the cat le ards, the breed
lnp st bles, and many Offices that are used Tor
Beyond the rn houses TO the west ia prob
ably the mos magnificent apple orchard In east
ern New York. II covers scores OF ac es, and as
TIE trees are all fuil grown they shed u per
peiual summer shade over The crJund. The
orOps Of tins or hard were in yeurs past as won
deriul as tho stories Of the Arabian Night.. II
SAID int In past seasons they smouuted to
Tons VI Thousands Of bushels OF fruit"
HOLIDAYS FORTUNE.
Mr. Otis gave this account Of Mr.. Holla.
diy's career: When MIR. Holiaday bought
We opnr Farm he was III the full hood
OF his financial prosperity. He the
owner Of tho overland stage route, and
WOO sptculating IN beer on the plains that
brought nm thousands upon thousands OF dol
lara His mall pay from tue Government On the
overland route amounted 10 dOOut Sl.5OOOJO n
year, and from his stages he received about
tih0a day lie also owned steamship line
nom oan Francisco TO Portland, Oregon: line
II Hon California to the Sandwich lslanus, anu a
uh- 10 Australia. AT this time II was estimated
wat lie Was worth about $lO,OOOOOO soon he
e'd out all ms steamship lines, ana invested his
money m the san Francisco and Oregon Rat
. mAd his Investment failed, aud thereai ter
- hnlltddy steadily lost money. His Immense
. iet estate fell IN value, aud his millions were
sy'I almost as quickly as they had been ac-
4 &Hed lie sold ms overland mail route to
wells Fargo Co. In 1883 for $l,S5O,OOO, and re-
VolNrd cash check for the property
a, for the estate In Wesi chester county, with
we eH Hpenses oil the buildings and the sdorn-
.snts, he pad about tSJJ,OOJ. The chateau cost
| tifOtl Mr. HOhadAy now lives in Portland,
plrspn with second wife. His first wife ID
\ uuIleu, WIN several SONS and a daughter, under
u tlo marble Aiahs ~ the tomb Ia the chapel In
Il garrison. Mrs. Hollaiay tho nrst wife. died In
n 90, ana was hurled with Catholic rites. A large
ssouepurso followed heT TO her grave, ana the fu-
u nsial was ~ event Of unusual maRnluCence. The