The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-07-05

That rest delays;
They are after summer and after frost,
These weetest days.
Often and often will skies be gray,
And hearts be sad;
But the Lord hath made I'd perfect day
Let us be glad.
"
A NEW YORK ESTATE.
The Great Thousand-Acre Farm that Ben
Halliday Fenced In In Westchester
County---An Interesting Description.
In 1868 Ben Halliday, the we'll known
Western mail contractor, bought an
immense farm in Westchester county,
! N. Y, and at once begun the arrange
ment of country house that should be
similar in plan and adornment to the
great properties of English noblemen.
He bought, says q Sun correspondent,
at first only a few hundred acres, but
gradually extending his domain from
time to time, he at length brought into
his possession nearly 1000 acres of the
best farming lands Of New York State.
He presented the whole territory to his
wife, and she took entire charge of the
laying out and adornment of the grounds.
The construction of a suitable dwelling
house was at once commenced. On q
swelling knoll about four miles from the
village of White Plains the foundations
of the house were laid, the site being
about quarter Of a mile from the turn
pike that winds from White Plains TO
Harrison. The rock of which the house
is constructed is a blue granite, and
it was quarried from the farm. The
building is constructed. in peculiar
style, being union of English and Ger
man architecture. Outside it is entirely
completed, but inside the rooms are un-
finished and the walls have simply q
covering of lath and plaster. They are
bare Of furniture and carpets, and have
moldly, abandoned look. The walls
are three stories in height, and on the
western side is tall stone tower, capped
by q beautiful slate roof. Inside the
building everything has a drear and
desolate look, In the basement, which
is moldy and drear, are many rooms,
cellars, laundries, wine rooms, furnaces,
and other apartments in the second
story is a long, unfinished dining-room
that would seat at least fifty persons,
and in addition there are suites of rooms
whose object may only be guessed.
From the first story bare flight 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 may be used for
almost any purpose. Some are square,
some circular, and all are provided with
every modern appliance. The rooms are
finished with different kinds of wood,
and while in one apartment there may
be contrast of oak aud American wal
nut, in another is chestnut and tropic
wooded bellishment.
From the highest window of the
granite tower there is glorious view.
For miles and miles in every direction
roll the green, glossy knolls and valleys
of land that is perfect in symmetry and
beauty. To the north and west in the
misty horizon are the Palisades and
sleepy 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. To fill up the pic
ture are brooks, woodlands, hillocks,
green meadows, and@the tall church
spires and white walled houses of coun-
try villages.
Around the fertile acres of the Ophir
Farm, as the estate of Mr.. Halladay is
called, and is named on the bars OF the
great iron entrance gates, runs a tall
granite wall capped with smooth cut
stone. This wall was built by special
contract, and it cost $40 rod. It in
closes the entire farm, and within it's
circuit are multitude of farmhouses
and rural cottages, in which dwell many
tenants of the estate. There are two
entrances to the Ophir Farm; one is at
the southeast and the other is at the
north, and each has o massive stone
gatehouse and solid graveled drives.
just east of the stone dwelling, in q
grassy valley near the turnpike, stands
a small Gothic edifce of granite, in
which Mrs. Halladay, who was devout
Catholic, vigorously performed the du-
ties of her faith. A long, winding,
white graveled lane leads from the
chateau down sloping hill to the en-
trance of the church. A few granite
steps lead up to q landing under heavy
stoned porch, on the side of which are
Biblical statues in Parian marble. In
side the chapel are dozen or moro vel
vet clad seats that stand before little
altar, on which are golden candlesticks,
figures of the crucifxion, and waxen
candles. Many bronze statues of saints
line the altar, and beautiful painting OF
the Immaculate Conception is hung at
the rear of the altar. At the north and
outside of the chapel is the tomb of the
family, in which are buried Mrs. Halla.
day and her children. On one side OF
the church is the room, separated by
hardwood blinds, in which the choir
sang their Catholic songs. West from
the stone mansion, in smooth, curvine
valley, are the farmhouses, the cattle
yards, the breeding stables, and many
offices that are used for tile business oi
the farm.
Beyond the farmhouses to the west il
probably the most magnificent apple
orchard in eastern New York. 1t covers
scores of acres, and as the trees are al
full grown, they shed perpetual sum
mer shade over the ground. The crop!
of this orchard were in years past a!
wonderful as the stories of the "ArabiaI
Nights" It is said that in past seasons
they amounted to tens of thousandl
of bushels of fruit.
When Mr.. Halliday bought the Ophil
Farm he was in the full flood of his finan
cial prosperity. He was the owner o
the overland stage route. and was specu
lating in beef on the plains that brough
him thousands upon thousands OF dol
lars. His mail pay from the government
on the overland route amounted to abou
81, 500, 900 year, and from his stages ht
received about 1,500 day. He also
owned steamship line from San Fran
cisco to Portland, Oregon; line from
California to the Sandwich islands, ant
line to Australia. At this time it was
estimated that he was worth abou
S1O,000,000. Soon he sold out all hi
steamship lines, and invested his money
in the San Francisco and Oregon rail
road. This investment failed, and there
after Mr.. Halliday steadily lost money
His immense real estate fell in value sne
.,-II l.