Port Royal standard and commercial. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-06-29

valley, are Gne IarmuouSeS, eno oo.eio
wards, she breeding stables, and many
offices that are used for the business OF
the farm.
Beyond the farmhouses to the west is
probably the most magnificent apple
orchard in eastern New York. It covers
scores Of acres, and as the trees are all
full grown, they shed perpetual sum-
mer shade over the ground. The crops
of this orchard were In years past as
wonderful as the stories of the "Arabian
Nights" It is said that in past seasons
they amounted to tens of thousands
of bushels of fruit.
|. When Mr.. Halliday bought the Ophir
Farm he was in the full food of his finan-
cial prosperity. He was the owner OF
the overland stage route. and was specu-
lating in beef on the plains that brought
him thousands upon thousands Of dol
lars. Els mail pay from the government
on the overland route eamounted to about
81 500, 900 q year, and from his stages he
received about 81, 500 day. He also
owned steamship line from San Fran
cisco to Portland, Oregon; line from
California to the Sandwich islands, and
line to Australia. At this time it was
estimated that he was worth about
SIC, 100000. Soon he sold out all his
steamship lines, and invested his money
in the San Francisco and Oregon rail
road. This investment failed, and there
after MIR. Halliday steadily lost money.
His immense real estate fell in value and
his millions were lost almost as quickly
as they had been acquired. He sold his
overland mail route to Wells, Fargo &
Go. in 1868 for 81, $50, 900, and received
cash check for the property.
For the estate in Westohester county,
with the expenses of the buildings and
the adornments, hepaid about $3.50, ,OOO
The chateau cost $174, 900. Mr.. Halla-
day now lives in Portland, Oregon, with
a second wife. His first wife is buried,
with several sons and a DAUGHTER, under
the marble slabs of the tomb in the
chapel in Harrison. Mrs. Halliday, the
first wife, died in 1878, and was buried
with Catholic rites. A large concourse
followed her to the grave, and the funer-
al was an event of unusual magnifcence.
The farm of MIR. Halliday was originally
bought and used for a stock farm, but it
never oai ], and the owner has steadily
lost money sipce its purchase. At one
time there were over $50 horses-mostly
breeding mares-on the place, but fo-
the last few seasons not more than nine
teen or twenty horses have been on the
farm. Mr.. Charles Ohle leased the $50
acres last year and is trying to work up
the place.
The breeding stable, which is as luxu-
riously furnished as modern villa, is
still kept up.
The Ophir farm is now for sale, and
several offers have been made. The
Catholics desire the chateau for con-
vent OF the Sacred Heart, and they wish
for 1OC acres on the front park. They
have offered s35, 900 for the chateau and
100 acres, but as the most of the acres
they seek cost Mr.. Halladay 81, 900 each
Mr.. Otis refuses to sell.
Mr.. Halliday has one son in San Fran
cisco, Ben, Jr., and daughter who is
welded to French baron, who lives In
Paris. Another daughter, who was the
wife Of q French count, died suddenly
on the cara in coming out from San
Francisco. She was buried in the tomb
in Harrison.
The history of the novelties of the
Ophir farm would fill volume. At one
time lare Q number of buffaloes were
kept on it, and in the spring the greater
number of them escaped from their in
closure, and ranged through the neigh
boring woods. They were hunted and
slaughtered by the farmers. In many
cases they destroyed large amounts of
property, and it is said that the Halla-
day estate paid from $S, 900 to $1,000
for the damages.