The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-24
An ECCENTRIC'S PARADISE.
rur COSTLY iMrSEwENTS or VERY
pE,rLTtR BOS1ONI5N
a., xyti,,nm Emerson Bakers Estate at
v,uc.ic,. Mass some Of the strange
s,g I. or the Ridge iiiii Farms-A Cover
-. r,t, here there were no Governors.

-, r,,. where there were Go, ernors.
WELLESLEY. Mass, sept. 20. Mr. William
,.rr,rsnn Baker n Boston gentleman of middle
90, ,naJ. a large fortune in the sewing ma
Tin. hu-inc-- and Is now engaged in spend
n.n -hun quite peculiar to himself.
nI.. cr.,rrA Baker machine ranked for u long
,,,..Viih th, ChirNcrng piano and the trun-
,',.d .nnc of rye bread known the world over
r,, BOSTON brown loaf These three products
- rur.tanigal ingenuity and enterprise were
,.ll i'm clual esteem throughout New England,
l..an-, tac, were di-tinrtiNcly Boston institu-
,,. TfrGrnyrrN Baker sewing machine is
INV, -,. uromins mt in the market as it once
,m. hut during its day it proved n mint ot
,o.nayto M proprictors Of the patent II en-
,N.d MIR. William Emerson Baker tu carry out,
man masnih cont scale. some of the absurd
49,, iioa. tina, ever entered the head Of a sano
cii1n.
ma nohoIys concern how Baker spends
his own money" said % rlain-spokcn urighbor
NJ hi. this morning. and in his way he is
nu.n, To- the community bat I'm afraid that
II bewasn "A millionaire folks would set him
down for fool
wellesley il q dozen or more miles from
II ,.ton. ON tie Vine NJ the Albany Railroad.
Ten years ago Mr. Baker purchased an estate
here. border ~ for Yearly four miles upon the
s.rpontine Charin- river. ard including I'm
ar,u about equal o. that Of the Central Park
Being "a person II restless activity. and pos
sa--el with the idea that his sphere of useful
mss in lif' is To- amu-n people. he has ~ur-
c,rdrd In organizing the Whimsical establish
n,nt known ~ Ridge Hin Farms. 1t = sufc To-
say that it- like docs uHt exist outside of the
dreams Of The gifted organizers who reside.
under medical supervision. at Taunton and ut
) meryiiic I'm his business r. latons Mt
Baker known H- a smart. shrewd man. So
cully. ho l- 'sirUus To- please. lutrllc iually.
h,is celebrated as "a makcrri very many puns.
and very poor onrs. Domcstically. hc j. a.
pattern OF q husband AMI a father. In ono OF
tie scmi-auiob.oerapAi'al traati~cs which hr
has given o. tnn world he Dies rio himself a-
"a lumnn ,arihluHkc.'
TU"mN-t uromiuru, structure upon the Baker
estate j. t,e -tah.c. Ills large iuiilin-. r.u-
4 r.d conspicuous hv e square tower. SIXTY f''ot
b -. and after the general style ~ fhe Camia-
rlo.i FLORENCE. may lc ~e"n for miles around.
After Mr. Baker ban hut his barn and h.
!wer 1t occurred 20 him thai the "diiirn misai
Boz mistaken los e'rau- r- for "a rnur.h. AMI e.
make impossible any sub mi~.onrertion Do
had il painted coat hla T.. relieved here and
lIl'if NN ~ NiH' IfAtlllA u.s. l'.' was
s'mlrc To rlcasr Mr.. Baker Lively mn,y. II,
therefore cn.aged a scenic artist amt Lad hin
uorat' tho ext rior ~ tho stable with paint.
iul- of heroic .r and classical chara ter. GA
IL. w,si roof OF the barn the allesori,ul Hour
arr Harvesting To rhn'hus's chariot giSanti
stcrds each standing iorty or N.tv hand, high
On one wall is a mammoth copy 81 Won lI'y-
d,u's Walknren" the rather defective draw.
in- ~ which is partially compensated for by af
abundance oi brilliant color Tho attitude u'
III" sisters, a. depicted 10y Mr.. bakers artist
suggests a prriornan' e IN the ring. Brynhili'
losses up her arms and looks Us one who shout,
say Houpla. while the dyin. hero eaz,s u,
az her with the comic plaintiveness Of clown
WHO has tumbled OF his horse. These an.
similar works Of art upon the stable walls Civ
itthe appearance of being piastrred over witt
Ia" hug advance post t. al an equestrian en-
,rainm"nt. AMI eif"tuHly destroy nm,
.wl"s astiral expression (which the edihcc ma,
1T - hold departure" says Mr.. Bakcr
from ile ordinary rules OF barn architecture
! ini 'ul"d q 90 d.htnty control the mind of IL,
l. holder. and Il DO 81
Mr. Bakers HORSES and mules also enjoy q
81 'rry ot oil paintings in~ j" the eillle in
iror IN ~" hui NOT u intrn-iiyo of rol.ri0 tho-'
wIIrh adorn the exterior. The ~, 'rn tower
aNagni to the lnrn j. called uy tn prourirt.
o." NNrino tower. from th' alleged Hr"'
tNr'noo. 90 max" SHOWN. 80 impmu instruction
@ yrrb -nl to have been discovered hy Mr.
/ enr himself IT, sti ..i-- Nt Il ,Ir co. f-f flif
q sort of combined museum. Ztolusi.n oiii 100 2
ant knacrgarion, confH n NJ "a uunorly ium
hl"l collection "i .hrptuos. ruriOstics surg "a
INSTRUMENTS don habrs. medieval armor. an
t'ui1eq du -. ON the sew nth laniing. or roof
l. painted the mystical legend. What W. se'
nlout ~. Looking down ON the p"-ulinr world
losing up to thr Cl"ur vt dark ReyOu1.'
l' $ a very pc .ular world TINT on survey,
from the top OF Mr. Baker'- tow'r. His well
10 grounds. smooth lawns. and handsome
sftpL
O. great variety oi gr1tr-ll- cdir,e- an guulil,
Iultrd Tn general riie.t il that Of "a world
iiir IN mniniure. Indeed. Il numb.r of tn
hll'u-~ and pnv'lion- once figured on tn
t"N'"nu'al sruunlS AT Ihiadolp hia. havin-
t'rh lut 'h.s"i hy TIA" human earthquake "a
ue au ton 7aio alt-rthc close oi t4e eAhlbtion
AMI hy him removed 10 Ridge HI Farms fol
~ Hiuu~rm"hl and mental IMPROVEMENT OF hA
family ami friends.
ln-fripi ON over Ia. door: Creed lueriy 90
tfr- .ionr.. Faith. Hop and Cuarity.' Tho in
tr"r Is decorated VIA muttons ~ am in
siru tive ant moral cAara tor. urnn "a
among WArh IT, Dass;tgc Ol poetry that Mr.
IdN' r esp 'claiy admlr"s;
i~g.,t '4n.'. net dr am ''i,'n an DAY long.
Aa so ' on, .1. ,". .,,. 4' ra''''''''s'ef
A. ito symbolic the comprehensive srop. O.
IT, Il dg" lilll lrm theology. %" pr'- .ulu
c-oas legged and u.,ly ~ on, r"ruIf ~ Nh
S. rod odil % Is n han buried piece. col or,lnano
v 80 atin sign barring ON" of Mr. Bakers uioa
o rllr'n!' \ year uso -.luy Oh. s. oe.ruit
alderman give u banquet a. Ala--t 'hu- O.
symon oi all The different drnom'u,t.on-
and a- Ae took tl.m aside on" uy ol
h.i 'Nuiliurl in" point 90 IN" cannon joke
$50 uu'a 'hu ~lu- b -uH at' wh.ts nee
ln our a. the s'mi-au' biographical essay
Hi, n.n' .Hu" i. Mr.. liiN'r lu .4u~ the rui
q 70. nu u..lIt. I.dN 20 Navy rNu-t uf a
wandered over ni- s2p u.r.-. .- Ting his wa
~ To ihui 'ilr- ii' "iN il- iu..'i 3D.. , ~ '- q