, 1877-04-01
And Some Account OF the Once Famous
Mansion 1t Surrounds.
Peter Goelet, Most Economical and Eccen-
:. tic Of Milionaires.
His Farm Yard and It's Occupants on
Busy Broadway.
Tit Pozesser Of Millions Kho Nevertheless aended
Ills 0Hn Coat and Chairs.

NEN 10Ah: MATCH 1S.~4 uE $CN 10tA III
pita1 in Fifteenth street, fortnight sin
opened to patients, is With reason said to Ike Il
most thoroughly and handsomely appoints
building Of its class in the world. To ha'
made it anything less had been without c1cus
There was no end Of money whercwith 70 hai!
nor lack Of braius and experience to direct I
use. The property as 1t stands complete Co
f9s0,0oo. Every improvement and convcnicn'
known to medical science arc found within ];
non absorbent walls. II is for inva1ids palace
in which to dwell were almost worth tue bFcal
ing OF an arm OF catching Of fever. Fo
cisn and other visitors, who have seen ever
chief hospital In Europe, arc high in their praise
of this. Among these may be mentioned Cap'
Douglas Galton, Of the English Army Hospita
At Woolwich, and largely responsible for tho su
pcriority Of tl.at institution. He not only gav
the new building rank over anyhc had seen, bu
at once sent to the manufacturers 1an-e oroc
for the iron bedstcads, the first made where th
steel springs are held in metal clamps, thu
avoiding altogether the use Of wood, ''Ibat
the bed have searched for fora long time" sait
the Captain. :. And the bed VIC have tried for
long time to get manufactured added the su
perintcndent-
AN ANCIENT AND WEALTHY SOCIETY.
In the year 1771 his Majesty George LII
granted charter to the New York Hospital So
Icty, which proceeded to put up its first build
ing on what Was then 4 shady country road,
now Broadway. The Revolution interfercd with
the project materially, as the British took
4 fancy to the hospital and made OF it. q
barrack- Fire acted IS cause OF removal,
however, before the quarters had been long en-
joyed. aad the dcspoiled were thus a7cnged.
Ten years later, when the last OF the foreign
troops had gone from the island not to return,
the Socdctybuilt again. I'LL 1869 the old stone
hospital, standing in green shaded By lofty
clns,was one OF the Broadway sights no country
visitor could afford to miss. The property had
then become of immense value for business
purposes, while too confined for those of the
Society. The buildings, accordingly, were torn
down, Thomas street divided the green, and the
splendid blocks now to be seen completely
transformed the spot. Tic memory OF the clms
is perpetuatcd in table used BY the hospital
physicians, and which is work OF art worthy
.he famous trees.
By this disposition Of its real estate the cor
po7ation found itself the possessor OF property
now valued ut little less than s5,000,0o0. From
the opening Of its works in 1892 until Feb. 10,
1870, it had received and treated l43,137 pa
tients. From the latter date until the recent
opening OF tho new building it has received no
more than could be cared for in small branch
establishment The present site YVES selected
as central aud healing The real estate, includ-
ing the Thorne mansion, was bought for
100000.
SURROUNDING A CHATEAU.
The Thorne mansion was, till within few
years, the most celebrated in the city both for
its elegance and the receptions held therein.
Col. Thornc, one Of the haudsomcst men OF his
day, was an army officer whose fortune was all
to be made. Make it he did, and at single
stroke, By marrying an beiress Of as high family
as fortune The Colonel and his wife lived in
France going on eighteen years, then came
back to New York and set up M establishment
such as had not at that time been seen on this
side the water. The house, standing back
from the street, was bnilt In the chateau
style. The Colonel brought from France
his carpets and furniture, tho tapestry for the
walls, and artists to do the frescoing and fancy
work. Happily, the artistic work, the exquisite
tapestry, and carpetings remain intact, and
furnish for the Board Of Governors, the library
and museum, such quarters as neither library
nor museum ever occupied before. The hospital
propcs is in the shape OF the letter the central
piece Joining TO the Thornc house. .hc wings
inclosing it. Col, Thorue,s household con-
sisted Of not less than fortv-two persons, from
which fact tho Grand scale On which it was run
may be inferred. No receptions or private balls
we're 50 recherche and magnificent as those given
under his roo!. To be- invited thithcr
was the height Of ambition in the society debut
tante, while not to be was the ruin Of her hopes.
What change OF scene today. In the parlors
once throngcd With brilliant company are now
long rows Of cases containing, no doubt, in-
ttructire but all the same unpleasant reminders
Of what disease can do to destroy and doctors to
repair. Here It was saw what seemed special
saure on pleasure and the place 1t was the
'er1'ao'e broken heaft, often sung Of but seldom
seem ano IT was broken, too, while the unfor-
e|s -ana 10y oTuet was IN tne act OF dancing;
- N.." ~A4s+ oA4u sno oocoof AZ my side,
va,,."1 s.s- Aaa' perhaps, 1atague.
"ean..s7 ~ a.a" 'ue o1ota1 LOT tnemselses
~ eappo9e.
au.- - o4se'e
xo-,xod -, -..s.Ies,.. s1p ae l"e anu saoo'
i,a~sd ., -. 1o4' ~ ,". 49, 'uc 'so"cl, we're
v,1Is ~ s..so. ~. toF tne
so1,d .. .dan.s". 80, .,:' q "au uot "n'te, OUT
h,,anss, Tta ~ !. -. ss'nus Unity WIN
"~@ ~'~ ~ - ~' oA1% oL1 uCk Win Lac