The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-09-15
HOW RAILROAD MoNOP
ENRICH
Var derbilI'S Palaces.

. residence streets IN the word. 1t l. a !
new, its buildings having been put up
within the lat thirty years. Most Of
the splendid ones are not yet a dozen
years Oil. At Thirty fourth street
stands A. I Stewa : ; beautiful white
marble house, superb and costly Van
ierb. I ; mansion fronts the avenue on
the whole block, eXtep '.I from tl'tg
irst - tity second stre.t. ou the w.,
tern .ile. On the eastern side Of the
avenue, one block below, stands Tie
stately Roman Catholic Cathedral,
which is now flushed with the excep-
ton ot the two spires.
! he Vanderbilt cdtice IS Of brown
stone. 1t is commonly spoken Of as a
mansion, but 1t is really Two. One VI
these IS the one Mr. William II Van
delb.it builds for his oFn residence
The other IS present to his two daugh
tiers. This, although it appears to be
one house, is divided into two. The
entrance of the northern one IS on FIty-
second street, while that Of the other is
in the massive pOrtico which connects
the two buildings. These are of brown
stone also and are four stories high.
Mr.. Nanderbilt's is A feet by 10,
while the other is few feet smaller.
1t is necessary to walk around these
buildings awhile and carefully sean them
from several points Of view before one
can realize how emo rmOus they are.
AT THE DOOR.
At the outset, see this great paving
stone, the largest ever brought to this
city. 1t is fifteen feet wide, twenty five
feet aud two riches long, and eight
inches thick. lt was quarrieI at Bar
ryvilie, and cost $1,000. Ii weighs
about forty tons. 1t vas brought to the
city on canal boat built expressly for
it. The other stones are twelve or thir
teen feet wide and tittech long. and all
are laid on three parallel walls of solid
rock
The two houses are connected by a
solid and spacious portico, whose ex
terror is Of browustone. but whose in
terior is set with moSaicS Of curious
mar biea and will be turn'shed with u
costly pavement ot tile :. shyl;gllt et
glass and iron will shed down on this
pavement IA pleasant light through win
| dows Of elaborate stained glass. This
portico is reached by pavement OF
stoue tiliDg, which extends some Thirty
feet from the line OF frontage oH Fitth
avenue. It's front viii be open t. uiI
and sunshine. On the right is tie eu
trance to Mrs Sloane house On the
lett we enter Vanderbilt 5 house through il
the famous double bronze doors, which
are said 10 cost so, O0o. This wonder
! ful piece oi art work VII be one Of the
last things TO be placed in position.
/ In all the three houses there are no
two rooms alike in finish or decorations
The Sloane and Shepard houses are by
no means as gorgeous IN their finish a
the mansion of the paternal Vanderbilt
| Yet they are far IN excess oi' anything
hith 'rto seen IN this city.
Mr. Vanderbilt las the advantage in
hi, oHn house Of occupying the space
which he has in the other part used fol
two dwellings, Everything here is on
d larger scale as well as Of greater costll
ness. Entering through the doorway
in which the twantJ ive-shousand do :
lar bronze doors will swing, we pl,nt
our feet in hall the pavement Of which
VIII be of tile and mosaic and will COST
$50, 600 Il is in the ceutre of the
house. 1t extends by series Of gal
lerieS to the roof, openings being made
through the floor Of the upper stories
The floors are supported by great iror
columns, faced with various kinds o.
manv-colored Egyptian and other Atri
can marb,s \ rich mantel Of Egyp
tian marble, with open fireplace, face
the entrance door. The great stairwa,
is on the north side. 1t is wide enough
for the stairway Of meeting house
and Is richly carved IN solid oak. Tt,
bronze rewel post at its base will cos
about 1000 The wall trescoes Of th'
halt are for the most part finished
They are rich with gliding, especial.
on the fritze work which appears on th,
baustrados Of the several floors, anc
which is pierced with panels for the re
ception Of painting on canvass The
walls Of ehe hall and stairway are chief
" done III crimson with style of gid
ing which at first sight looks as if IN
tended to simulate brick work.
The picture gallery is the larges
apartment in the house It Is - by +
and as high as two s.ollcs. Lightet
from above by d curioUslr constructed
combination Of roof and >Iylight, it vii
afford on every foot Ot it, extensive wal
perfect light for the display oi oil paint
I Jugs. a one end is the 'A1uarele
room, which IS separated only by al
archway This is IL by 32 feet ant
has gallery At the otner end Of tn,
: picture gallery aud connected with it i
the conservatory, which Is the same siz
as the aquarelle room On tie scconC
floor, between hall and picture gallery
is cozy nook for an orchestra, the mu
sic from which can be equally heard il
either place. y skylight, which will b
furnished with stained glass, will throw
a food Of tinted das light On the hall
AT night the IG9 gas burners which ar
already in position, viii keep. tie dark
ness away. The whole house Is wire
/ for electric light.
Now we ascend the broad siairwa
and find the rooms in the sec mi ,tor
devoted 10 he comfort OF Mr Wander
bit and his family. Here the wall
around the gallery of the hall are fires
coed with the same crimson amp gold i
brick pattern as below. The stalrwa
is amply lighted BY the >kylight Of tn
hall. Mr. Wander bits imnediat
family, residing with him, consists {
himself, his wife, one daughter and on
son. Each has capacious bed room