The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-09-08
M GORDON BENNETT
His Yachts, His Palaces, His Horses, His Pa
per, and His Millions

His Yachts, His Palaces, His Horses, His Pa
per, and His Millions
Newport Letter in Chicago Times.
Mr.. Bennett is not at all handsome or
striking in his personal appearance. His
face is long and thin and wears an express
sion of settled melancholy, as if the pleas
ure of the world had paIled on him. He
does not seem broken down in health, and
does not have the appearance of q man
whom dissipation has worn out, but he
does look as the world yielded him no fur
Their enjoyment, and as if his only occu-
pations now were to kill the time. Ger
tainly he has provided himself with excel
lent weapons to kill it with.
His house here, which he bought some
time since for $50, QUO, he has converted
into q palace. He calls it Stone Villa, and
it stands inst opposite the Casino-a place
which is also virtually his own, since he
advanced the money with which it is built,
and holds a mortgage of 800, 900 on it-on
Bellevue avenue, the principal street in the
new part of the town. Stone Villa is a
large, plain, two story structure of granite,
originally square, but now provided with a
projecting octagon dining-room, Of Mr..
Benefits own design, and surrounded with
o broad and airy veranda. The grounds,
which the owner has just decorated with
some costly and beautiful marble statues
bought in Italy, poised curiously on swivels
or piyots, SO that they turn about, are sur,
rounded with a low granite wall, which
does not obstruct the view of even a child.
Inside the house everything is sumptu-
Gus. Liveried servants are always in attend
ance, day and night, relieving each other
in ~phalanxes. The octagon dining-room,
which has windows opening to the air on
all Of its eight SIDES but one, is a marvel of
completeness. From the hosts seat at the
chief table-an deliberately carved affair
eight feet across, and made, by the way,
by a local abinet-maker-electric bells
communicate with all parts of the housa,
enabling him to communicate with any ser
want he wants. In this dining room the
tables are always spread; in the kitchen
cooks are always on duty, and Mr.. Bennets
friends are at liberty to come inand order
what they want at any hour of the day OF
night. 1t is 'hot meals at all hours" al
all who enjoy Mr., Bennett friendship. The
host may be- said to entertain every night
for there are always guets at his house
and thoir wants are carefully provided for
Stone Villa is strictly a bachelors hal
the greater part of the time. The only fe-
male member Of the household is the house
keeper, who is elderly. All the othes
servants, including cooks and chamber
maids, are men. But notwithstanding the
almost exclusively masculine character Of
the household, Mr.. Bennett does not den.
himself the pleasure of feminine compan
ionship. The ladies' Of society here either
do not believe the stories of his social ir.
Irregularities or else have forgiven them. TO
they welcome him freely to their enter
tainments, and attendhi IS md often, &C
companied by their husbands, call at hi!
house. When he makes a yachting part
to go out on the Polynia, which is quit
often, he has no difficulty in getting to
gethera verysbrilliant and exclusive httl
assemblage. These :Yacting parties Of Nj
BENEFITS by the way. are characterized b,
all his usual magniicance. Last summe
he took a rarty up to Rocky Point on th
Polynia. and gave them . clam bake
The usual price of per plate at clam bake
at this placeis 80 cents. Mr. Bennett
cost $40: for each guest. The. table wa
, spread with his own silver, too, and th
, wine was from his own cellar. You ca
imagine, perhapsI cant-what the mer
/; eatables must have been to cost $50
: plate.
= Speaking of his yacht reminds me th,