The Portland daily press., 1883-11-28
The New Willard Palace.
New York SUM-

For long time the jewellers on Murray
hill hayeimaryeled at the reported splendors
of the mansion being erected on Madison
avenue by Henry Willard the railway mag
nate. Mr. Wizards new house, or rather
houses, occupies an entire block, having
frontage on Madison avenue of 200 feet.
The part which he will occupy is on the
corner OF Fifty-first street. Its frontage is
90 feet and its depth 100 feet. The other
wing will be precisely similar except that it
is divided into three houses, and between
the two wings is a court so feet in width
and 70 feet in depth. That portion of the
building back of the court extends back 40
feet beyond the wing and is double house
of itself In the center of the court viii be
placed magnificent fountain, around which
will be broad drive, and in each corner a
grass plat. Each house will communicate
directly with the court. Mr.. Wizards
house and the two center houses are COM
peted, excepting the interior, while the
walls OF the remaining wing are up to the
second story. The exterior of the great
building is more grand than beautiful, it is
the result of a combination of Roman and
Florentine architecture, plans of the Char
celleria palace at Rome and the Farnez pal
ace being copied by the architects. The
material is Belleville IN. j. sandstone, the
light greyish amber stone OF which Trinity
church was built. Everything is massive,
and there is little attempt at ornament
Huge blocks of stone are piled one upon
another aud overtopped by heavy cornice of
the same material. catering the spacious
portal OF the Willard residence, your cores
pondent found himself in magnificent re-
ception room ID feet by rs in depth. Every
thing here was in inlaid wood-foor. calling,
walls and coiumns. On either side opened
the drawing-rooms. They. are each 10 by
2S feet, and are being finished in mahogany.
lnlaid with light woods, satin-wood and
maple being noticeable. Between the pi-
lasters will be hung rich embroidered stuffs
The predominating tones are light reddish
brown and light yellow. The drawing-rooms
and reception room are so arranged that
they C IN be thrown into one spacious apart
ment 100 feet in width and % in depth.
From the reception-room hall Ia feet in
width and AZ in length leads to the music
room. Aladdin's lamp never revealed a hall
more magnificent. 1t is entirely in mosaic
The material is yellow Italian marble. The
noor is In chaillOn marble In small pieces
woven into beautiful designs.
The mantel is masterpiece of the sculp-
tor from an Italian design, and the whole
apartment was executed by Italian artists in
the style of modern Pompeiian palaces. The
hall is spanned by three semi-circular arches
IN Sienna marble, with sculpture by Louis
st. Gaudens. A vestible in the same design
leads out of the hall, back of the drawing
rooom. The MUSHROOM is the chief d'ouvre
OF the decorators art. 1t is diminutive
theatre, AZ BY "a feet in dimension, and 80
feet from floor to ceiling, extending to the
third story 1t is in the style of the Francis
room of Fontainbleu palace. The colors
are white and gold. A wainscoting eight
feet in height, in carved pine, surrounds the
room. At one end is gallery for the musi-
clans. The ceiling is an elliptical vault, and
every detail shows the skill of the artist.
Between the MUSHROOM and vestibule mar
BILE stairs II feet broad lead to the upper
stories. Again the tone is yellow An elab-
crate renaissance ceiling spans the stairs.
An elevator way occupies the remaining
space. Across the hall are the main dining
room and breakfast-room, which can be
thrown into one apartment 20 by 90 feet
IN size. Carved woods again replace the
marble. The room Is executed in English
oak inlaid with mahogany. The ceiling is
divided with beams cased with English oak,
and the carved friezes, three feet in width,
are inlaid with floral designs. The two
III.
copies of those which Mr.. Mead was sent to
Italy to select, but which arrived in some
what damaged condition and were presented
by him to the museum of art. Here also
St. Gauden's skill is seen. The upper stor-
les are in keeping with the splendor below.
although not 30 elaborate. The general
sey s,, is italian renaissance The furaiture
Will be especially magnificent. That of the
drawing-room will be upholstered and of
colors harmonizing with the decorations,
the reddlsh-brown tone predominating. 1t
was designed by the architects who execu-
ted the rooms. The other houses will be fin
ished In style becoming their pretensions,
although nothing like this. The cost of the
building unfinished will be an even million
dollars. of this amount the decorating of
the drawing-rooms cost So, 1000: the dining
room, $4,000; the hall, 10000, and the mus
ic-rooms, $4,000. As much more will be
expended on other work in the latter room
year hence. To finish the interior of Mr.
Wizards house necessitates the expenditure
OF $256,O00 The upper floors are now about
completed and the furniture is arriving. Mr.
Wizards family will occupy them in two or
three weeks, and the remainder of the
house will be finished by midwinter. Mr.
Willard has disposed of the two houses in
the main part of the building to Messrs.
Holmes and Adams, the wealthy railroad
lawyers, who will occupy them. The struc-
ture, when completed, will be the most mag
nificent residence building in the country,
far SURPRISING the Vanderbilt houses. 1t is
The first attempt made to reproduce an Ital-
an palace in America, and the architects are
proud of their success. Henry
Wizards house may well be said to be pala-
sial. 1t is palace, in fact.