The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-18
EDGEwooD,s EMPTY HALLS.
Mrs. Kate Chase Leaves Her Fine Mansion
Tenantless for Five Years.

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TenantIess for Five Years.
Washington Letter in Baltimore American.
'Edgewood" as it is called, is tenantless,
while its owner roams in Europe. She left
here little over month ago with her chill
dren, for a five years tour abroad The
grounds are kept in tolerable order by the
faithful servant in whose charge they were
left by her. But the great house, with its
rich furnishings, stands precisely as she left
1t, and the broad acres of the magnificent
estate lie uncultivated. 1t is characteristic
Southern mansion, set in the magnificent
forest which enriches the hills north of the
city. From the broad verandas which grace
the front of the building the visitor looks
through an opening in the woods down upon
the city OF Washington, with the white dome
OF the capitol cleaning in the sunshine or
the mellow moonlight as the case may be-
all making beautiful picture.
How is it?" was asked of this friend Of
the fair proprietress, that this fine estate is
left idle?'' That" was the reply, lis what
no one knows. Certainly Mrs. Chase is not
Sc. well off financially as to be able to afford
to throw away such place. She is, how
ever, very peculiar woman, and if she can t
get what she wants for it she is not likely to
let 1t go at all. She has been offered $3.50 a
month for the house and won't take it.. She
wants $200a month. and unless she gets that
prefers to let it stand idle. Queer WE'LL
it's about on par with most of her per-
formances. Now, here's an estate worth
$50, 000-she has been offered that for it-and
yet she will not make any use of it. Why,
she wouldn't allow 1t titled when she lived
here. She kept two or three men employed
keeping it in order, but wouldn't allow the
ground titled The place brought her in
debt every year. The taxes are something
enormous"
But" suggested the correspondent, ''it
has been stated that Congress has relieved the
estate from taxation" That" continued
the gentleman referred to, "is like many
other things that haze been said about this
family. 1t is only partly true. Congress did
relieve it from certain taxes, but those were
back taxes altogether. The place, you know,
belonged to her father. He bought it long
before the war. Alter his death it was found
that there were some $4,000 taxes due and
unpaid on it. Well, Kate was pretty shrewd
She knew her power and how to make use of
it to advantage. She proposed to the other
heirs that she would take the estate just as it
stood, providing for the taxes herself, giving
up to Them | suppose certain of the other
property. They agreed to that The prop
erty was transferred to her, in her own name,
and after awhile little bill made its appear
ance in Congress RENTING the taxes then
due. That however, does not affect it
no W."
The old servant now in charge tells many
stories illustrating the peculiarities of his
mistress. She wouldn't let him plant cab
bage anywhere near the house, because she
could smell EN-" Last spring she engaged a
man at very high price and set him to
blowing up the fields. She said she was going
to make the land of some use to her. But,
bless you, he hadn't got it plowed before she
called him in one day and told him to stop
all work on it, that she was going to Europe
to be absent five years.