Evening star., 1883-07-21

HOMES Or-MILhI0NAIREs.
Palaces Built By Four California Rail-
way Kings.
A few days ago happened to be rambling In
the Mountain View Cemetery In Oakland just
across the bay from this city, when came sud-
denly upon the mausoleumserected to the men,
ory OF Gen. David D, Cotton. one of the old d.
rectors of the Central Pacific road, and one
whose life was ended in most untimely fashion.
What attracted nv attention was that work.
men were busy about the tomb, and on in
lionaire had just been placed in the vault that
had been prepared q whole year for it's recep-
tion. No one could wish for q handsOmer
tomb, II costly work In marble. granite. and
bronze can afford any satisfaction to one who
has given up the good things Of this world and
gone over to the majority. The mausoleum is
small Corinthian chapel of beautiful snowy
white Ravaccioni marble, twenty feet square,
and thirtyfive feet high, close imitation in all
its graceful, classical details of the mansion on
Mob Hill, in which the widow now lives. 1t
stands on an elevation, the highest ground in
the cemetery, which brings out its noble pro-
portions to great advantage, flight OF eight
marble steps leads to the large bronze doors,
cast in Munich; through these one enters the in
terror, paved with fine mosaic and lighted up in
rich but subdued colors by large memorial
window, the gift of the dead mans daughter.
The DausOle um has base of California granite.
ON which rests ten plasters of marble, with Cor
inthian capitals; these in their turn support
very heavy marble roof and cornice. Over the
frieze Of the pediment is the single word
''Colton," surrounded by four wreaths of inn
mOrtelles, while on panel Of the entrance are
the initials .'D: D. S." surrounded by forget
sme-nots and lilies The cost of this tomb-the
most beautiful Of any on this coast-was
$50, 900. 1t was the tribute Of wife, who re-
port said, was not always treated as a wife
should be. Her devotion, however, is manifest
here in enduring marble. singular feature of
1t is that the tomb is exactly opposite the en-
from the widows Mob Hill mansion Even
with the naked eye one can make out from the
tomb the outlines OF the Stanford and Hopkins
palaces. only block below her house. It is
said that she has strong field-glass and is fond
OF gazing from the cup0la of her house upon the
last resting-place of her husband.
MYSTERY OF COLrON's DEATH.
The sight of this tomb recalled the curious
episode of the millionare's death. Cotton
made his raise in hydraulic mining, and when
the fortunes Of the Central Pacific were at a
low ebb, he was asked by Stanford and Croker
to cast in his lot with them and share all the
advantages of the original projectors He was
man Of good deal Of force and ability, but
he was no match as fnancier for the other
members of the monopoly. His money was
utilized. but it was suspected that he never
knew the real secrets of the business, although
he was made the head Of the Contract and Fl
nance company, which completed the Central
Pacific and built the Southern Pacific He
lived free life, and there was some scandal
about his relations with the daughter of Laura
ID. Fair, the notorious woman who shot down
Lawyer Crittendenin the presence of his family
and was acquitted by sentimental California
jury. In September 1873 it was reported that
Cotton was injured by a fall from badly broken
mustang which he had been riding, and was ly-
ing dangerously i'll at his home. The doctors
stated that the fall had broken blood-vcssel in
the abdomen, and that the discharged blood had
gathered. and formed a tumor. In operating
on this his system. already weakened by fast
LIE, succumbed, and he died very suddenly
The peculiar thing about the case was that he
was on the street for fortnight after the acct
dent and made light of it, This induced MANY
to believe that he did not die of natural causes.
The current rumor, which has still many be-
levers, is that he was shot in the abdomen by
Laura Fair. in revenge for the BETRAYAL of her
daughter, to whom he had shown much atten-
ton. What lends color to this is that Mrs.
Falr at the time was having fine house built
only block away from the Cotton mansion 1t
was on small side street and contrasted
strangely with the poor dwellings around it.
On COltOns death she refused to take the house
and it reverted to the real estate associates
who built it for her. She claimed that mining
stocks had ruined her but gossip asserted that
the death Of the capitalist was the cause Of this
change OF plan. Certainly there was mystery
about his death which not even the post-mor-
TEN examination cleared up satisfactorily.
A CLASSICAL MANSION.
His widow now lives in the beautiful house
on California street, directly across the way
from the big, communicating dwelling of
Charles Crocker. Colton's house was the first
of these railroad managers palaces to be built
on what has since been vulgarly christened Mob
Hill It stands just over the brow of the hill,
but commands magnificent view Of the bay
and the amphitheater Of the foothills of the
coast range, which sweep around from the
mouth OF the Sacramento river almost to the
entrance to the Golden Gate. 1t affords the
greatest contrast in Its severe simplicity of style
20 the rather gaudily ornamental palaces near
nothing to detract from the superb harmony and
measure OF It's proportions. It is low in COM
parison with the other buildings, but its two
stories give the impression Of much greater
height. The Cornthian pillars which form the
Window-frames as well as the large pillars at
the main doorway add to the look of richness
and substantially. 1t is always painted white,
and Is thus thrown into strong relief by the
rich green Of the lawn. The fence bears
out the classical motive of the entire places it is
IN the form Of fspears. and the posts of the Ro-
man fasces. When these are painted black with
the spear-heads gilded the effect is very beauti-
fnl. What Injuries the other houses In it's neigh
borhood is the excess of ornament The ten
dency OF California architects is to overload the
exterior with carving in wood. AS the mate
rial. by no device Of the painter, can be given an
air OF solidty and permanence. the effect is not
pleasing. Thus the Gothic monstrosity half
castle and half chateau, built by the late Mark
Hopkins and now occupied by his widow. has
neither dignity nor grace to commend it. It is
too big for the lot on which it is built; its
materials are too light and unsubstantial for
the design, and it gives the impression of aHex-
pertinent in architecture which has not been q
success. In fact it looks very much like an ex-
aggerated copy of the summer villas which one
may see along the great lakes and the St. Law
rence-houses built for comfort In summer but
not intended for permanent homes. This light
ness Is intensified by contrast with the heavy
wall of stone which surrounds the lot and the
massive gates and steps that lead to the main
entrance.
THE COsrLIEsT HOUSE IN CALIFORNIA
stanford's house. which is just below this
wooden castle, is made to look sunken by the
extreme height of the other. Although it is the
costliest house on this coast it gives one only an
impression OF richness and sOlidity from the ex-