Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-12

VI hto hVH were leIb IN charge OF tue Nhulb
until the mausoleum Is finished, which 10
1s expected will be within six months.
Very little emotion was exhibited at the
cemetery by the members OF the family,
but evidences OF deep feeling were not
wanting, though bravely repreesed. The
mourners arrived back in New York about
4o'clock this afternoon.
THE WILL READ.
The will Of w. II. Vanderbilt was read
to the family after the funeral. II was
decided That its contents should not be
made public until after the document
mad gone to the Surrogates court.
NEW DoRP's LOCATION.
New Dorp is ON the west shore
Of staten Island, six miles north
OF Clifton formerly called Wander
bllt landing( and two miles from
Richmond, S. /. 1t is a very small village,
containing few old Dutch houses and
one or two modern ones. The chief points
OF interest at New Dorp are the Wander
bilt farm and the MOrayian ceme-
terry. The cemetery has two entrances,
one facing southwest and the other north
east. The former is called the main en-
trance, the latter the church entrance.
From the New Dorp station Of the Staten 4
Island railroad to the main entrance Of
the cemetery is about quarter Of mile.
From the entrance to the new mausOleum
is quarter OF mile futher. Entering
the cemetery by the main entrance, a
sharp turn 10 the right brings into view
the old family plot of the Vanderbilts.
This plot is about 40 feet square. In the
centre of IL stands the obelisk (15 feet in
height) which surmounts the vault
proper.
THE oBELIsK.
The obelisk itself is very plain sand
stone and granite, faces toward the north
east and has no marking upon 1t OF any
kind, except that just over the door, in
very plain letters the name Vanderbilt is
carved. The entrance is through a door
OF iron. On either side of this door are
Corinthian columns, also very plain. On
entering the obelisk flight OF stone stairs
lead into the vault, which is exactly
thirty feet square. This entire structure
was built by the late Commodore Wander
bilt in 1856, and contains thirty
shelves for holding the burial cas-
kets. In il are buried the Commodore,
his two wives, his son George,
daughter and several grandchildren.
About year ago Mr.. William II. Van
derbilt visited New DOrp and marked out
the course OF new road TO run through
the centre Of the cemetery up TO the new
plot which he had purchased. This road
is partially completed, and Mr.. Wander
bilt had agreed to pay for it's building.
This road, after course OF halt mile,
leads TO the entrance of the grand maus0-
leum. Although but partially completed,
this tomb is veritable palace of the
dead. Standing on the western bound
airy at the Vanderbilt plot Of % acres,
upon the slope OF hill, its site is ex-
cellent.
BEGINNING OF THE WORK.
This mausoeum was begun in January
OF the present year. 1t has frontage
OF % feet and a depth Of So feet. It's
height is to be 40 feet from the top OF
the dome to the ground. The style Of
architecture is Gothic. The front, OF
Quincy granite, is very beautiful, carved
and adorned from designs by several
prominent artists. There are three en-
frances into sort of lobby, and one from
this lobby into the vault. The lobby at
present has upon its walls six large black
marble tablets.
The interior Of the mausOleum resem-
bles church or chapel, and even In its
present unfinished condition is grand.
Rich carvings are upon the walls over
every tier Of burial shelves. At the end,
opposite the entrance, Is the altar, solid
block of white marble, beautifully carved.
The shelves upon which the baskets OF the
Vanderbilts will be placed are upon either
side OF the building. They are seventy
eight In number, and are cut from Indiana
limestone. In general 1t may be said Of
the mausoleum that the front Is to be OF
Quincy granite, and the roof and interior
OF Indiana limestone, while the objects Of
adornment inside will be marble. The
site OF this tomb is commanding. II is
upon hill with an elevation Of 200 feet
above the level Of the Richmond road. 1t
will be completed in about a year at the
present rate Of progress.
TO BE MADE PARK.
The plot about the tomb is TO be made
into park, but nothing has been done as
yet toward its improvement. In the little
churchyard, near the present MoraYian
church, Commodore Vanderbilps grand
parents are buried.
The house now used by the superin-
tendent Of the cemetery was the first No
rayian church at New Dorp. In IL the
Vanderbilts used TO worship, and In II
Commodore Vanderbilt was baptized. IL
was built in 1853, and used as a church
until 1874. when the present one was COM
pleted. The Moravian cemetery contains
70 acres, including two lakes, OF three
acres and one acre respectively. IL has
been used as a burial ground for more
! than 200 years, and In IL are buried al
most all Of the American ancestors OF the
man who will BIO inferred there to-mor-
row.
Mr.. W. W. Ostrander, superintendent
of the cemetery, said: "Mr. Vanderbilt
was accustomed 10 come down 20 New
DOrp once in every month. On Friday,
when be came down with his son George,
he looked far from we'll. He sat on the
front seat OF the carriage going 10 the
cemetery, and leaned his head upon his
hands, resting his arms upon his knees.
He cOughed great deal, and had list
less air.