Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-06


INTERESTING CHAT REGARDING SOME NOTED
RESIDENCES IN THE CITY BY THE SEA.
Newport (R- II Special to the New York world.
Remarkable changes have taken place during
the past six or seven years in the proprietorship
Of summer villas in Newport, and 1t is true that
properly speaking, mansions, have changed
hands, with few exceptions, and, in several In
stances, as a result Of financial disaster coming
upon the owners of them. The value of prop
erty is far greater than 1t was seven years ago,
but there are not wanting, even now, signs
which indicate very strongly that in several
cases other than those to be enumerated the
present owners cannot retain possession of their
beautiful summer estates for the reason that
financial reverses have come upon them;
as "Beauieu," and is at present owned and oc-
cupied by Mr.. John Jacob Astor. 1t is of brick,
and stands in handsome and spacious grounds
that extend from Bellevue avenue, the fashion
able drive, to the Cliffs, where magnificent view
of the Atlantic ocean and the beaches is had. 1t
was built without regard to cost by the Peruvian
Minister, Bareda. and he is supposed to have
expended over 100000 on it. All the fashion
able world knows of the princely style i'm which
he lived and of his subsequent utter financial
collapse. The estate then fell into the hands of
Mr. ". T. Blodgett of New York, and his heirs
100000. In less than a year Mr.. Jessup dis
posed OF 1t to the presen. owner at profit of
over 100000. 1t is said that Mr.. J. g. Ben
nett would have purchased 1t, but he was SUI
perstitious-feared that evil fortune might over
take him as it had come upon previous owners
OF the property. Mr.. Jessup went abroad, and
while waiting at the Cheltenham (England)
railway station to take the train for London,
picked up a newspaper, read a dispatch an
nouncing the assassination of Garfield, and i'm
mediately fell dead The next estate but one to
this was formerly owned by the late Mr.. Daniel
his family never have been here since. and the
estate was sold to Mr.. William Astor. Still fur
ther north of Bellevue avenue is a magnificent
lot of land where the foundation walls of hand
some ana costly house that them
can be observed. To the west of these are some
magnificent greenhouses. the finest on any sum-
ner estate. The property is now owned by Mr..
Alfred Smith, the real estate king. The pre-
vious owner was Mr.. James r. Keene, the
OF it that the house destroyed by fire. He
as everybody knows, had to give up possession
of for lack of funds, Smith foreclosing the
Keene was Mr.. Nathan Matthews, of Boston, to
whose house, too, came ruin result of real
estate speculation. At a point lower down the
trance of Long Island Sound, stands "The
Rocks" once owned by Gen. Robert b. Potter
esteemed here, and everybody was sorry when
it became known that he could not keep up the
establishment. He had to sell it, and got
ISL 900 for it from Mr. r. j. Montgomery of
Boston. The latter gentleman made money
rapidly by the rise in Bell telephone stock He
must have lost it with equal rapidity, for after
holding the place for less than a couple OF years
he was compelled to mortgage it for an amount
greater than it is taxed for, and has now gone
10 Europe.
The two beautiful estates that once stood in
the names of Charles l.. Anthony and George
Francis Train, of New York, respectively, have
passed into the hands of Alfred Smith after
formal proceedings had been taken to foreclose
the mortgages. On the west side Of Bellevue
avenue, nOrthward, stands charming and
very spacious estate that for years was owned
by the family of the famous Brown brothers. OF
Philadelphia. Matters which it is not necessary
to refer to here caused the Browns to give up
Newport, and the place was sold to Mr. G. W.
Merritt of New York, who, it is said. will not
hold it long. The Swiss chalet on the same side
was once the property Of Mr.. Lorins Andrews
He died and his family finally sold it to MI.
Theodore A. Havemeyer, of New York, for
rope, where one of the daughters married a
count. The John Paine cottage has been sold
tS Mr.: H. II: Cooke Of New York Daniel
was at his suggestion that one of the
amateur anglers throw the reel and line. On
the Cliffs stands a handsome house, once Owne i
by Mr. j. Frederick Kernochan. of New York
aforesaid Smith and told him he couldn' afford
To keep the house. and a short time afterwards
q customer was found for it in the person of Mr..
Ogden GOelet, of New York, who paid 800. 900
for the deed of it. President Arthur was very
handsomely entertained at a villa on Nara
gansett avenue in 1882. The place was then
the property of the late Gov f. D. Morgan. He
soon died, and his widow, who crossed the dark
river herself but few days ago: not desiring to
return to Newport, sold it to Mr. X. I. Wilson,
of New York, whose son, Orme, recently mar
ried Miss Carrie AstOr.
About thirty years ago the late William
Beach Lawrence purchased what was known us
the Ochre Point farm for about $4,000. He
and his heirs have now sold the whole estate,
the gross amount Of all the lots realizing over
one million dollars! The homestead, where
many eminent men have entertained, was
finally purchased by Miss c. L. Wolfe, OF New
York, for $192 900. Since then she has torn
down the house and erected perfect palace.
The last large sale of property, in consequence
c. G. Baldwin, of New York, who was finan-
cially ruined last year. The house is hand
some one and when the crash came to Mr..
Baldwin he transferred it to the Central Trust
company of New York. 1t has now been pur-
chased by MIR. J. II. Inman, of New York.
Other instances of sad reversal of fortune could
be given; those cited above, however, will sui:
flee to illustrate the changes that have been
made during the past few years.