Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-04-17
IRVlNGTON HOME.
A Fairy. Lard on the Hudson for the king
of wall street.


himself ON what he thought the most
beautiful and thoroughly equipped
summer residence in this country. 1t
was located at lryington, on the east
bank of the Hudson and about mile
from the depot. What was then known
as the Merritt estate is now known as
the Jay Gould estate, and could its
former proprietor, now dead, awake TO
life he would scarcely recognize his
ideal home.
In 1880 Jay Gould became struck
with the magnificencc of the property
and purchased il, Since the day it
passed into his hands he has been con-
tinualy backing nature with capital
until he has succeeded in creating one
of the loyeliest sites in the world. The
estate now covers (according to the
books of the supervisors 80 acres OF
the most eligible and fertile land IN
Westchcster County. OF this about
POO acres are woodland and the rest
devoted TO lawns and light farming.
1t is said that the purchasing price
paid by Mr.. Gould for the estate was in
The neigh hborhood of S206,00o, and that
he can dispose of the property any day
for five times that amount, or $1,000
600. ThShouse of the king of finance
is built n Gothic style, and in itself is
not particularly striking. 1t faces tho
river from Il distance of 5000 feet, and
the view commanding is AT once grand
and picturesque. 1t contains twenty
rooms. beside n basement of the dimen-
sions Of the house. Not until entering
the house is the visitor fully impressed
with the sway that its owner must havo
in the financial world,
Administer and Moquct CARPETS and
velvet tapestry cover the floors, and
frescoing of the most delicate and eN-
pcnsive patterns decks the walls and
ceilings.
On the second floor is Mr.. Gould's
pride, the art gallery. 1t extends the
entire depth of the house, and has the
full benefit of the setting sun. In It is
hung n most tidy fortune in paintings,
by the most celebrated masters. Bric-
a-brac is everywhere prevalent and
nothing is wanting to make such a
home as only many-times millionaire
can afford. Surrounding the house is
a graceful, wavy lawn of nincty-hvo
acres, kept with faultess care, and
married only by the single macada-
mizcd roadway leading from the main
road to the house, a distance of nearly
n quarter of mile. The grounds are
separated from the road by polished
stone fence, nearly four feet high.
Proceeding toward the river, the
next object TO attract ones attention
are Mr.. Gould's hothouses, nineteen IN
number, and comprising combined
about 900 feet in length and i50 In
width, In these can be found every
description of flower that grows on tho
face Of the globe. From there Mr..
Gould relishcs grapes up TO February
!, eats Strawberries of his own growing
to top of his Christmas dinner, and
takes the pits ont Of his own peaches
on April Fools Day.
The hothouses and their contents
are valued at $25O,0 600. Underneath
the hothouscs is miniaturc~ellar only
400 feet in length, in which are stored
articles of vegetation to which cellar
is Indispensable. Here are also roots
which are used to decorate the house
in one mass of green foliage. Mr..
Gould will make affidavit that he does
not use Oleomargarinc, because his
twenty-four head Of thoroughbred cat
tie supply him with the choicest
of butter and milk to which water
il n stranger. Twenty four horses
do the farm work and supply the
members of the family with all the ont
of-door enjoyment they wish, Poultry
abounds and of the choicest breeds. 1t
is said that one of Jay Could greatest
delights is to rise early and with his
youngest son. Frank, watch the pro-
cess of feeding the chicks. Eighty men
have been employed constantly for the
past year. and for their wages receive
nine dollars per week, or grand total
of ~, $50 per month. II requires ten
pair of hands to look after the house,
work beside the French chief who pre-
sides over the destinies of cuisine. Tho
chambermaids' housekeeper's and gov
erness wages amount to $500 monthly,
and the gentleman who wears the white
cap and prepares creme de volatile
grows fat over $3.50 per month, or $50
less than the other ten put together.
Allowi-g that the live stock are self
supporting, Gould's expenses, exclu-
sive OF his house in this city. his Yacht
and hundreds OF other asides, are at
Irvington, S3SS.89 per day, or Sll,-
5l6.66 per month and &l3S, 1892 a
year Since the advent of Jay Gould
at Irvington he has not only spent
thousands of dollars in beautifying the
place, which is an ornament TO the
beautiful village, but has been no less
industrious in improving its sanitary
condition. For years there has been u
swamp right in the heart of the village,
which has been the source Of malaria
and other obnoxious diseases. Re-
Gently Mr.. Gould purchased it, and is
now engaged in draining it by the aid
of "A tunnel at an enormous expense.
Five thousand feet of piling have al
ready been driven at a cost of double
the price paid for the land. When the
Gould family is not augmented by
friends IL includes Mr. and Mrs Gould,
their two daughters, Helen and Annie.
aged sixteen and nine, and the four
sons, George, Edwin, Howard and
Frank.-M T. Journal
- -
Fashion Brakemen will be
sorry to learn that "trains' are TO be
made unusually long. Light-feoted
people will hear with pleasure that
illuminated leather is fashionable.
Bald-headed men will worry little
over the statement that during the
summer hair will be worn high ON the
head The gentleman who owns but
one red flannel shirt will hear with
sorrow that undertaking is now
frequently made of silk, and is more
elaborately trimmed than ever
Young gentlemen of limited means
wifi be depressed when they read "Col-
lars viii be higher than ever this
spring" Farmers who wish fashion
able fastening to the barn door must