The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-01-16
TILDEN, GOULD AND FIELD.
Their Home Life and Surroundings

Their Home Life and Surroundings
NJ Y. Correspondence Of the Baltimore Sun.
No more picturesque, no more generally
pleasing range Of fine estates and elaborate
structures can be met with close to great
city than is found within few miles OF
New York, between this place and Tarry-
town, which is seven miles above, on the
banks of the Hudson. About mile and
a-half above this town is "Greystone," the
palatial residence of Samuel j. Tilden, and
near by are the beautiful country residen-
ces of the Fields, Colgates, James J. Nc
Coomb, Jay Gould, John Jay, Alexander
Hamilton, Chauncey NJ Depew, ex-Collec-
tor Robertson, Washington Irving, and
many others distinguished in the history
of great city.
Having never married, Mr. Tilden lives
at "Greystone' the most of his time, his
companion being ex-Comptroller Green
who resides with him. Mr. Tilden's house
is constructed of greystone. His park is
laid out in beautiful drives and walks, and
is free to the public. Mr.. Tilden himself
is rarely seen by visitors, being guarded
in his immense mansion by his ever watch
full secretaries and Mr. Green, his business
manager. A day or two ago I went to
see the "Sage of Greystone," and to my
surprise Mr.. Tilden himself opened the
door to answer my timid ring In spite of
all that is said about the failure of his
health-which is not at all true-Mr. Til
den carries the weight of his seventy-one
years uncommonly well he has not very
vigorous physique, and his spare form is
now slightly bent, and his thin hair is
whitened with the frost of many winters
His eyes droop little, and, whatever may
be the cause, he is unable to use his right
arm and hand at the table or in dressing.
1t is said that he has had stroke of paral-
ysis, which has been succeeded by sort of
palsy, so that his right hand is never in re-
pose, but trembles constantly. In ordinary
conversation Mr. Tilden's voice is low,
sinking at times to whisper. That he is
just as bright and quick-witted as ever L
have no doubt. He is indeed as sharp as
neadle in all his transactions. He walks
slowly and with difficulty, due to partial
paralysis. At home he is hospitable and
kindly. His collection of engravings is
marvellous. Some of his treasures are in
valuable. His autograph copies are nu-
merous, and the man who could be bored or
ennuied if left for hours alone in Mr.. Til
den's library would be just the sort of a
man that l should imagine would go to a
masquerade ball in baby's frock.
At the present time Mr.. Tilden is great
ly interested in the construction of his
immense conservatory and in the propaga-
ton of fine stock. His new conservatory
when finished will be perhaps the largest
and most complete in this country. 1t is
several hundred feet long and will be heat
ed by steam In each section the pipes
will be so arranged that the temperature
can be fixed independently Of the adjoining
sections. By this means fruits and grapes
can be insured all the year round, as the
vines can be kept in different stages of de-
velopement, so that as the products of one
section have been exhausted, those of the
adjoining one will be ready for use. In most
of the sections trough of water will run
through the full length of the conservatory,
thus serving the double purpose of moisten-
ing the atmosphere and of supplying the at
tendants with water for the plants. When
finished the beautiful grounds and conser-
vatory of "Greystone, which can be seen
from the fne road leading to Tarrytown,
will be thrown open freely to all visitors
under the supervision of Mr.. Tilden's
manager.
Mr.. Tilden's only successful rival in the
conservatory line is Mr.. Jay Gould, who
lives few miles above him, near Irving
ton. At the present time there is no other
private conservatory in this country of
equal size and scope as Jay Gould's at
'Lyndehurst." Almost every wealthy
gentleman maintains a hot house for flow
ers, but no othee has undertaken to estab-
lish full collection of plants. In Europe
there are many private Conservatives, but
few can compete with Mr.. Jay Gould's.
1t can be seen for miles up and down the
Hudson river, there being a river view
from the mansion of forty-fve miles. The
conservatory is 400 feet long on the north
ern line and 80 feet wide The central
house, containing the collection of ferns
and palms, is 81 feet deep and so feet
long. The east wing, contains cacticrotons,
caladiums and other tropical plants, is 80
feet long and 25 feet wide. The west
wing is of the same size, and contains the
rose houses and graperies. In addition
to this building there is a rear house, 25O
feet long and IS feet deep, containing sec
tions for propagation and the orchids or
air plants In all there are l6 sections.
There are $4,000 feet of double-thick glass
in the building, which is heated by six
steam boilers. There are already in this
monster conservatory over 5000 varieties
of plants. These are the products of every
cline and every country. There is an in-
infinite variety of forms and coiors, and
the senses are bewildered by the luxuriance
of the scene.
In one apartment there are 125 varie-
ties of double geraniums. One section,
60 feet long by % feet wide, is devoted to
roses, of which there are over 400 varie-
ties There are over 400 varieties of
palms 800 of them from America and 100
from Asia. Some of the specimens cost
from $3.50 to $500 each. There are 40
varieties Of the pitcher plant from NADIA
gascar alone. Over 100 varieties of GRO
tins from FIJI and Solomon Islands; 500
varieties of plants from Central America,
East Indies and the Archipelago Islands;
60 varieties of marantas from the Amazon
river; collection of ferns from Central
and South America and the East Indies,
300 varieties, including some exceptionally
fine tree ferns; 159 varieties of gloxinea,
! The collection of oracenas is the largest in
the world. There are so kinds of bronze
las and tillandsias. In room artifcially
moistened are some 1900 orchids. The
collection of caladiums is very large.
There are over 200 varieties of camelias
from Japan and China; over 400 varieties
of azalias and many kinds of Indian rhodo-
dendrons. One or two sections are deyot-
ed to exotic grapes In the fruit house
luscious espalier peaches were almost dropp-
ing by reason Of their weight. Among
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