The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-12-29
Reproducing the Orient i'm Florida.

thV VI III luds
Americans have a lesson taught them
in work going on now in Florida's most
beautiful social center, st. Augustine.
a few years ago, after years spent in
rambling in foreign countries, there
came to st Augustine mildmannered,
slender, gray-haired man whose talent
found here the material and the true sur
roundings for its exercise. From
sketches of the most minute and elabo-
rate details of the Alhambra and other
Moorish places in Spain, Tangiers and
Algiers, this gentleman erected a resi-
dence in st. Augustine that is emphat-
ically a work of refined Oriental art.
The material used in the construction
is beech sand, small shells and cement,
making beautiful concrete as durable
as granite In color it is light gray,
just about the tint of the moss drapery
of the live oaks. The ingredients were
mixed with water into mass,
then carried in hods and poured
into the matrix of the rising walls.
Villa Zorayda, as this unique crea-
ton is named, is a notable building,
appropriate to the climate of Florida, and
so graceful, airy, harmonious, elegant,
that it has been pronounced the most
beautiful residence in America. Above
the front entrance is the inscription in the
Arabic: Wa Ia ghahb M-oHoh-" There
is no conqueror but God" Following
this example, buildings are now in
progress, and still others planned, that
are Spanish or Moorish in every detail.
These edifices are not innovations, but
harmonic with the mellow tone of the
one and acknowledgements Spanish
buildings, narrow streets and general
quaint air of the ancient city of the sea.
A gentleman of New York, Mr.. H. NJ
Flagler, was the first to follow this
newly-applied idea of Oriental art in
architecture; and, after purchasing the
most desirable site for the purpose in
the city of st. Augustine, is erecting a
Spanish palace which it is Dissertation
to call a hotel. However the name,
Ponce de Leon, is some restitution.
This superb and costly structure meas
gustine's principal avenue and four
hundred fifty feet on Tolomato street
The architecture is purely Spanish,
from the tall towers and overhanging
tile roof to the court and arcades. Shell
concrete is the material, with arches,
window-caps and trimmings of deep
red brick and cornices and finals of
terra-cotta the same in hue. The build
ing towers upwards from its court ar
cade and four wings to a central dome
flanked by two large towers whose
height is one hundred forty feet. The
building is now receiving its red tabu-
lar-tile roof. The rich terra Gotta or
naments, inches, figures, shields, col
umns, caps and balustrades are even
richer in effect than the promise of the
drawings. The court is one hundred fifty
feet square and is completely inclOsed in
front by an arcade of ornate columned
arches stretching from wing to wing,
east aud west. Entering it through
an archway of terra-cotta and mosaic
you will find yourself in a tropical gar.
den surrounded by stone portico four
teen feet wide, with rooms opening
thereon. Opposite the entrance of the
court is still more imposing and more
highly decorated entrance leading tC
the rotunda, which is lfty-four by
eighty feet and four stories in height
The encircling balconies are upheld by
rows of columns, and the effect of the
perspective-a group of columns, arches
and galleries-is fascinating. a flight
of marble steps faces you, leading tC
the dining-room, an apartment one hun
bred fifty by siXty-eight feet, with circu
lar ends of glass opening on wide bal
comics. The walls spring up into
graceful vaulted ceiling, to be appro
priately frescoed. This artistic ban
quoting hall will seat seven hundred
guests and connecting with it are pr
yate dining-rooms and one for children
The parlors are a series of rooms, will
intersecting columns, that give cos,
seclusion and hint of beauty-haunte'
hooks. There will be accommodation
for six hundred guests in the four nun
bred fifty bedrooms, which are arranged
| so as to form suites, including priVat
/ hall, parlor, bedroom, bath and dress
5 ing-room, all having direct light ant
: ventilation. OF course there are Offices
: reading-rooms, elevators, steam heat
electric light and other convenience
not necessary to mention. But IN
owner does not stop here in his wori
The Ponce de Leon faces upon the ave
nue. " Alameda" so called after tn
most elegant promenade in Spanish CT
les. Directly across the Alameda wi
be erected the AlcaZar." The facad
, of this unique structure will be repre-
duced from the AlcaZar of Sevill
while the large interior court will /
surrounded by arcades, on which opel
as in the Palais Royal, bazaars, re
.on,onte roo1inu and billiar1-rOOm