The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-06-02
couLD's HOME.
A Fasrysan0 ON the Hudson Tor tn'
M-ill,o1n.re ~ Summer Time.

UCet ttd4titIA &AN cHJ
eouiuped summer residence in this
country. Il was located at Irving
ton. on the east bank Of the Hudson
and about q mile from the depot
What was then known as 1.-the Msr-
rift estate is now known as the Jay
Gould estate, and could its former
proprietor, now dead, awake to lie
be would scarcely recognize his ideal
home. In 1880 Jay Gould became
struck with the m~agniicence OF the
property and purchased 1t. Since
the day that it passed into his hands
he has been continually backing ma
ture with capital until be has sue
ceeded in creating n Of the lowell
est sites in the world. The estate
now covers, according to the books
of the supervisory $40 acres Of the
most eligible and fertile land In
Westchester county. or this about
900 acres are woodland, and the rest
devoted to lawns and light farming.
It is said that the purchasing
price paid BIZ Mr. Gould for the es-
tate was IN the neighborhood OF
s2O0OO0. and that he can dispose of
the property any day for five times
that amount, or 100000. The
house Of the little great king OF
finance * built in gothic style,a and IN
itself is not particularly striking. 1t
faces the river from a distance OF
1900 feet, and the visw command
ing is at once grand and picturesqs.
II contains twenty rooms, beside a
basement Of the dimensions of the
house. Not until entering the house
is the visitor fully impressed with
the sway that its owner must have
In the financial world.
Administer and Moquet carpets
and velvet tapesty cover the floors,
and frescoing Of the most delicate
and expensive patterns decks the
walls and ceilings.
On the second floor is Mr. Goulds
pride, the ait gallery. 1t extends
the sntire depth OF the house, and
has The full benefit of the setting
sun. IL it is hung a most tidy for
tune in paintings, by the most cele-
brated masters. Bric-a-brac is ev-
erywhere prevalent, and nothing is
wanting 10 make such a home as
only a many-umes millionaire can
afford. Surrounding the house is a
graceful, wavy lawn of ninety-five
acres. kept with faultless care, and
marred only by the single macada-
mized roadway leading from the
main road to the house, distance
Of nearly a quarter of a mile. The
grounds are separated from the road
by a polished stone fence, nearly
four feet high.
At the entrance gate stands a very
pretty little cottage, the domain Of
the land steward, who for twenty
two years has occupied the position,
and under whose personal superyi-
sion every improvement has taken
place.
Proceeding toward the river, the
next object to attract ones atten-
ton are Mr.. Could hothouses, nine
teen in number, and comprising
combined about 600 feet in length
and 450 in width. In these can be
fonnd every description of flower
that grows on the face of the globe.
From there Mr.. Gould relishes
grapes up to February l, eats straw
berries Of his own growing to top off
his Christmas dinner, and takes the
pits out Of his own peaches on
April Fools Day.
The hOthouses and their contents
are valued at S250,000. Underneath
the lighthouses is q miniature cellar
only 405 feet in length, in which are
stored articles Of vegetation to which
a cellar is indispensable. Here are
also roots which are 10Y sprouting
and which viii soon be used to dec
crate the house in one mass of green
foliage. Mr.. Gould will make afi-
davit that he does not use oleomar-
garine, because his twenty-four head
of thoroughbred cattle supply him
with the choicest of butter and milk
TO which water is a stranger.
Twenty-four horses do the farm
work and supply the members of
the family with all the out-of-door
enjoyment they wish. Poultry
abounds and of the choicest breeds.
1t is said that one Of Jay Gould's
greatest delights is to rise early and
with his younges: son, Frank, watch
the process of feeding the chicks.
Eighty men have been employed
constantly for the past year, and for
their wages receive 50 per week, or a
grand total Of $3.50 per month. 1t
requires ten pair of hands to look
after the housework beside the
French chef who presides over the
cuisine. The chambermaids, house
keepers and governess' 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.
Allowing hat the live stock are
self-supporting, Gould's expenses,
exclusive OF his house in this city,
his Yacht and hundreds of other
asides. are at Irvington, S3SS.S9 per
day, or S11 ,516.G6 per month and
13S, 1892 a year. Since the advent
OF Jay Gould ct Irvington he has
not only spent thousands of dollars
in identifying the place, which is an
ornament to the beautiful village,
but has been no less industrious in
improving its sanitary condition,
For wears there has been a swamp
right in the heart of the village
which has been the source If ma.
laria and other obnoxious diseases
Recently Mr.. Gould purchased it
and is now engaged in draining it oy
the aid of a tunnel at an enormeu:
expense. Fivsthousand feet of piling
have already been driven at a cost
of double the price paid for the land
When the Gould family is not aug.
mented by friends it includes NJ
and Mrs. Gould, their two daugh'
tiers, Helen and Annie, aged Is anC
3, and the four sons, George, Edwin
Howard and Frank.
Posing as a Nude Statue la the Capt.