Evening journal., 1888-07-17
Isneeial cnrre.nnn.lnnc.l !

OF Nanderbilt, the name Of the richest family
IN the world: the owner OF the half million
dollar pleasure yacht Alva, the Fifth avenue
palace, with its three million dollars worth
Of treasures of art and luxury; tho virtual
owners Of the Central Hudson, the only four
tracked road in America
Not the least notable and remarkable nos.
session Of the Vandorbilta is the mausolcun
latoly completed at New Dorp, Staten Island.
The island is The Old home. the nativo heath.
Of tito family, and their namc is a familiar
one in its history Il was at New Dorm thai
the old commodore started his son William
Il. as farmer way back IN 1912. Ii was
here to little laun Of seventy acres. TINT
the future COLOSSUS Of Roads brought his
wife when falling health compelled him Is
give az position ID banking house at tho
prlnealy salary Of SIG week. Here
tor more than twenty years be lived
the simple life Of farmer, and it il
us farmer, and coed one. too. that
he s chiefly remembered on tho island From
the little station 10 IS about half 4 iniio rs the
old farm now owned by George Vanderbilt.
This hes between the raihoad aud the shaea
but going in the opposite direction un New
Dorp lane, and then turning uoithwara on
the main raad. YOU fna youraelf. after about
haiI milo walk, at tho entrance to the no
favian cemetery. Just beyond Tie cate e
tao church whore Vanderbilt worshluca. ana
beyond that is tie parsonage which tsas one
ol hls Gtis 70 the church. Tie road through
the eematery Is tie approach to the mauso
leaM. anl 8 thoroughly macadami1ad and
ptt in order. Around the church nre many
graves, where Variens aenhers of the family
were hsried, among thoin the old commodore
and bis wife, who have been removed to tile
mans3leum Oh tie hiil since Its completion.
Aa yoa pass on away from tie eonlfao-
darea first simple tomb YOU suddenly conn
~ inll view of the new mausoleuiu. which
has been hidden until NOW by the trees linjpe
the road. IL crowns The summit of mi.
and, as you first see IL, looks like lnrs
mound of dirt, with q massive granite front.
onl TWO tarreis alsoo Of granite, rising above
Seen from below IL Is very impressive ana
massive rather than hoautiful But when
The spectator reaches THE summit he finds one
oI the most beautiful spots in America. Tho
approach to the tomb Is by road about half
milo long, winding among the trees aud
gradually rising for about $50 feet, WHOM Il
ends in broad esplauade l50 feet ia width
end SOP long, directly ia front Of the tomb
lhis is aodled ard laid ont la flower heas,
around L IS q massive granite wall with
smooth Stone conings, opeu, however, for
carriages % reach the front of the manso-
leum.
This Is now complete, or az least the out
SIDE of 4 is' the interior decorations of
STATUES, carvings and inscriptions arc not vct
IA place, nor indeed are they likely to BE for
some years It IS finished III marble. and
viii have ia time a number 81 CARVINGS
representing Creation p Ascension. v..Cf,i-
cidxion,n and five other kindred subjects
The wells oi the tomb are OF Quincy rranitc
eight feet thick the solid foundation reaches
fifteen feet below the bottom Of Che oata-
combs that Is beneath the iioor Of the tomb
proper. It is about 25 feet high and 50 fest
wide on the outside. It is nearly 100 fect
deep and is divided into two COMPARTMENTS
The outer one Is inerelya vestihuie extending
clear across the 'front.' with inches for statues
and slabs for inscriptions Within this IS
the tomb proper, sort Of chapel or long
aisle, with a massive carved altar backed bv
heavy reredos for the burial service at the
farther end. On each side Of this aisle are
four sets Of vaults, each holding nino bodies;
catacombs beneath the floor bring the ca
pacity Of tho vault up TO l27 bodies. The
chapel is lighted from overhead by two tur-
rcts rising ten feet above the two feet OF
enrth which covers the tomb. They admit
the light through large windows Of the finest
plate glass two inches thick, which are pro-
tocted by heavy bronze gratings let into tho
solid masonry Of the turret. Through these
one can look down on 10 the marble door Of
the chapel twenty five feet below.
The design Of the front is Gothic An inn
nense arched doorway, fanked on eithor
side by smaller similar DOORS gives adrnis-
sion % the tomb. 1t is closed by hoavy
double gates Of bronze. made Of bars nearly
an inch in diameter, placed about four inches
apart, with two heavy crossbais uniting
them. Over these as the solid part Of the
gates is placed a very graceful arabesque OF
Moorish design, also in bronze giving the
gates very ornamental appearance and
doing away with the idea Of mere strength
and solidity. A large combination lock, the
secret Of which is entrusted to but one per-
son, holds the gates in place. Each Of the
smaller doorways is closed by a similar gate
just within the main entrance is large iron
screen, 70 prevent visitors from looking into
the interior Of the tomb Opposite each Of
the side doors is a funeral urn, Of marble;
on one is inscribed, II know that my Re
deemer liYeth,n and on the other, I'm the
flesh shall | SEQ my Redeemer.n
The mausoeum as it Is now represents an
It is built into the crown OF hilI-thc high
est point in plot Of twenty five acres, which
is being converted into a very beautiful park
under the personal direction Of Frederick
Law Olmstead, the designer of Central park.
All the woods which concealed the front Of
the tomb arc cleared away, and the worklnen
are now engaged in cutting, filing and grad
ing and otherwise completing tho approach
to and surroundings Of the tomb. "A force
Of landscape gardeners are also at work, and
tho result will the conversion Of the twenty
five acres Of bill and dale, woodland and
meadow, into the finest park in America, at
an expense of over half a million dollars
Profting by the unfortunate experience Of
A. 7. Stewards family, the Vanderbilts have
taken every precaution to guard against
their dead being interfered with in any way.
Besides placing them in so strong tomb,
the combination to whose lock is known only
to member Of the family, they long kept
half dozen Of Pinkerton's men on constant
duty at the tomb. One Of the guards watched
during the day; the other live took turns
during the night They carried time clock
fitted for twelve keys, and every fifteen min
utes during the night tho guard visited diff
ferent points about the mausoleum, inserted
the little key fastened at each place and gave
it the turn which registered the exact time Of
bis visit. Twice a day the little slips Of
paper were taken out Of che clocks and for
warded to the New York office
The view from in front Of the tomb is one
Of the finest in the world. II faces the cast,
and looks ont across the Narrows and TO tho
! ocean. Through the Narrows. seeming al
most at your feet, streams an endless pro-