The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-05-31
THE TOMB OF A MILLIONAIRE.
| The Stanford Mausoleum will Eclipse
Those of Vanderbilt and Gould.

The architect who planned the mag
nificent mausoleum of Senator Stan
ford at San Francisco says it will be
the most elaborate repository for the
dead ever built iu this country. The
beautiful mausoleum of Jay Gould at
Woodlawn, and the magnificent tomb
of the Vanderbilts at Huguenots, Stat
en- Island, will be eclipsed by this
work of monumental art.
In style of architecture, the simple
but effective methods of the ancient
Egyptians will be followed. Massive,
imperishable granite of light shade
of gray, with an interior lining of the
finest Italian marble, will be employed.
The item of expense has not been con-
sidered, the designers being given carte
blanche as to cost, and directed to Sc
cure the best of material and workman
ship to be had. The total outlay neces-
sary to complete the tomb and prepare
the surroundings will reach $4,000,
and may considerably exceed that
amount. The item of transportation
alone will be large one, as the granite
will all be shipped from Vermont and
the marble from Italy.
The site selected is beautiful four
II
| outside of San Francisco. 1t really
contains handsome shrubbery, and oc-
| cupies an altitude commanding a mag
nificent view of the bay. A driveway
| six feet wide will be made, circllng
around a slight elevation, on the
brow of which will be the tomb. The
art of the landscape gardener will be
employed to beautify the approaches
| oI RtfPat1Vn
vistas of the park.
The structure will be in the form of
a temple, and will be 25 feet square.
There will be double row OF massive
granite columns supporting the roof OF
the portico at the front On each side
of the entrance will be a majestic
sphinx carved from single block of
granite Heavy bronze gates close the
entrance, and within are solid doors OF
polished granite. The roof and sides
are also of sold granite, and are to be
built in the most substantial manner.
The stone employed is the Barre granite,
from Barre, VT 1t has a slight blush
gray tint which shows delicate carving
to advantage, and retains its color
without change. Each block was cut
the requisite shape at the quarry. and
marked to designate its position. They
lware then boxed to prevent injury
and shipped to San Francisco. All d
the main portions of the structure hav,
been sent on, and work on the eXcava
tions for the tomb have been com
menced.
The carving of the sphinxes and the
more delicate portions of the stone
work have been done in this city under
the direction of Messrs. Caterson s
Clark, the designers of the tomb. Th'
two majestic sphinxes are admirably
done, and as worthy guardians of thu
ashes of an American money king a
their prototypes were of the remains
of the ancient Ptolomies.
The interior of the mausoleum viii
be done in white marble. The ceiling
will be a single arch of marble with
span Of twenty-five feet. There viii
: be no crypts or vaults, and provision
will be made for the remains of onl,,
) three persons-those of the Senate
/ and Mrs. Stamford and the son. Thes
, will occupy sarcophagi placed on tn
three sides of the chamber. The bod,
/ of the son, over which DR.. Talmag
5 preached the funeral Grafton nearl
+ two wears ago, is now in a receivin;
| vault Ill OdH ei
t completion of the tomb. The sarco
S phagi are being made in Italy. Fac
D one will be hewn from a single bloc
Y of the purest white marble. The lii
/ will be made of separate piece, an
e the exterior ornamented with the mos
. exquisite carving. The casket con
r tanning the bodies will be enclosed i
: q leaden casing before being placed i
S the sarcophagus. Each receptacle wi
u contain an appropriate inscription, an
o the name Stamford" will appear owe
0 the entrance.
The mausoleum will be complete
: during the coming summer, and whe
/ finished will be a fitting abode for tt
remains of one of the most successfl
n men of the day-a railroad magnat
V a Millionaire, and philanthropist WI
n is building university that will co
: between $15, 100000 and 500, 900, 600;
!, man who lives magnificently, wit
d wealth aud friends and everything th'
u makes life worth living. yet who h;
is had the great sorrow of losing his Sol
e his only child, and when he and h
II wife are called to another world an
|, their remains occupy their stately tom
Is the family history will end.-Pttsbu'
II Press.