The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-01-12
GEORGE vANDERB1LT's LANDS.
He Buys 5000 Acres Near Asheville'
N. els it for a Woman's Conege2

n. els it for Wouans CoIIegeF
From, the Nero York Herald
George Vanderbilt, the millionaire son OF
the late William H. Vanderbilt, has pur-
chased tract of about 5000 acres OF valu-
able land near Asheville, n. C..
The young Croesus, whose modest shrink
ing from publicity is we'll known, is not
quite ready to take the world into his conf
dence as to the use he intends to make OF
this m oSt extensive tract.
There appears to be reason for believing,
however, that Mr.. Vanderbilt will even
tually astonish the public by developing as
philanthropist on a grand scale.
1t is said-aud it is not contradicted by
Mr.. Vanderbilt-that his object is nothing
less than The establishment of college for
women. The large scale on which the work
has begun-the acquiring of 5000 acres OF
the finest land in the southern country
show that if this is Mr.. Vanderbilts inten-
ton the institution will be of noble and
splendid proportions and of wide and gen
erous scope.
The country around Asheville is probably
the most beautiful in North Carolina. The
climate is delightful and salubrious, and
the hills of Asheville have long been famous
as a health resort for invalidz.
MR.. VANDERBILT'S PURCHASING AGENT.
Some months ago the good people OF
Asheville were surprised by the presence il
that beautiful little city of Charles Nc
Nance, the New York lawyer of the well
known firm of Davis, Work & McNamee.
Mr. McNamee entered at once, with bust
nesslike promptnesS, upon the purchase OF
sundry tracts of land just south Of the
corporate limits of Ashevile, across the
Swannanoa river. 1t was soon sur missed
from the extent of his purchases that be
represented some northern capitalist, and 1t
presently leaked out that his client was
none other but George Vanderbilt, the
young railroad millionaire.
OF course the most intense public curiosity
was aroused as to the object of Mr.. Wander
bilt, but beyond the admission that Mr..
Vanderbilt was the purcb aser Mr.. McNamee
was reticence personfied, and to this day
the Ashevillians are in the dark as to what
the land is wanted for.
But the salubrious air of North Carolina
has been buZzing with rumors as MIR. Nc
Nance kept OF buying farm after farm Of
the very best and most beautifully situated
land.
MANY RUMORS.
The first report was that Mr.. Vanderbilt
intended to found an industrial and agri-
cultural school for the poor boys of the
south This was probably a nearer guess at
was presently abandoned for another theory,
which seemed to be more probable
This was to the effect tnat Mr.. Wander
bilt's plan was to lay out a splendid private
park something in the style of Tuxedo, to
be dotted with handsome villas, and to be
place of fashionable resort for wealthy
visitors from the north.
That seems to be the generally accepted
theory in North Carolina, because of the
eminent fitness of the land for such pur-
pose, far exceeding as it does Tuxedo in its
charming variety of valley and hill, noun
| tam and plain, wo. dland, stream and lake.
Another report was that the tract was tC
be great game preserve, and still another
that the owner was going to devote it tc
the purposes of stock farm.
CURIOSITY DISSATISFIED.
But all that is known for certain among
| the North Carollnians-whO have become
| feverishly anxious on the subjects thai
| Mr. McNamee has purchased for Mr.. Van
derbilt a score or SO of farms lying adjacent
| to each other, forming a great tract aggre
eating about 5000 acres, lying south Of the
Swannanoa river, near its junction witt
| the Ere CHI Broad river, and in the open
rolling country, between the Hendet son
vile road and the French Broad river,
| tract comprising numerous desirable build
ing sites, much wooded land, several small
mountains and number of fine farms.
called upon young Mr.. Vanderbilt las
eveoing ct bis Fifth avenue palace | tolC
him that ne was declared to have expressed
his intention to devote the North Carolins
land to the establishment of great college
| for women, and showed him the article
| from the Ashevlle Journal.
| He listened with that ability which Presi
dent-elect Harrison shows when he is buzzeC
| by politicians who want promises. Then he
smiled significantly and said that he wasnr
quite ready to talk for publicati concern
| ing his North Carolina plans. But he die
not deny the womeu's college story, anC
later on a friend of Mr.. Vanderbilt assured
me that he had reason to believe the report
| TO be true.