The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-11-20
VANDERBILT'S PURCHASE.
WHAT HIS AGENT, MIR. GALL,
HAS TO SAY.
The Palace Will Not be Begun
Before Spring-StabIes Now BE.
Ing BuiIt-GSOIu~ TO Raise Good
BeeE-Other Items.

Beef-Other 1temSs
The work on the Vanderbilt estate is
moving on slowly but surely. Mr.. !.
iall, jr., who has the general oversight
)t the improvements, and has been stop
ping for week at the Swannanoa, was
interviewed by a reporter of THE CITI-
ZEN last night. He is bright, energetic
man, and seemed thoroughly capable of
pushing through the great work which
he has undertaken. He told very many
interesting facts concerning the progress
Of the work, which we append below:
Il should be very happy to give you
any information have, but the work is
at present in a very tentative state. 1t
has Just been gotten under way and but
little has been done. The information
which was published in the New York
papers, especially the Tribune, was re-
markahly accurate. The matter had
been kept very close until then, and it
was surprise to us all when it appeared
in the columns of the newspapers. The
house, as then stated will be three hun
dred feet long, and the superstructure
will be of Indiana limestone If you have
been in New York lately, perhaps you
have noticed the new building being
erected on the corner of Broadway and
Fourteenth street. 1t is the same stone
that has been used in the construC-
ton of that building, and is of a beauti-
tul fawn color. The foundations will be
made of the stone taken out of Mr.. Van
lerbilt's own quarries. Also the mate
rial for the walls of the esplanade or
plateau, on which the house will be
built, will be obtained from the same
luarries. These walls will be forty feet
high in some places, and the esplanade
will extend some five or six hundred feet
in either direction, presenting the point
Of the diamond shaped plateau to the
French Broad. The palace, which is to
he built on this plateau, will not be be-
gun until next spring. Then excavations
ire to be begun and the foundations
laid.
"Mr Fred Law Olmstead, who has
charge of the landscape gardening, is the
best man in his profession. He lives at
Brooklyn, Mass, which is one OF the su-
burbs OF Boston. He has a great deal of
experience in this work, and has had
charge OF laying out the grounds Of Cen
tral Park Prospect Park, ana the large
parks in Chicago and Rochester.
"You may nave nJtitcl the Two tow.
ers which have been erected on the site of
tine mouse. These axe Just the height Of
the first story OF the building and by
means of these we can see what the view
will be from the house itself, and do our
grading accordingly. All the forests
which have been cut down will be re-
stored under the direction of Mr.. Doug
lass. The trees, which will be planted,
will be evergreens of various kinds,
mostly white pines. The idea is to afford
a pleasant winter view. OF course we
intend ultimately to have nursery of
our own, from which we can supply the
trees neeGed on the estate.
How many men have we at work at
present? should say about sixty. But
we intend to greatly increase our force
during the coming week. The roads are
in miserable condition, and we need a
great many more teams. You see, VEIN
tend to start work on the foundations of
a series of stables for our cattle on next
Monday. How many? Well, that cam
not be stated accurately now. But
should say at least three. They will lie
located against the side of the hill. Tie
dimensions will be SOx3O feet, and the
stone used in the foundations will be
taken from our own quarries. They will
be arranged according to the latest sani-
tary ideas and the water will be led to
them by pipes. The cattle will be stall
fed and we shall raise good beef a thing
which you have not got here, and which
we hope to demonstrate by our results
can be done in Ashevile The first stable
will be located mile from the Junction,
the second three miles, and so on.
"You know where the crossing at the
ford is? 1t will be there that the private
approach to the house will begin. This
drive will wind around the hills for four
miles before the house is reached, and will
have groups of trees planted here and
there by it, both native and exotics.
81 am sorry cannot tell you any more
at present, but perhaps in a few weeks ]
will be able to give you more definite in
formation. Good night"
And the rcnorter saunterrd ofT rrch
impressed b the Z, Iiai ala y.,,~.an>
bearing of the gentleman tO "''Nr Nau.
derbilt has CutF us,cl tac l..... N' ...
property.
Accidents VIu EE"rpcHT
And so soon after O'Clock tuesday
morning an armature in a dynamo at
the electric works gave out, and THE
CITIZEN Office plunged into darkness; and
the same machine that furnishes the in
candescent lights also provides power for
our press. We could improvise lights,
but not power, and were compelled to
wait until daybreak before we could find
the needed manual labor to work our
large press; hence the delay yesterday
morning in getting THE CITIZEN distribu-
ted through the city. Last night the in