Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-06
Written for THE EVENING srAn
THE EQUINE UPPER TEN.
A Peep Into the Homes OF Aristocrati,
Thoroughbred.


A Peep Into the Homes OF Aristocratic
a Th0roughbreds.
rzH STABLES or THE vAspKRsmrs, BELMONT,
AND RocxEFELLAR-uoxsE LopoINes FUp-
SIsHRD MORE LUxURIousLy THAN MANY HAND
SOME HousEs--RUas AND HANDSOME CHAIRS.
The glory has departed from the Vanderbilt
stables. ''Small Hopes" and 'I.ady Mac"
troteers, which the commodore used to drive
and bequeathed by him to William H. VAN
derbilt, are dead "Aldine" and early Rose
| now belong to Frederick Vanderbilt and are
in retirement. and MAUD s." stands in Mr.
Bonner's stable. The only horses now there
are the carriage horses of Mrs. Vanderbilt and
the riding horse of Mr.. George Vanderbilt.
However finely housed are other horses in
this city, they have no VIEW These are
more fortunate. They look out through win
! dows with ornamental borders on the proud
est part OF Madison avenue. Just below is the
Willard group of houses, and across from these
the cathedral and archepiscopal palace, ad-
| joining the spacious grounds of the orphan
| asylum. The stable Is the most extensive in
town, since it occupies four city lots. 1t also
holds proud position ON the corner. Al
| though serving for the merest household
needs, 1t Is kept with the scrupulous nicely Of
| its proudest days.
| The arrangement is different from that of
any other stable. The horses are ranged along
| the Madlson-avenue side in oak-bound stalls.
| trimmed with black walnut and in the style
which is known here cabinet finish This
prevails throughout the stables, and in the
larger carrisge house takes the form of large
| ornamental panels. extending to the ceiling
| In front Of these panels are two oblong rugs
| and on each rug stands a hands ONE arm chair.
/ My only previous experience of this sort of
| thing has been in churches and throne rooms,
put l have since found that two rugs and two
handsome chairs are, in fact features of fine
| stables. Evidently these are intended for the
great folks when they pay visits to the stables
and are appointments of dignity rather than Of
| necessity.
In the rear Of this ROOM which is very spa
cious, is the sky-lighted track for exercising
the horses on bad days, and in the center Of
this is an asphalt platform where light wagons
stand. The appointments are in every way
handsome, from the carriages, Paris-built and
for every conceivable occasion, and the mounted
harness with
THE VANDERBILT MONOGRAM,
to the brass-mounted brooms and hay forks
and the wooden pals hoped in brass, with W.
II. V. in large brass letters, and polished to the
last degree OF brilliancy. Beautiful house
| wives indeed, are all the stablemen. They
pull out drawers and open closet doors with
prompt readiness to show not only blankets in
perfect order but the salt bags with which the
horses are rubbed, as neatly folded and spot
less as tea towels
A small door on the 51st-street side opens On
to what is called the office. 1t is tiny carpeted
room with a lounge, desk and chair. On
the walls hang colored print of ''Small
Hopes" and Lady Mac" making their record
in the days when 2:23 was a ns-days' wonder
But the pride OF the stable is print Of Mr.
Vanderbilt-the resemblance being something
closer than large man with abundant side
Understanding Maud s. and Aldine It Ia on
that memorable day Of which Col Kip spoke
In which the little lady helped Aldine and COW
cred herself with glory at Fleetwood and estab-
s. is still tenderly regarded in the Vanderbilt
| stables. 1t has been thought that it was for
Dir. Vanderbilt, who regretted her sale, that
Gen. Grant made MIR. Bonner the offer of &c.,
600 for Maud s.
The dean of tho stables soft-voiced old
man, "the third generation" in the Vanderbilt
stables, he tells with some pride, speaks of the
little mare with affection.
Il have seen them ALL" he said. 81 was on
the Union course when Flora Temple made her
great race. have seen Lantern and American
Girl and other great racers bring the time
down, but none of them in beauty or form or
disposition, for she is the one of the sweetest
horse natures ever saw, ever came near to
Maud s."
'Do you believe she will ever break her own
Yes; she may do it herself, or if Mr. Bonner
would mate her with one Of those swift Cali
fornia runners her descendants might surpass
her."
What are the two essential things?"
Bottom and speed. If Mr. Bonner would do
what have said he would be breeding with
reference to those two points, and don't doubt
would produce a trotter such as has never been
seen. Mr.. Frederick Vanderbilt is breeding
from Early Rose and Aldine. and do not doubt
Will get something superior to both"
Mr.. BELMoNT's STABLE
was the first Of the handsome private stables,
having been built over twenty years ago II
now compares favorably with the best. Both
in its appointments and in the routine of the
stable it is essentially English, even to the
coat-of-arms on the pillars inside. There are
no finer carriage horses in town than the Bel
mont horses. None are better bred, more per-
fectly groomed; no tails are SO immaculately
banged no names names 60 carefully cut 70 hair
the horses noses to the hindermost wheels and
to the most reserved button on the footman's
clothes nothing Is ever amiss with Belmont
turnout As liberty, such perfection Is only
purchased by eternal vigilance
Mr.. Belmonts stable has the reputation of
being the best working stable in town. Every
thing is for service, nothing for show. Six
stablemen are required for its service, and none
OF MIR. Belmonts runners are kept here The
department OF Stalls IN which the horses are
lodged Is better lighted and sweeter-smellinq
than most peoples houses Each stall has it's
owners name in red letters of cast-iron-Prim.
rose, Blossom, Sir John, Darnly, Dandy, The
pride Of the stable is Royal, on Mr.. Belmont's
farm, bred from Kentucky, who shed glory on
the Belmont stables when Zephyrus and Race
land, that are now carrying the maroon and
scarlet, were unborn.
The men are at work polishing with sand the
steel-mounted poles and making the horse col
lars reflect like the convex glasses in the park.
The harnesses are kept in q cave-like room adj
joining. The floor, for some reason, is terraced
and sanded. Here is harness, it seems. for
every size and grade Of thing that draws.
There are no elaborate mountings, but the
least experienced eye can see that in this quiet
elegance Is the last word to be said on the
subject OF harness. Everything In this room,
the groom says, is rubbed up each day, whether
required for service or not, which accounts for
that immaculateness Of equipage for which
this stable has reputation.
A chapter could be written about the beauti-
full dogs that play about the Belmont stables
the white and black caniches, dressed In the tin
OF fashion and with accomplishments that they
couldn't possibly acquire in the public schools.
ANOTHER HORSE PALACE
Mr.. Cornelius Vanderbilt il in no sense man
devoted to horses. The mantle of his grand
father, nor yet Of his father, has found the
shoulders on which to All. But Mr.. Wander
bilt has such . stable that o model Of il was
considered worthy TO 60 and probably has
gone to the French exposition. The stable il
on 18Th street, OF Of Madison nvenue And ron.