Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-31
WEALTH THAT TOOK WINGS,
History of Harriet Hubbard Ayers Man
sion in jacksonville, Fla.
Jacksonville Times-TniOn

There are very few people i'll Jacksonville
who know of the fine Riverside property
and uncompleted mansion of Harriet Hub
bard Aver, the famous manufacturer Of
hair restorer. cosmetics. etc. and the
strange misfortune that befell the house of
Aver that led to the cessation of work on
this $50, 900 mansion when SIS, 900 had been
spent.
Just two miles from the courthouse, on
Commercial street, in Riverside, this prop
erty is situated. The lot, over two hundred
feet front, is well shaded by hickory, cherry
and maple trees and moss-emboSsed oaks.
1t runs back 400 feet to the river and has a
water frontage of 200 feet.
The house is an elegant three-story struc-
ture designed by Mrs. Aver herself, who
intended il for a winter home in which she
could entertain her friends with all the
luxury that wealth can buy. Half of the
first floor was devoted to a theater hall,
sixty by thirty feet. In one end is a mag
nifcent fireplace incomplete, while on the
stage there is one of smaller dimensions.
The ceiling, paneled with handsome yellow
pine, with rich mouldings, is supported by
skilfully carved pillars. From this hall a
beautiful stairway leads to the roOmy cham
bers OF the floor above. The house con-
tains in all twenty-five rooms, besides
number OF baths. 1t was origin
ally ten-room house, the property
of Senator Call. \ basement for the
culinary department is arranged beneath
the house and dumb waiter connects it
with the pantry and dining-roOm above.
Wide halls, running north and south and
east and west, are upon each floor, and Il
wide observatory suImounts the housctop,
from which magnificent view of the St.
Johns, stretching southwark and north
ward Of the city to the east and of the pine
lands to the west. can be seen.
Mrs. Aver built 4 wharf at which yachts
and steamers could land, and had designed
a splendid stable, to be stocked with blooded
horses. An artesian well was to be driven,
ds the fountains and pipes running here
and there evidence.
But suddenly there came crash in the
great business house of Aver, and it was
thought that but little would be saved from
the wreck. That was about nine years ago.
Had the failure been delayed six weeks
longer the mansion would have been COM
pleted.
There are all sorts of strange stories
about the failure. Some say that the reck-
less extravaganza OF Mr.. Aver, caused by
his infatuation for women, sank hundreds
of thousands. At any rate there was 4
great scandal, and then Mrs Aver carried
her husband TO Paris to escape from it. But
there things grew worse. Mr.. Aver got in
an intrigue with French woman Of rare
beauty, and one morning Mrs. Aver awol<e
and she was husbandleSS, ana then the crash
came.
She fastened back to America and foiled
a scheme to use her money for the payment
of her husbands debts. She gathered up
some of the remains and changed the name
Of the business house to Harriet Hubbard
Aver, and also changed its headquarters TO
New York.
And the uncompleted Southern mansion
of Mrs. Aver is now begging for pur-
chaser at Sl5, 900. Just think OF it. How
have the mighty fallen