Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1891-08-15
ON VANDERBILT'S ESTATE.
FIRST COMPLETE DEsCRIP-
TION OF 1T.

The Beauties, Natural and Artif.
ciaI, Have Not Been ExaRger-
ated-The Tennis COurt-site for
the Great House.
The wealth of the Vanderbits, at no
very distant day, came to Southern COM
canoe, something to be heard of, to be
wondered at, perhaps to be envicd; but
so far way in its splendors and influences,
as to be looked upon az is the display of
those phenomenal Northern Lights, whose
coruscations illuminate the northern sky,
but rarely cnlightcn with iccbler glow
the more sombrc hue of the southern
heavens. The vast accumulations OF the
Vandcrbilts as well as those of the larger
number of northern millienalrcs, wcrc
made at home, difused at home, enjoy
at home. The south could not expect to
share in the bounties Of those exuber-
ant fortunes; only perhaps to be refreshed
by the casual droppngs OF a southern
tour, or the incidental expenditures OF
pleasure, perhaps business, explorations.
And it is from these casual causes.
rather than from designed purpose, that
one of the Nandcrbilts George, resolved
to apply some OF his vast resources to
wise, noble, and more generous purpose
than in the erection Of splendid city pal,
aces, or costly Newport cottages, or new
railroad enterprises or other means o!
swelling his already vast fortune. Per.
haps in his heart were emotions that
we're not III harmony with wealth alone
some touches OF nature through whicl
the beauties of the landscape, the breath
of the untaintcd atmosphere, wish tor Sc
cuslon from the restless crowd, made ap
peal tor rest and grateful solitude,
How II Happened.
In one OF his visit, to hShcvilc, Nortl
Carolina, from his luxurious environ
mcnts, III the Battery Park hotel, Gcorg,
Vanderbilt sought recreation in rides anC
drives through the surrounding country
To these he was tempted by the outlonl
from the vcrandas Of the hotel. His ey,
swept over valley and hill, over field ant
mountain. over landscapes that eacl
hour Of the dav disclosed new quiet beau
ties and more imposing grandeur. An,
perhaps what was new to his urban
trained eve, the vast eSpanse OF torres
land, dotted here and there in vale anC
on mountain side, with farm and Ur
chard and quiet homestead, but still mas
ter of the glorious scene, made impression
more deep than all; and without doub
the thought was born and the purpos
fixed tVturn his wealth to those gentle
yet powerful, uses that would bring il
beautiful accord the graces ot art and tn
rugged charm OF nature. Evidently til
views Of Mr.. Vanderbilt were as vast a
were his means to give them dircCtio,
and form. He needed space, he mus
have variety of surface, he must cnntro
commanding points Of view; above all
az Indispensable to his purpose, he mus
have an unobstructed elbow room.
A Vast Domain.
Determined upon his object. he quctl
selected his point of action; and then a
quietly, through confidential and jud
cious agents. began to buy up all tn
lands to be included in his projecte
plans Not onl v were large bodies of tn
native unclearcd forests purchased bu
many hillside farm and verdant valley
with the houses, the fields, the orchards
vast domain.
There 10 nothing remarkable in tn
ownership by one individual of so larg
a body of land. In either eastern q
western North Carolina men may /
found owning 10000 or even create
numbers OF acres. What was remarkab
was the purpoae and the ability OF Nj
Vanderbilt 20 bring all OF his possessio
into subjeCtion, to make wild natul
over the whole of its tributary to ar
and to unite all into charming unity b
roads penetrating every solitude, disclo
ing every hidden recess without exposln
it to vulgar publicity; and crowning II
work with a structure OF size, stabilit
and magnihcence as would be worthy
the magnitude and natural beauty of II
= domain.
The Highest Outlook.
This lies between the Swannanoa riv,
two miles south Of Asheville. extendii,
, down that beautiful stream to the Jun
ton with the French Broad river alor
which it lies for distance Of six miles
more. From the Swannanoa it extcnC
south for the same distance, and is tr
yersed in that direction by the Hende
sonville turnpike road, and by the Ash
vile and Spartanburg railroad. Evel
variety OF surface is included. The hill
feature predominates, but on the sout
, east rises the conspicuous Busbee mou
tain with an elevation of $3.50 Ice
abutting as the terminal summit of t
Swannanoa spur of the Blue Ridge vii
the comparatively plain country belo,
The top of this mountain has been
cultivation for nearly century. and t
freedom OF the summit from trees Civ
remarkable command of the grand al
y. lovely scenery all around the horizo
From this mountain is conveyed from
capacious reservoir the never failing su
ply OF pure water to the grounds
which the mansion is being erected, thr
miles away to the west. On the SOU
,tn. ~. a.,
outlying extension and outcrop OF t
u same range to which Busbee mounta
belongs, and which it nearly equals
height.
For the Landscape Artist.
This is the extent of the domain in tn
direction. The whole may roughly
stated to be bounded BY the Swannan
E river on the north, by the French Bro
= river on the west, by the Ashevile a
Spartanburg railroad on the east, and
Dockcrv mountain and its projecti
Se ranges on the south, embracing an al
six miles in length and four in bread
81. more or less, in the language Of the la
This large area is to be treated al
whole, and never was presented
" Landscape artist finer field for the {
ut play OF genius. 1t is a broad canvj
with the ground work, the outlines &
at the coloring all ready to hand; all Il
:. remains for art to do is to blend, h
" ,uonize, soften and polish. The canv
" is spread, and the artist is found;
Frederick Law Olmsted. who hand
Al. Il. al 4. Ill