The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-10-26
Especial Correspondence

derDiIt-A GLORIOUS lHSlkdH 6utAAcEs
Especial correspondence
AsHEvILLE, N. c., Oct. 20.-Until to-
lay did not know that one could go to
paradise via Pullman car. But here l
am in country which the celestial land
scape artists might well initiate, even if
they don't.
1t is Indian summer here in the noun
tains of western North Carolina The
nights are so cool that one wears an
overcoat out of doors, and within draws
nigh the big fireplace in which the ash
logs are cracking right merrily. The
days are deliciously warm, hazy, Ian
guild, yet not wearisome. Around the
mountain tops is a thin bank of blue
smoke. The air seems to be all ozone
and the sunshine all nectar, and you
can't drink in enough of either.
1t is time and place in which to
loaf and invite ones soul. You forget
the cares of life, it's habits and its weak
nesses-all save the habit of eating. In
Asheville your appetite-gross, material
and ravenous-will remind you that
though this is paradise it is only para
disc of the earth earthly.
Bill Nye, who was once tenderfoot
out in Wyoming, has been in the effete
east long enough to have his eyeteeth
cut and to know good thing when he
sees it, and Bill Nye lives in Asheville,
where he is the towns most dis
tinguished citizen. To look at him in
his pictures one would think he could
live without eating, but he doesn't, and
he says that while Asheville is para
disc for the poetic man, and the> man
who loves to get near the great heart OF
nature, and the lazy man who wants
lots of sunshine and lots to do-with
colored servitors to do it all-it is also a
paradise for man with an appreciative
and industrious stomach. Bill Nye has
all of these qualifications for residence
in paradise, and SO he has chosen Ashe-
vile for his home.
Mr.. Nye lives like a prince in Ashe-
vile, as he can well afford to do upon an
income of $4,000 a year, the said in
come being the funniest thing there is
to Nye-in Bill Nye's humor. He has
fine house on the mountain side, beauti-
full grounds, splendid carriage and
pair, and so many colored servants that
he doesn't have to pull his>own boots
off. Mr.. Nye is the most popular citi-
zen of Asheville. When times are dull
in the fashionable hotels the community
clubs together, gets up banquet to
Nye, and, after filing his capacious skin
with the good things for which this
mountain region is famous, sit and
listen to one of Mr.. Nye's speeches.
Lucky Nye! To be feted in paradise
and to have the floor as long as he wants
1t is felicity indeed.
There is another distinguished citizen
of the United States who believes this is
paradise. That is Mr.. George Wander
bilt. Perhaps you have read or heard
something of the home Mr.. Vanderbilt
is building for himself here. It is not
exactly a summer cottage, nor yet a
winter lodge. When it is finished and
Mr.. Vanderbilt has company, there will
be no need of any one sleeping on the
floor or going out to the barn to bunk.
Mr. Vanderbilt has more money than
Mr. Nye, and therefore he is building a
larger house than that occupied by the
great humorist. Just how large the
Vanderbilt house is to be l don't know,
but | got lost in the cellar of it today,
and probably should have been there
yet if that gallant fellow, Colonel Nc
Kissick, hadn't rescued me.
The Vanderbilt house is as yet all eel
lar and foundations, and these have cost
the snug sum of $450000. How much
will the house have cost when finished!
The architects estimates are about 81,
100000, but I'll wager something that
the total runs to $6,O00,000.
George Vanderbilt is millionaire
after my own heart. have definitely
determined not to be a millionaire, but
if anything could tempt me to change
my mind it would be chance to emu
late young Vanderbilt's example. This
fortunate young man came to Asheville
a few years ago hunting and fishing
He fell in love with the country, as
every one does. Then he looked around
thought some deep thoughts and sale
to one of his friends:
81 have an idea. The greatest trouble
with my life is that have no aim, NJ
purpose, nothing on which to concen
trate my energies. In the safety deposi
vaults in New York l have millions o.
| dollars in bonds and securities. Whel
l look at them they disgust me. The.
seem SO useless, so unproductive, moth
ing but white and green paper. l can
play with them, work with them, no
do anything with them. They simpl,
worry me, without giving me any pleas
ure in return. Now am going to maxi
those pieces of paper serve me some use
full purpose"
"What are you going to do?'
81 am going to create right here II
Asheville the finest gentleman's seat II
the world. 1t will take me ten year.
and don't know how many million dol
lars to do it, but it shall be DONE"
The foregoing conversation actual,
occurred on the portico of the Batter,
Park hotel. From that day to this Mr.
Vanderbilt has been one of the happies
of men. He has an aim IN life-a pur
| nose The constructive instinct the de