Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-07

FERRY ON TEE FRENCH BROAD.
he learned that agents were buying ND all of
the land and were paying unheard-of prices for
IL he determined TO get rich immediately and
when the agents questioned him as to the
amount he would take for his hut and ground
he replied that he wouldn't get ont for less
tnan s2-OoO- This, OF course, they refused to
pay and the owner, thinking they would paw
what he demanded IN the course of few days
thought no more OF the matter until he saw a
fence erected separating him from the estate
Then he offered TO sell out for two hundred. but
his offer WAS refCs cd. Several others tried to
work this little game on the agents and in some
cases they succeeded.
BUILDINGS on THE ESTATE
Some of the farms purchased contained as
high as 500 acres. and for these less money WAS
paid than for the smaller ones There were
upward OF forty dwellings ON the estate when
purchased. aside from the cabins occupied by
The negroes. and there have been erected lately
other buildings which swell the number to
eighty, several OF which are used for Offices
aud are occupied BY the heads OF the yarious
departments of construction. The dwellings
are mostly built after the style of the south
with n chimney at each end stairway in the
center. and large broad porches running
around the building. Some Of them are built
o. -cSs. with the crevices plastered, and then
the weather bording is placed over all thus in
soring warmth IN the winter season.
PRIVATE RAILROADS.
From the Richmond and Danyille railroad
station Mr.. Vanderbilt has had constructed n
railroad OF his own, running to the mansion
direct. and from the brick and terra Gotta
wo-ks ne has na-row-gauge road running to
the clay pits, about two miles distant. He has
twenty hve nat and several Of the regulation
size freight cars, which are used for the tran.
portatiou of material TO the house AND th.
cost of these roads complete (they are onIv
temporary Is S65!0Oo.
An ARMY OF woRKNEN
The number of men employed on the estate
varies from COO to 500. a portion being in the
employ of Mr.. Vanderbilt and the remainder
are the contractors men. and the monthly nav
roll is something like ESQ. 600. exclusive Of he
very large salaries paid the superintendent OF
the various departments. the engineer corps
and drsushtsnen. The larger portion of the
employees at tins time are laboring men. who
are cleaning up the place and working around
Sne house as the only skilled labor being used
bow II the BODY of stone masons, who are
ABOUT completing the foundation OF the big
house, which is SIS feet by 1872 feet in width.
not inciudIng the stable, which is a portion
OF the honse, and which is los feet long by rs
Feet wide The terraces are not included in
tle above figures, and they measure $40 feet
.ons oy 40 Feet vide. and there Is O space OF 80
feet between the house and main terrace This
makes the house really occupy 476. 900 square
ices OF ground, the house proper occupying
over Two acres. The walls In western portion
tf the foundation Of the building are seven ard
hall feet in thickness. and they rest on A wa 4
o. cement and broken stone Of equal thickneso