The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-01-15
WHERE JEFFERSON LIVED.
Monticello, Who're the Statesman
Was at Home. Where He
Is Buried.
The arayish Red House That Was
Built Under His Own
Supervision.
Maanifcept Wow of tho Rivanna valley
His substance Consumed by
Friends-His Epitaph.

Magnificent Wow OF tho Rivanna valley
Ms substance Consumed by
Friends-His Epitaph.
All Americans are interested in Jehsrson.
He was the exponent Of republican prlnel-
ples and was called the apostle to the demo-
Gratis, 80 to-day both parties can claim him
a. their ideal. Veneration 10 not ashar-
actsristic Of our people, yet something AKIN
to the virtue takes many visitors to Jshsr-
sons home, Monticello. Every incident OF
tho mans life il associated with the place
except his birth. That important event,
however, occurred quite near, at 6hadwsN.
Thu building site Of this last place JeHer-
sons father bought of his great friend.
Randolph, the price of the same being. sava
the New York Times, the ''biggest bowl q
Henry Winterbourns's arrack psnch." Inc
ericinal house at Shadwell was burned
many years aRo.
AZ the name signifies, Monticello II built
on q 'little mountain" the Italian name
suiting the Italian style 81 architeesure
seen in the house. The "littls mountain"
10 one putting out boldly from the south
western range. Jefferson lsvslsd the apex,
making an oblonE platsau. and across
the narrowsst part Of this the house u built.
Til erayish-rsd bricks used in it, oonstrus-
ton were burned On the place. and the
structure rose under Jetferson's own super
vision, He began il in hin early manhood.
but did not complete il until after his r.
turn from France, whore hs went ~ minis
ter. Az an example Of the possibilities OF
in era II must be admired, but considered
bsside the palxtial country homes OF our
nen 81 to-day II sinks into insignifioancs.
Il consists Of = main building and two
wings terminating in octagon RECESS porshss,
having altogether = front LOT 100 feet.
The exterior il very irregular. Ths facade
has -four tall, snornamsntsd pillars pscu-
liar to the colonial style. supporting q pro-
i,otinp gable. This forms . wide. irrssu-
larly-paved portios, partially recess, q tho
full heiRht Of the HOUSE. A low, criss-sross
halustrade runs around the cornicine and
edges the roof; above this. to the rear, rises
\ dome shove the drawinR-room. and the
dormsr windows Of the two-storisd right
hand wing, The main building and the
lsft wing are one-storied n the rooms In
them have lofty ceilings.
You pass from the portico into . large
square hall, aad midway from tais on eacn
side marrow corridors run through the wings.
Aoross the innsr walls, at the height Of the
.annnd story. extends . hanging balcony
Win 4 spindle balustrade. Over the front
door il ! clssk, said to be Jsffsrson's. From
the hall the oetagoa drawing room ~ en-
II LIGHT and lark wood. French Windows
Oman from the drawing room on to q most
beautiful n extensive lawn Above the
drawing room and under the dome is .
roam in which Jefferson intended setting
IL . billiard table. but before the room
wns completed 4 law was passed prohibiting
en-. ssttine up OF billiard tables in private
louses inside the limits Of the state. The
Ioora then became q library, but in recent
wears itAhas been turned into . ballroom.
u he right Of the house T. most closely IS
sociatea with Jefferson. There are the llv-
inc rooms of the man and his family. A
piece of originality is the building Of q bed
hetween two rooms, the bedroom proper
aud Jetferson's sanctum. Tn draughty
arrangement was overcome to = certain sx-
side. The to minatinR recess porch OF this
wing was Jeforson's workshop; he vas 2
good carpenter ~ we'll a. . good president,
and worked in wood with mechanical skill.
To the left OF the drawing room is the
grand dining room ana osyono tnas II =
Here Jefferson's two beautiful daughters
nonred ten for their distinguished father
ana his equally Distinguished guests.
Across the corridor from these rooms were
the bedrooms occupied by those who were
lucky enough to call themselves friends of
the Householder. One of those rooms is
ssored to tie memory Of Able Corrsa, =
GOOD man whose excess Of liberty made him
uncomfortable in France. While in Amer
ioa he found an asylum in Nontieello;
likewise did Kosciusko, the Unfortunate
Pols.
The wings terminating in the recess
porches are continued underground by ter
raced passages ten feet wide. These pas
saQes have hoors on Q level with lhs base
mont of the house. and . roof a foot or two
Window frames having three single panes
az elass are inserted on the sides to light
the passages, Within fifty feet Of ths brow
of the mountain the terraces turn At right
angles and, increased in width to twenty
feet. continue a hundred feet further, end
mountain ths terraces are epeR to the out
aide slope and their roofs along that edge
ara supported BY round pillars. miniature
reproductions of those at the fron4 OF the
houss. These wider terraces haye each a
passagsway running Mhs. p. .nonea WIZ wiz. = d .uvSe.'
by The Jsnsrgons to all domestic purposes
nov thsy are greatly in ruins, the restora-
ton begun by the present owner not having
reached 20 far. These terraces give char
Aakof to the Dl6C0, &QO L KNOW u NO OtAV
private residence that can boast Of such
popularity.
From Monticello there ia q magnifcen
view Of the Rivanna valley. Th Marqui
dc Chastsllux said in his Memoirs that i
lacked one thing to make it perfect, AM
that was a sheet of water. This is n
longer wanting. "Latterday" farming ha
cut away the heavy forests bordering tn
Riyanna river. and now it can be see
winding along between beautifully cult
waited meadows. beyond the fertile vale
extend the Blue Ridge mountains, til
peaks Of Otter being d~iscernabls on a fai
day; to the east is Tidewater Virginia, an
beyond is Chesapsake bay, and when ther
is no mist, with a good glass one can sc
the dancing salt water of this inlet of tt
ocean.
But q little way from the foot of tn
mountain is Charlottesville, q prospsror
town, that in Jsffsrson's day had SO fe
houses that when the English prisons
we're sent there after the battle of Saratog
thew had to fell trees and build cabins
lodge themselves in. A mile from Cha
louisville is the university of Virgini
founded by Jefferson as the Central Go
lege." The noble college buildings and Il
houses of the town lend life and euchan
ment to the scene.
From the northern terrace one can be
look out upon tho glorious panorama
.+;1lr ond baav lifa Rpraad hefora the ay