The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-22
SENATOR HILLS HOUSE.
a QUEER STRUCTURE DESIGNED
BY 4 VERY QUEER ACTOR.

A Good Place for a Politlclan-It is
Secluded and Possesses Many Quiet.
Restful hooks and Corners-An
architectural Fantasy.
Ffom the Nets York Herald
"a house with many gables, frequent
towers and inner mysteriesn
The poet probably did not have in mind
the new home of United States Senator
David B. Hill when he wrote this. but be
could hardly have bettered the description.
Fritz Villa,n as the genial Emmett low
ingly named his quaint residence, or "Huh
Nah's Villa" as Mrs. Emmett chose to call
1t after the title passed to her, is one Of the
curiosities Of architecture. Few places in
this section Of the state are better known by
reputation and less known by appearance
Twelve years ago Joseph K. Emmett
selected plat of ground something more
than a mile north Of Albany as location
for a residence. The site is a commanding
one, overlooking the Hudson river and the
wooded bills beyond. A broad boulevard
directly in front OF it furnishes easy access
by carriage either to Albany or Troy. Be-
tween the road and the river is pictur-
esoue ravine which Fritz" hoped one day
to add to his property and transform into a
retreat that would recall the old legends of
Rip Van Wiukle and the Catskills This
plan was never fulfilled, but what was done
with his original purchase indicates what
he might have accomplished. With the aid
of landscape gardener. who was driven
nearly crazy by his patrons erratic fancies,
Emmett laid out the fifteen acres he had
bought in truly original manner.
A rise of ground well back from the road
was selected as the proper site for the villa
This was graded gently TO a natural gully
at it's base. in which was formed an arti-
fetal lake of irregular shape covering
several acres. Along its borders were
planted all manner of wild grass and shrub~
berry. A curious rustic bridge was thrown
across, connecting path leading to the
house with the road. At the base of the
hill on which the house is situated Is built a
rustic landing place, and on the opposite
side, near the road. was erected unique
Swiss bath house, with wiDdmill tower,
which also contained swimming bath.
UNIQUE FEATURES.
On the lake was placed a Venetian gon-
dola that was as much Of a novelty as the
villa itself. At the right OF the house a
quaint windmill was constructed. The site
selected for this was large natural spring,
over which solid stone foundation was
built, roomy enough to be used as an ice
house. The tower, patterned after an old
Holland windmill, rises high in the air
three stories In all, with q huge water tank
above and turret with the flying arms
of the mill overhead. A rustic stairway
leads around the tower from base to sum
NIT, and vines are trained over the lower
part of the structure. Inside are several
spacions rooms and tbs pumping machinery
that continually supplies the lake with
sparkling water. From this lake the water
supply OF the villa was finally taken and
the work of pumping it was given to the
mill beside the ROAD.
The grounds we're laid out In curious
hooks and winding paths, and pieces of
statuary were scattered everywhere among
groups OF odd trees and ornamental shrubs,
many OF which have to-day attained so
great a size that only the turrets and ga
bles Of the house are visible on approaching
1t up the broad drive. To keep out unbid-
den visitors a high fence was built around
the entire grounds, and on the side next to
the road fir trees were so planted as to form
a thick screen between the property and
the curious public.
The only entrance then, as now, is a mas
slve gateway. over which a watch is kept
from Swiss lodge. Huge dog kennels of
curious pattern and a spacious stable of
rustic architecture we're built for the actors
dumb favorites, and are still in good re-
pair. gasmaking plant was also pro-
vided TO furnish the house with light.