The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-09-27
vANDERBILT's MOUNTAIN HOME.
The Millionaire has Transformed Forest
into Blooming Garden.
From the Lewisburg Chronicle.

George w. Vanderbilt, one of the
younger members of that famous fam
lily, has developed an untamed North
Carolina forest into a a-beautiful home.
He is not yet 30 years of age, but, to
judge from the description Of the trans
formation he has effected in the North
Carolina mountains, he seems to be
spending his money with an intelli-
gence somewhat rare among men who
have so much to spend, and his enter
prise is suggestive of the period, which,
in view of the rapid increase of the
population of the country, cannot be
very far distant, when land in the
United States must be very much
more valuable than it is today. Mr..
Vanderbilt's tastes are said to run in
the direction of arts and letters. His
North Carolina enterprise indicates
that he represents a development in
his family beyond the money acquir-
ing stage. His first step was to pur-
chase, besides several mountains, 49,
600 acres of land along the French
Broad and the Swananoa rivers. The
next step in which be exhibited un-
usual intelligence in enjoying his op-
.portunities was to re- train the natural
temptation to carry out plans of his
own and to employ the services Of the
greatest landscape artist in the coun-
try, Frederick Law Olmstead, who had
so much to do with laying out the
Worlds Fair grounds. So far sixty
five miles of macadam road, have been
constructed on Mr.. Vanderbilt's North
Carolina estate. Seven hundred men
are employed, their wages running
from 81 per day to the salary of Sl2,OOO
paid to the overseer.
Three years ago the work of trans
forming old fields, pastures and wood
lands into a harmonious landscape be-
gan, and Prof. Harbeson, who has
passed many days in studying the de-
velopment of the place, is enthusiastic
over the progress made. He says that
Druid Hill Park, Baltimore; Fair
mount Park, at Philadelphia; the
Boston Garden, and the Central Park,
Of New York, contain nothing that is
comparable with several miles Of the
approach on the Vanderbilt estate,
which is art of the highest kind, a
combination OF nature and the work of
man 80 happily joined that the eye
cannot tell where the one ends AID the
other begins. Boulders have been set
in place, rhododendrons transplanted,
and the whole is declared to be poem
in plants, trees and flowers, the long
est poem ever made, and one Of the
greatest. A trained forester il setting
out large plantations "f forest trees.
The arDuy.lun is declared 10 surpass
bridge, an,! when c'Iupleted will COLI
tain every tree, shrub and woody plant
| found in the " urli illrh is hardy to
the climale. len miles of railroads
have been CONSTRUCTED to transport
materials about The estate. Vast eX-
tents of land, which year or 50 ago
were entirely unproductive, have been
so changed by ploughing, heavy
manuring and green soi!iDg that to-day
Prof. Harbeson says they are growing
as fine crops as can be grown in the
most fertile valleys of the Northern
States. Lately Mr.. Vanderbilt has
added twenty thousand acres for a
hunting park. There will be deer
parks and lakes, and the house, which
will cost about S5,OO0,OO0, it is said,
will be the largest dwelling house in
the world, aud one Of the world 3 most
famous structures. Already by the
introduction of MOSES and vines at
the bridges portious of the place have
taken OH the appearance Of age and
the appearance of newness has been
overcome.