The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-14
He Was Fond of Curios and
Bric-a-Brac.
DAVE HILL AFTER OLD BOOKS.
Governor-EIect Morton Has Fond
ness for Fine CattIe-Chatfield
Taylor's Fad.


the time of his death had more curiosities
aud bric-a-brac, gathered from all the
of the world, than any other
living American. Alexander Hamilton,
in his day, may have had more, as his
hobby. too. ran in this way. But Grant
led in the last generation.
Senator Fill has a fondness for old
books. He cares nothing for ladies' society
and very little for fine horses or or nd
turnouts, but he loves old books. 1t is
said that HowgaIe. The Washington de-
faulter. who for years carried on a book
business in New Y ork City under a we'll
preserved alias. made fortune annually
putting books in the way of the Senator.
Levi Z. Morton when asked his favorite
way of spending the money he has ac-
cumulated by long toll said; "Why. l
like to buy choice cattle. OF coursa, my
rilt-edged stock On the hills of EIlerslie
now yell me a fine income. will not
deny this fact. But l will say that
when l first began to buy the big
bovnes l had no idea
they would bring me money.
bought them because j love to see their
graceful brown-red bodies upon my
meadows ami because | enjoy the rich
ing fresh, good pieces of beef-just as
enjoy fresh chicken. | can say that
nothing gives me the Joy that comes of
buving new lot of pure bioOds"
For years Frederick Gerhard has spent
his money upon Inc, pure-hred bulldogs.
He gave his sister. Mrs. Nelson, bull
pup which is the most admired of anv of
his species in New York. Gebhard has at
his Lenox farm fine assortment of dogs
of :he bull breed. He gave several TO his
fancee. Miss Morris, and last summer had
some beautifully ugly ones at Long
Branch. Besides this fad Gebhard buys
fine trotters.
with the first spare money 1 got," said
Robert Bonner. 81 bought horse. A ply
stefan told me l would have nervous pros
tration # l did not drive in the country
every afternoon. so | bought horse, and
my greatest mbition was to speed past
Commod re Vanderbilt every afternoon.
By and by bought Maud S of the cOmmo-
dore. and since then l have devoted all my
money to the improvement IF trotters in
this country. l do not trot for money, but
L think the sport the worthiest one 10 be
found anywhere. and | am not sure but
that rich man who maintains q stable of
horses gives employment to as MANY as
man who opens woodward for the DOOR"
President Cleveland spends all his sur
plus upon the Gray Gables estate. During
Secretary Bayard's recent visit the
President and Mr.. Bayard spent all one
in driving over the place. Several
hundred additional acres have been
added To the first property, and the
President, since he put on the addition
last winter. has started waterfall with
windmill and has made several artificial
lakes on the place. There is a r0ckery for
roses in course of construction. 1t is in-
fnrn hgaf
place is President Cleveland's ideal ex-
penditure of spare money.
G. Z. Huntington amused himself for
awhile decorating at great expense the
at the corner of Fifty-seventh
street and Fifth avenue, New York. He
employed splendid artists, among them
EIihu Vedder and Will Low. to paint pic
lures in the dining hall and drawing-roon.
1t was as il he wanted to see the frescoes
always before him. He spent a fortune
that way.
Cornelius VanderbiIts favorite way of
spending money-and he has deal of it to
spends in the collection of handsome
houses. Mr.. Vanderbilt maintains all the
time fine London residence and "hoteP'
in Paris. He also has a handsome house
at Newport, one that he has lately
built, and also the magnificent palace ON
Fifth avenue and Fifty-seveuth street,
ca-a-cornered from The Huntington house.
Once in his Office in the Grand Central
station Mr.. Vanderbilt said to friend
II am never so happy as when planning a
new home for my family, and If l were
poor man l should try 10 earn money lust
for the pleasure of spending il this way"
Hobart c. Chattield Taylor. Chicago's
novelist, once said that he
would be willing TO publish book of his
own writing every year if only for the
pleasure OF writing The book and seeing
his name and personal ideas in print.
John d. Rockefelier's pet extravaganza
is the buying of musical Instruments He
has five pianos in his own house, 4 West
Forty-fourth street, New York, and he
buys rare violins when and where he can
find them. He also invests in banjos,
flutes and musical instruments of all
kinds. He probably has in his nome in
the city $780, 900 worth of modern playable
besides twice as much in an
tiques.
People usually suppose that George
Gould's only fad out of Wall street is
yachting. And there is no doubt that he
spends deal OF money-poSsiblv $500, 900
this year-in that way. But Mr.. Gould
has another way OF using bis money for
and that is in the collecting of
postage stamps. lie has been doing it for
years, and just what bis collection has cost
him none but stamp dealers who know
the value Of old and rare stamps can tell.
There is a story told that last year one OF
the Rockefellers had his eye upon Ger
tain old stamp in the hands Of an anti
quarian. But George Gould heard of it
and got it,
Russell Sage enjoys keeping his money,
or rather investing ii again and again. He
is childless man aud takes pleasure in
handling his funds. When Mr.. Sage spends
money he puts 1t upon the Emma Willard
memorial. The Emma Willard Seminary
was where Mrs. Sage went to school. and
when during the last year Mr.. Sage gave
100000 for a memorial building, with
dormitory dedicated 10 Mrs. Sage, it was
discovered that his interests outside of his
business were educational. Mrs. Sage has
frequently said that She did not think it
wise TO spend fortune upon pain tings nor
upon awning else so perishable. The Sage
fortune will presumable go to educational
in stitutiGns. Times.