The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-12

When George w. Vanderbilt began
prospecting around Asheville, less than
dozen years ago, farming was the thing
which he least thought Of. The palace,
for IL is that and nothing else, which he
is buildings intended to be a mOnu-
ment 10 last for ages, a silent but signif-
cant tribute to the Perseverance and abil-
ity for accommodating wealth with which
this remarkable family is endowed. AT
present rOofers are covering the main
structure so that work may begin on the in
terror. The outer walls of stone and brick
are completed. So far not a piece of
wood has been placed in it. except scat
folding and false work. Everything is
stone. brick and iron and steel work. l
heard an eminent architect say it would
be as solid five centuries from the time it
is completed as the day its over enters it
TO live. stop and think of that moment.
Then think that 600 men are at work on
this palace and the grounds, and that
Mr.. Vanderbilt will not allow one to be
paid less than 81 per day making a pay
roll alone Of $500, 900 and 500, 600 yearly.
Add TO this the fact that six years will be
required TO build this magnificent
home and that in all as many millions
will be spent In the work, including the
building of roads, the terracing of noun
tains-yes, mountains-the planting of
trees and shrubs and other
ltdbuTcS VI landscape NOIh, anu
you will have merely faint idea of
the magnitude of Mr.. Vanderbilt s
plans.
For several weeks Wagner palace car
has been standing on the private railroad
track near the uncompleted palace 1t is
named Swannanoa. In fact, Mr. Wander
bilt loves the name and uses it whenever
possible In this car he came from New
York TO personally examine the work of
all Eind in hn
usually lived in the car and confined most
of his inspection to the building and roads
but now the farming interests
occupy much of his attention and to be on
the spot he has suite of rooms in an or
binary looking two-stOry farm house
about three miles from the mansion"
as the natives around here termed it,
The rooms have been newly papered and
have modern furniture. Here the owner
remains with no other attendants than
an English valet, beside the family in the
house. From the windows of his bed
room he can see the fields of grain and
the plowed hillsides ready to be seeded.
IL is right in the country without any in
dication of city life in sight. Every morn
ing his secretary and superintendent of
agriculture, Baron Allings, visits him,
and AIN hour or so is usually occupied in
reading such reports as the yield of corn
on this or that patch, how many tons of
fertilizer have been put on the garden.
the comparative yield of milk of Jersey
and Holstein cows, etc. Then he often
jumps in light two wheeled cart and
drives over TO this or that farm with the
baron and examines some new fodder
plant or some insect which may
be damaging the grain. Often
he will walk into the field and talk
with the hands at work on some detail of
planting. In short, ii is easy TO see that
nature has strong attractions for him.
and the cultivation Of the soil has as
mucn fascination as the buying and sell
ing of stocks and bonds, or the planning
OF railroad combinations. Naturally, his
interest in agriculture has attracted
much attention throughout this section.
People who at first regarded his pur-
chases of land and his plan with envious
eyes now speak of him in the highest
terms. They perceive how much benft
his experiment will be 10 agriculturists
generally, as well as TO the lovers Of good
roads, since he has ample means to carry