Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-07-19
A PALACE IN VERMONT.
DR.. Webb's Plans for a Magnificent
Abode in This State.

ADOue In rms States
DIR. w. Seward Webb, who welded
a Vanderbilt, and is known as man
who can count a fortune that is past
the twenty million mark, is exceeding
ly popular in New York's Four Hun
dred. He is royal entertainer. There.
are few men who can excel him as Ill
host. He is man with heart of eXA
ira size, one of the mortals you meA
now and then who take pleasure in seer
ing other people enjoy themselves.
Society owes DR.. Webb much for his
numerous and princely entertainments;
and society was delighted to hear him
say few days ago that he had gen.
uine surprise in store for his friends.
While acting as host of the New York
Coaching Club a fortnight ago at his
summer home at Shelburne Farms,
VT, DR.. Webb said he would soon re-
place his present mansion with resi- |
dence that any man might feel proud |
of. He promised when this was done
he would entertain on a much larger
scale. AS matter of fact, DR.. Webb |
is about to build the most costly and
imposing private residence in the world,
on beautiful site on his broad acres
mont.
For several years past DIR. Webb has
been planning for this palatial summer
home. On his travels all over the
world he has made it a point to hunt
up ideas for utilization in his great
American residence. He visited scores
of castles and homes of noblemen in
England, France, Scotland, Germany
and Spain. He wandered through
Italy and Austria, finding here and
there palace that caught his fancy.
Year after year he made these trips to
| foreign parts, but never for moment
did he neglect to examine all the inter-
esting features in mansions being erect
ed by American money kings. He had
collected hundreds of photographs and
sketches, water colors and paintings,
and then he set to work to place his
ideas on what the finest residence in
America should be in the hands of COM
| petent architects.
Mr.. Webb has finally got his plans
narrowed down to five, from which he
| will select the one he will utilize at his
big estate at Shelhurne Farms.
The cost of this palatial home will, it
| is estimated be not far from $1,000, 900,
and it will be furnished in a manner
that king might envy. The final Sc
lection of the plan DR.. Webb likes will
be made during July and work will
commence at once on the foundations.
1t will probably take two years at least
to build the palace and another year or
more to complete the furnishing of it.
There will be fine marbles and mosaics,
stained glass and the rarest of tapestries
brought from abroad The great halls
will ha 1inn1 with M xxynrlyc IF
art in statuary and old masters. There
| will be suites of apartments for scores of
guests, it being Mr.. Webb's intention to
provide quarters for 100 people at least,
so that when his many wealthy friends
run up to Shelburne Farms to visit him
he can entertain almost any number Of
them in good style.
| Or. Webb recently made an addition
of 1000 acres to his famous estate of 1000
acres. Here he can entertain his friends
with hunting, fishing and racing. He
owns. a splendid stable of high-br9d
| horses and he not long ago erected
500, 900 barn for his stock of blooded
cattle.
1t is Dr. Webb's intention to receive
his friends in good old English style,
| awake them early for the hunt, and
keep them merry all day long and the
greater part of the night as well. In all
| these plans of palaces shown there is a
specially-fitted up suite of apartments
for the gentlemen who are fond of
sport. There is gun room, stocked
with the best implements obtainable,
rooms and pools for bathing on the re-
turn from the hunt, and bowling alleys,
pool and billiard and card rooms. DR..
| Webb has SO designed the house so that
his bachelor guests will have an entire
section to themselves, where they can
be as loudly merry as they please with
out interfering with the elderly guests
slumbers.
AT least 60 servants will be necessary
to make the attendance perfect at DR..
Webb's proposed finest private resi-
dence ever built There will be regu-
lar chief of staff, who will control all
the employees, with the exception of the
men connected with the stables. The
men in charge of DR.. Webb's fine stable
of horses consider themselves artists,
and would not deign to notice the man.
ager of a house staff of servants. DIR.
| Webb is constantly breeding horses on
his Shelburne Farms and the stable en-
ployes get quite as good salaries as New
| York bank clerks, who have been in
service for some years, with, chances of
promotion.
The Superiority of the New Hors-