Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-09-01
THE AST0R PALACE.
, cmleOus Structure Which Has Been
Reared in New York.
r A SMALL TtlLEuIES
~. Rooms and Elaborate Dec
orahous-nrs. As'or's Costly ""'"
intcrc-t. .iIAs'A''
Thc Upholsterer)

,.. is more clabofateiy ueVo'"'ei
D" r.itce Of Catherine de Medlci'
.... burned by the commune IRIS
..- Il detail is carried into the
-..a,..n q the house proper some
-..,ns are 80 profusely orna-
....5 a. q, seem almost heavy
looks from the outside Ike one
.. n reality two. for though you
-...- r me centre Of the house by a
c.... ~ steps, there is a doorway on
.... leading 10 what has been made
sny "a partition running through
ru. This has necessitated the
.....r.as. being made narrower than
= Don. hal been only one leading up
..-..h tte centre.
, r....l Astor's house is the north
THAT occupied by John Jacob
-.. ... southern. on the corner OF
..s street. Ultimately at Mrs.
A..Ts death, the house wih
....- .~f. one As II Is. some OF the
-~. .re equally divided.
gill. case with the ballroom
....... Che centre Of the house at
shiloh is also picture gallery
tf. Aston has suites OF apart
.. ..... are almost precisely OF the
.,.. those the younger couple oc-
...r lI. southern end.
mfe GRAND SALON.
.......t. Mrs. William Astor's house
t.ru I'D the left on entering
..... small zee .ptlon room decorated
.....-. .rrarcltlv OF Gobelin make.
~ Ike al others, is as yet I'M
..t Ia ana reached by going into
.. Pile BALL. is the grand salon.
f.stly decorated In gold. III
......,.s room. the decorations being
M ..lnrs. bat gold everywhere.
&C.,. tr he'd the general effect VIII
f.- ...rt
r.r..r back n this apartment. sepa-
.-..rf.. siding doors. IS the dining room,
vl.r IS about the same size as the par
,. r.... tuo ap8rtme nts occupy nearly
o., r.-. ground floor Of the house.
~... dining room is in strong contrast
o., .r. Irrwirg room. the decorations
r.,. ,f .r black and gold. The general
co.. rr.. am effect Of heaviness. the
s.tre With is Danelling and mouldinss
,-...,-- such masses OF decoration
-... ,..-. 30 not high there would be a
s.Ire of s4N0cation. Yet II Is all very
l..rtl ari exqusltely finished.
III. service is made directly from an
elevator afIch goes TO the kitchen below.
o.. -t- -f-.- side of the dining room. ana
f..t8'H's pantry n great deal larger
tt.r re dining rooms in ordinary prl-
fH.e tH
lr ..t the erect Of all these rooms
SONS n le immensely. one hundred
,.r..r, % easily sit down at one time
81 te ars room.
sr-DND ASTOR HOUSE.
c-- .l..c the hall toward the south
.~ .- Is opened by the supcrin-
-.-f.-t SIR Davis. and We now find our
s.,.. .r OBJ. second Aston house. the
an. Cha, vn Pa. occupied by John Jacob
Aston his wife and child. and some M
f.r or twenty svants.
m,. u.r.r f0u.. he living rooms, are
smaller rir r Mrs. Astor's house Tor
o.. r.t-.1 r.4t more people must De nc
comm i.f.I The library Is about the
sam. s ,l- ,ller Mrs. AstoTs, but
tt. s.tlarra q the bedrooms is pleas
amer fr uev are on the corner oi
Sffr-f.fl street
Tr.. ae c.m. % Mr.. Astor's bedroom,
vt. i- mali dressing room on
u ...-.u.r cham Mrs. Astor's. and shows
tt.tf I.s given the best of 1t To
DIS vi. tr her bedroom occupies the
,t... conner = thc house, and Is one
rf. '.r-.r than his.
N.rti. N- Astor's bedroom. and 'front.'
o. .a Slfy-Gfth street, Is one OF the
fr.....t rtments in the house-Mrs.
Ae.rs it.vsfe bath room. II is Roman
n l.s.r fhe haih-tub being made OF
.r sofia book Of marble and carved
3.t 90. bath itself is almost round. IL
o. r...l.. to De sat In rather than 10
ler
a .r'. cupid is carved out Of the same
pen. .f marble at the back. and he Is
looking af $40 Lolphins, out OF the mouths
ua.rl flow the hot ana coiu
eater
rhe ceiling which is rounded, and which
III. io hang Ike a canopy over
'. os Roman mosaic and OF the
ast l.4sufJ finish.
NUMEROUS BATHROOMS.
Back ~ this bath room is the toilet.
ne tref i.om beyond this on the sixty
.'f'-.ff.rf side IS Mrs. Astor's private
ltf..r "a good-sizced room. but In winch
tt. decoration is unfinished.
Beyond this again. on the SiNty-iith-
i.t side. are TWO rooms. one Tor the
-} iarsery and the other for the night
fat..fE. Then comes the nurses room
srl beg hath room.
4l- tw1 houses contain twenty bath
roors the seryants being accommodated
100 i.f respect almost as well as 'heir
masters. Beyond again Is guests
;0'm, the only one on this floor, ana
.t.m there We reach the hall again ana
ti'e better opportunity 10 remark us
81 portions than from below.
lle ceiling Is apparently held up by
.rI0- oi female figures exquistely
D. led tae work OF Karl Bitter. The
.--frs are an female and of life size
To- position IN every case being different.
Duo each cre graceful ana refined. IL
E apparent that the best taste has pre-
SIDED 40 the selection of these dinerent
a.. .fe
At t.e side OF the house. but at the
y. b. "a staircase unusually narrow takes
o. t1 thc upper floors. but there are TWO
.ta'lfs. one FOR the master and nus
rra ~ the house at the front and an
o...r f1r thc servants at the back.
Tho second floor Is devoted TO school
re sewing rooms. ana Mrs. Astors
ra.. room. next 70 which rs her private
Barb fo,m almost as daintily finished as
! .c below on the lower floor.
Wherever we enter the private rooms
$50 tna simplicity and good taste. The
n..s ~ gold and ornamcntation seems
i' le reserved altogether for rooms TO
Which friends will DE invited and where
-e ceremonial receptions viii take place.
ROOMS FOR SERVANTS.
Sll up another flight Of stairs. running
if0u Tire side and from the hack. We
Peach the third floor This floor Is de-
N.tUl entirely 60 the servants and TO stor-
s-. purposes. One room is given 10 the
aifaatus for controlling the hot water
".ta which tho house Is heated, and an
'tDr % linen.
40 the rooms on this floor are small.
fi..HD.. al ar, 1siVeu over