The Washington times., 1895-05-13

is now nearing seventy, and who has a little
greafgrandclhld two years old. Apart
from the grandeur OF her home, Mrs. Wander
/ Dit leads the same simple life which hun
dreds or thousandsof women n do who have not
thethousandthD part OF hermillions OF dollars.
A MAGNIFICENT APARTMENT.
Cornelius Vanderbilt has the finest dining
room in America in his new house on Fifth
avenue. This house, which was modelled
after the Chateau de Blois, in France, oc-
eupies block on Fifth avenue and faces tho
Central ParE plaza. There are three en-
trance ways TO the dining room, two from
| the imposing ballroom and a main entrance
| through the Russian smoking room, which
is on the extreme Fifty eighth street end Of
the house. The dining room is thirty feet
wide and forty feet long, ard the ceiling,
like the ceilings OF the ballroom and smoking.
room, is the height OF two stories, OF thirty
five feet
A MARVELLOUS RUG.
The floor is covered with a marvellous
rug, which really consists Of eight rugs
woven around large central rug, with a
filling OF rich crimson. The rugs are ar
ranged irregularly, and the effect is that Of
number OF rugs placed here and there
about the room, with the great convenience
of having them in one piece. There is a fire
place which would roast an OK. All Of
the woodwork is OF mahogany, carved to
match the table and the beautifully shaped
chairs, with their upholstery OF Beauvais
tapestry.
The ceiling is OF mahogany, relieved BY
| three beautiful chandeliers OF gold and
cut glass The buffet holds some mag
nifieeDt pieces OF the solid gold dinner
service, and there are palms and flowers
wherever room can be found for them
AN ORIGINAL DINING ROOM
Eldridge T. Gerry has a dining room which
is very original. The dining room opens
out OF the beautiful smoking room Oh one
side and out OF the immense hall on the
other. The room is very long ard it il
furnished and decorated in Flemish style,
with coats-of-arms on stone embIazoned on
the raftered ceiling. The tables and chairs
and much Of the quaint pottery came
originally from Flanders, and were bought
at enormous cost By Mr.. Gerry's agents in
Paris.
OTHER FINE ROOMS
Mrs. Theodore A Havemeyer has a most
imposing dining room in her paIatiaI home
on Madison avenue and Thirty eighth street.
The room is thirty feet long and twenty
feet wide. 1t is furnished in massive oak.
The quaint sideboard, chairs and dining
table came from an old cIoister in France,
and are said TO be fully eco years old.
Ali OF the hangiDgs in the room are tapestries
from Beauvais. really worth their weight
in gold. A curious old Dutch sideboard,
hand carved, serves as a cabinet for ex-
quisite bits Of porcelain and gold; but
Mrs. Havemeyer considers an old Dutch
| folding screen, which tells whole story
in its delicate carvings, the gem OF her
matchless dining room.
William C. Whitney has a splendid din
| ing-rcOm in his home on Fifth avenue,
Just across from Cornelius Vanderbilt's
| The apartment is finished throughout in
mahogany, and the great dining table
can accommodate 100 guests To the Ief1
of the entrance from the ballroom is a most
unique flower stand. filled with rare
blossoming plants. 1t was formerly a
chest, and is fully 400 years Old. Just
across, taking up the opposite side of the
wall is a massive rosewood sideboard,
with carvings which are maTvelOUsly
beautiful. The walls are covered with
priceless tapestries, not hung as curtains,
and pOrtieres, like those in the hallway,
but fastened to the old csk panels like
wall paper.
The chairs are upholstered in pieces Of
the rare old GObelin tapestry, matching
the beautiful wall covering The fire
place is fOOred in shining tiles, and the
antique brass andirOns and tenders are
200 years old Above the mantel is a
huge round mirror, framed in a band
of brass; branching out from it on both
sides are two elabOrately wrought brass
arms, each supporting eight electric lights.
FF.