The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-04-27


I must explain, however, that this
new house of Mr.. Astor's is in reality
two houses-a big one and a little one,
though the little one is itself twice the
size Of any ordinary city dwelling. In
the main house on the corner young
Mr.. and Mrs. Astor will live. while in
the other house Mrs Astor, the queen
of all New York society, will dwell.
To the ordinary observer within doors
the entire building appears to be only
one house, for indeed there is no exact
division MAIDS other than that brought
about by separate kitchens and sepa-
rate dining rooms This arrangement
has been made so that if necessary both
Mrs. Aston and her daughter law
can give dinner parties on the same
night in the same house and yet be quite
as much separated as if they were in
two houses. After dinner, however, the
guests of both hostesses can gather in
the ballroom, which is also the picture
gallery, a common meeting room on
formal occasions for all guests of the
Astors.
This picture gallery is indeed a noble
apartment, though it is by no means as
large as rooms of the same kind in 9TH
er New York houses recently completed.
It is only half as large as Mr. Wander
bilt's new ballroom and not any larger
than the bathrooms in the houses of Mr..
Gerry, the late Mrs. Stevens or of Mr.
Whitney, but if the ballroom is want
ing in generosity of space it is by no
means lacking in beauty. The prevail
ing genius in the decoration of this
room. as in other parts of the house,
was Mr. Carl Bitter, whose eight cary
atides of heroic size stand upon the cor
nice 90 feet from the floor, supporting
the massive and beautiful rotunda. The
at1antes were modelled direct from life,
the model being Sandow, SO that Mr..
Aston will keep on view and perpetuate
for years to come the massive figure,
with all its swelling muscles and ten
dons, of the strongest man of the CEN
fury. In this gallery will be hung the
valuable collection of paintings owned
by the Astors, which are even now be-
ing stripped from the walls of the old
mansion on the corner of Thirty fourth
street, preparatory to their removal to
the new palace.
A balcony swung midway the 40 feet
intervening between the floor and the
ceiling will hold the musicians. From
this balcony doors will omen near the
dining rooms of both houses, SO that
the guests of both the Mrs. Astors may
be entertained at the same time by the
same music.
Mr.. Astor, his wife and his mother
have all given a great deal of personal
attention to the details of this house,
and it would seem that they have made
every arrangement for happy domes-
tic life. After all, though, the two
families, if you can call Mrs. Aston
family by herself, will seldom occupy
the house at the same time, for the As
tors are not in this country more than six
months in the year, and great part of
that time is spent by the young Astors
at their country place at Rhinebeck.
Mrs. Astors Boudoir.
We can ascend now to the upper
floors for just little peep into the per-
sonal apartments of the different men,
bers of the family. The most admirably
situated room is Mrs. John Jacob AS
tors, which is on the corner, and is in
deed an apartment large enough for
good deal of elbow room, for it is some
so feet square. There is a generous
stretch of windows along two sides,
from which the Astors can have inter-
esting views down the avenue or across
the park Adjoining her bedroom is an
exquisite room of oval shape, which
is to be her boudoir, and adjoining this
is her bathroom, lined from floor to
ceiling, and even including the ceiling,
with white marble and containing the
two ton bath tub already mentioned.
Following in direct communication
with these rooms come the day nursery
and the night nursery, with maids
rooms and nurses rooms sandwiched
in between. together with any number
of bathrooms. It would seem as if ev-
cry man. woman and child in any way
connected with the Aston establishment
is to have a marble lined bathroom all
to his or her self. From this the prin-
cipal suit Of rooms we step out into
corridor, looking down past any num-
Der of doors, as in the corridor of a no.
tel These rooms are, respectively, Mr.
Astor's sleeping room and Mrs. Astor's
! private rooms and her petite salon, Mr..
Astor's eden" and any number of
guest chambers.
If we ascend another pair of stairs to
the third floor, we find ourselves in
room finished in carved oak, with book
shelves round the walls, heavy fire.
place on one side and colossal divan
on the other. This is to be Mr. Astor's
library and smoking room, where he
and his guests can have their after din
ner coffee and cigars, or where he can
be alone during his hours of study. 1t
will not be necessary for him to mount
| the stairs to this library, for a good
sized hydraulic elevator is already in
operation to carry you from basement
to roof
Accommodations For Guests.
Before leaving the house, however,
we mount to the fourth floor, which
brings us in the mansard roof, where
the rooms are lighted by dormer win
dows and where are situated the serv-