The Portland daily press., 1895-10-26

entrances, there are two heroic figures,
half human, half brute, taken from some
old-time mythology Higher up, between
the Sandow figures in the "cove" which
supports the rotunda, male and female,
half-length and full-lengthgures, some
human and some of fauns, flank ovo1d
panels. Over each panel is a head, and
each is inscribed with some name famous
in the history Of art. These, in their
order, beginning at the southwest corner
of the gallery, are: Andrea del Sarto
Rembrandt, Michael Angelo, A. Cnrreg G.
gio, Murillo, Velasquez, Leonardo da
Vinci, Paulo Veronese and Raffaelle
! Sanzio.
Upon the eastern wall there are other
beautiful figures near the top, and be-
low them round panel for a painting,
which is flanked by graceful figures OF
heroic size. At night the illumination
will be furnished by hundreds of electric
light bulbs arranged around the upper
cornice of the "cove," just under the
rotunda.
Some idea of the amount of interior
carving can be gained from the fact tha6
forty carvers, two hundred cutters, one
hundred polishers and seventy-hve help-
ers were employed in the house oontln-
ualy for ten months The house was De-
gun in the early part of 1898, and has
taken more than two years and half to
build. 1t has given employment on an
average to three hundred men since 1t
oil
been spent Counting the cost OF mate
rails and the cost of the land, the house,
without the furnishings, represents an
outlay of 81, $780, 00o,' and when it is filled
with the multitude Of art treasures, the
whole will sum up close to 3d. 900, 00o
This may seem an exaggeration, but
when it is remembered that single gold
dinner service belonging to Mrs. William
Astor cost $780, 600, and Gobelin tapes
try S12, 600, it can be seen that items OF
this kind soon mount into enormous
figures.
Mrs. William Astor's picture gallery IL
valued at $500, coo, and is probably worth
much more than when it was formed. If
the Jewels of the two ladies were to be
included, three millions would not cover
it all by any means. Four millions
would be much nearer the correct sum.
In the 'ssouth house." that of John
Jacob Astor, the upper rooms, the living
rooms-are smaller than in Mrs. Astor's
house. for the reason that more people
must be accommodated. The library is
about the same size as the elder Mrs.
Astor's but the situation OF the bed
rooms is pleasanter. for they are on the
corner of Sixty-fifth street
First is Mr.. Astor's bedroom, which
has small dressingroom off. 1t is
smaller than Mrs. Astor's, and shows
that he has given the best of it to his
wife. for her bedroom occupies the exact
corner of the house, and is one-third
larger than his.
Next to Mr.. Astor's bedroom. and
fronting on Sixty-fifth street., is one OF
the prettiest apartments in the house
Mrs. Astor's private bathroom. 1t Is
Roman in design, the bath tub being
made of one solid block of marble and
carved out. The bath itself IS almost
round. 1t is intended to be sat in rather
than to lie in.
A little Cupid is carved ont of the
same piece of marble at the back, and
he is looking at two dolphins, o',t OF
the mouths of which flow the hoJ| and
cold water.
The ceiling, which is rounded, and
which seems to hang like canopy over
the bath, is of Roman mosaic and OF
the most beautiful finish.