The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-01
vANDERBILrs GREAT PARK.
Twenty-Nine Thousand Acres, on
Which He Spends 81 900 q Day.


Mr.: George vanderbilt's place, situated
within a few miles of Asheville on spur
OF the Blue mountain range, contains about
park. Several miles beyond he owns on
Mount Pisgah and in its neighborh3od
about 10000 acres more, intended for use
house, an exceedingly creditable and Inn
posing Gothic edidce of light Indiana stone,
designed by Mr.. Richard NJ Hunt, is, to
my thinking by far the most command
ing and impressive residence erected by any
member of the Vanderbilt family. 1t is
now practically complete except so far as
concerns its Interior and hence its general
character and its artistic relations to the
landscape can be observed and determined.
Nowhere else in this country, so far as
have seen, is there a residence approaching
1t in magnificence and architectural emf
derbilt's house at Newport is of itself
correct and noble specimen of architecture,
but it stands too near the road and is too
fetal surroundings to produce an impression
of grandeur and artistic fitness. 1t looks
like a public building rather than private
residence erected to meet the actual de-
mands of the seaside life of its occupants.
Mr.. George Vanderbilt's house stands on q
commanding elevation surrounded by vast
park, and it really has the appearance OF
palatial structure. consistent in Its archi-
lecture with the andscape ABOUT sh It, II not D.
this country and its life. Grand ladies
and gentlemen, knights and troubadours
past ought to traverse its halls and dispose
themselves about its courts to make it
truly and to Justify it,
pile of architecture borrowed from a
period radically different in all its social
demands and distinctions is less harmonious.
This l say without intending in the least
to detract from the great measure of credit
which is Mr., vanderbilt's unguestionable
due. His whole conception of Biltmore does
honor to his imagination. and the manner
in which he is putting it into practical exc
his ildgment He could not have selected
here or abroad better architect than Mr..
Hunt to satisfy the requirements of his
man more competent to lay out his park
than Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted. The gem
eral management and direction OF the en-
terprise are committed to Mr.. Olnsted,
whose son is permanently established on the
grounds to watch the progress of the scheme
whole Union so far as concerns landscape
gardening and development whether pub
lie or private. A great part of the iana
bought it. This has necessitated vast
amount of ciearing to improve the land
ons of shr Ur and 3rees Collected from
all parts of the world have been planted
already, yet only the beginning In that d.
macadamized roads have been built, but as
yet only small part of the more than
Completed. Artificial lakes and ponds have
been constructed, streams have been d.
verified from their original courses, and an
pursued, with results remarkable for their
beauty and for the assistance which they
make art render to nature.
The Improvement of the place. begun
only five years ago, is surprising, In five
years more it will give to the park super
eminent distinction for the beauty Of its
landscape gardening and for the choice
ness and variety of it's arboreal ornament
IL MIR. Vanderbilt persists in his scheme
in accordance with his present intentions,
Biltmore will be one of the most notable
places in the world twenty-five years
V1nee' its Foliage s IS OUT its flowers and
shrubs are in bloom and the. scene is OBJ
served in the crystal air of this noun
peciaily in this late season, there is little
of green except in the evergreens; but It
is easy to imagine how enchanting It will
be when, a month or two months hence.
the rare trees and shrubbery which line
many miles of its roads are in the full
gurgle by the paths, and at artfully chosen
intervals glimpses of the vast sweep or
the valleys and mountains OF the Blue
place, and as such already it is giving :
profitable distinction to Asheville. The
town, now containing about fifteen thou
sand inhabitants has grown up in the last
ten or twelve years. 1t looks more ike q
prosperous Northern town than any place
enterprise is very similar: It's progress has
been largely, if not chiefly. due to North
from six hundred to eight hundred men
and his pay roll is from $4,000 to 5000
a week besides his other great expendi-
factory of brick and tiles, whose output
is so much more than he requires himself,
vast as his need Of such material mat ,l Re
find ready market for much greater guam
titles than he is able to furnish. He Is.
money in this region, and will continue
to do so for many years to come. for
as he may o live o d there en n w sf acres
of park. When he came here the wages
of a common laborer were from IS cents
to 81 day 10 We e IN York; ean
some of the difficulties and the
necessarily slow progress of such scheme
of landscape Improvement after having
the growth of the Central Park
from rough suburban region to grea.
symmetry. Mr. vanderbilt's task is made
easier by the superior natural advantages
of his grounds, but their vastly wider ex-
Practically. he is getting ready park for
the enjoyment of the public. Already dur
by passes Readily granted and every WIS.,
itor to Asheville and the neighboring hotel
at Biltnlore. railroad station whose name
takes drive through the now famous
grounds as a matter of course Extensive
nreasiug them. His purchases of additional
land hereabouts during the last year have
amounted to about six thousand acres and
he is negotiating for still more picking up
farms and woodland they obtain
able and paying much higher prices for
the property than he paid for his original
tract. much of which he secured at a very
trjffing cost per acre His intention. ev-
Identity, is to have a. vast estate like a
baronial property, and to make it
exampled in this country for its size and
the grandeur of its Improvement and de-
velopment. 1t is a scheme which does not
general favor in this commu-
nifty being regarded by many people as
foreign to the spirit prevailing here. but
everybody is glad to see him spending so
much money in the region. and the adj
which viii come to all the sur
district from the building up of
q place of worldwide distinction are not
forgotten The residence. mansion as it
IS called hereabouts. will have It's house,
l understand. with a great din
ner on Christmas of 1896. But the time to
see Bitmore in all it's glory is in April or
May.
GIANT ETyyerRr MAN