Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-05-22

YTYHERE IS certainly no other
2AG estate in America attract
ing so much attention as the
home and extensive domains of
Mr.. Geo. w. Vanderbilt, near
Asheville, n. c. Persons who
have Travelled the world over and
are in a position to know, assert
that it equals in magnifcence
the most famous in Europe,
while in point of comfort and
harmony of design, combining as
it does all the desirable modern
arrangements, it by far surpasses
any in the Old World.
That Mr.. Vanderbilt selected
this spot in preference to all
others, is, indeed a great compli,
mcnt to Asheville, and yet no
one can visit the place without
feeling that his choice was a wise
one. Despite all that has been
written concerning it, the uni
vcrsal verdict of the thousands of
visitors who are constantly flock
ing to see 1t IS: "The half has
never been told" The park
consists of about 10000 acres
Gnore than fifteen square miles
lying on and between the beau>
tiful French Broad and Swami
anoa rivers and is in full view Of
the city. It's surface varies from
the mountain top to the level
plain, and abounds in retreats,
by nature both romantic and
picturesque. Mr.. Frederick Law
Olmstead, the landscape artist,
the product of whose master
mind, elected the admiration Of
the world, i'll the "White City"
at Chicago, is transforming this
into an immense park which is
becoming a veritable fairyland.
Besides this tract, Mr.. Wander
bilt owns, just on the west, an
other tract of S. 900 acres in the
wilds of the Pisgah mountains,
which is to be kept primarily as
a game preserve.
Near the middle of the park on
an eninence, seemingly designed
by nature for it, stands that won-
derful piece of architecture,
known as the "Vanderbilt Pal
ace" You enter the estate at
Biltmore, Mr.. Vanderbilt's model
village, passing through mas
sive hand-forged steel gate,
which, for centuries hung in the
city of Jerusalem, it is said. You
take spin over one of the grand
boulevards of which there are 90
miles or more on this estate,
winding in all directions. You
reach the mansion, ascending
gradually some three miles, by
graceful curves, crossing and re-
crossing, upon vineclad bridges
of stone, the winding mountain
rivu1ets, whose hillsides present
a harmonious combination of the
natural forest with The cultivated
growth. This forest has been
Invested of all rubbish, and is
intermingled with a careful se>
session of plants vines and flow
ers, giving it as a whole the eff
feet of age, and making it ve>
ritable bower of beauty.
A vIsIoN OF GRANDEUR.
On arriving at the top OF the
ridge a grand panorama is be
fore YOU. Your horizon is mark
ed by the Blue Ridge on the east
and south, the Smoky Range OH
the north, and the Pisgah Range
forms the connecting link on the
south and west, while the Black
Mountains fill the gap On the
northeast, with Mt. Mitchell, the
highest peak east of the Rockies,
raising its majestic head high
up among the clouds. Just in
front of you is seen Mr.. Wander
bits mansion, with the stables,
the Esplanade, the Rampe-douce,
the Bowling Green, the Pergula,
the Ramble, or Hanging Cars
dens, the Palm House and Com
servatory, and the Gardens, all
under wall, containing some 80
acres, while still beyond are the
system of artificial lakes and the
French Broad river. A nultl~
trde of emotions take possession