The herald., 1896-01-12

is needless to say, for this young Van
sequence is very dear TO the older
brothers and sisters and to the nieces
and nephews, who are almost his own
age.
Mrs William X. Vanderbilt will ma
tronizs the goodly company at New
Years dinner, aud at the same time
| represent just about $50000,000. The
host, George Vauderbiit, will sit oppo-
site to his mother, and his worldly es-
tate can be safely put down at more
than $25, 100000. Next his mother, by
right OF eldest sonshlp, will be seated
Cornelius Vanderbilt, one Of the rich
est mon in the world, for he is worth at
, the lowest rating more than O0,O00,-
600 Mrs. Cornelius will sit at her
husbands left, and next to her will
come Fred Vanderbilt and his charm
ing wife, adding $25, 000,000 mora to the
"eritable gold mine.
Mr.. and Mrs. William ID. Sloane-the
latter WAS lovely, golden-hgired Emily
Vsnderolt-wil sit on the left of Mrs.
William X.
Mr.. Sloane is as rich as his wife, and
their combined wealth il said TO eX-
ceed $40G0O000 Mr.. and Mcs. II. Mex.
Twombly and Dr.. and Mrs. Seward
| Webb add $400O0,000 by THAR gracious
presence, aud Willie K. Vanderbilt
represents in his jolly parsonage $780,
00OO0O more. Mrs. Elliot f. Shepard,
the eldest sister of the host, is in
Egypt, 80 $300O0000 belonging to the
Vanderbilts cannot bo counted in.
or the nieces and nephews there are
more than dozen, each Of them with
good big fortune in his or her own
right.
1t will be remarkable dinner party,
representing something like $4O0,0O0,-
OOO But the house which is to Oe Off
cially opened is equally remarkable.
Ia the first place, it is the grandest aud
costliest country home in this coun-
try, and perhaps in any other country.
1t has taken six years to build, and as
many millions.
The history of the building of the
plaza is unique. 1t is six years since
Mr.. Vanderbilt's agent began buying
tract after tract of wastes and forests
in this "Land of the Sky" as the region
around Asheville has long been
known. Quietly but quickly this and
that farm was bought, and, before the
sellers and The natives knew the name
of the real purchaser, between 5000 and
1000 acres had been acquired at reason
able figures.
When Mr.. Vanderbilt's name became
associated with the purchases the
prices advanced at least 100 per cent.
Mountain land that previously went
begging for q few dollars an acre
jumped up to $3.50, and some OF it
could not be bought for $500 an acre.
tn6Q rs
acres having been acquired, the most
e! .borate plans and preparations were
made TOR the Transformation of the
rough and rugged hills into scene Of
great grandeur aud Beauty, and for the
building of one Of the most splendid
and sumptuous piles of architecture to
be found anywhere in the United
States.
The work of improving and beautify-
ing the estate was put ipto the hands
of the most competent and experienced
men. The architect, the landscape
gardener and the forester particularly
received Stree swing to carry out their
ideas and plans on larger scale than
ever before attempted in this country
Some idea Of the extent of these OPP
eratlons may be had from the fact that
during the psst three years 200 men
have been steadily engaged in bring
| ing the grounds to the perfection ex-
acted by he landscape gardener, Fred-
erick Law Olmstead, who laid out
most Of Central park and the grounds
of the Worlds Fair at Chicago, and
that from 100 to $50 stonecutters,
J masons and carpenters have been at
work raising the stately structure ac-
cording to the plans of the architect,
the late Richard NJ. Hunt. Then there
have been the forestry operations, un-
der the direction of Clifford Pinchot;
| the brick and tile factory and other in