The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-26
GEORGE VANOERBlLT'S ESTATE,
Btltmoro Is Magnificent OBJECT Lesson in
Art and Aaricuturs,


Art and Agriculture.
All the world has heard about the
splendid estate OF George Vanderbilt,
at Ashevillc, N. c., aud most OF US
have supposed that Biltmore wac
Morton, Sectretary Of the Agricultural
Department, has been spending q
week seeing what Mr.. Vanderbilt has
to show and on his return to Washing
ton on Saturday he told his colleagues
at tho cabinet meeting that there is
nothing in the world, owned by soyer-
oign or subject, that will compare
with Biltmore, either rs q residence or
as an object lesson In the agricultural
arts
st is a grand idoa," said Mr.. Nor
ton, THAT young Mr.. Vanderbilt is
trying to carry out. it is unique, and
none but man OF his enormous wealth
could undertake it. Few kings have
either funds or tho good OF their uco.
pie at heart sufficient to conceive and
carry out what Mr. Vanderbilt has
successfully demonstrated. | do not,
know how much money he has spent
there, nor how much more he intends
to invest, bat it is ono of the grandest
undertakings that Individual enter
prise ever attempted, and understand
that it is the owners intention to leave
1t as Il legacy to tho public when he
oan no longer enjoy it himself,
There arc $4,000 acres in the es.
tate, and every inch OF it may be said
to be under scientific cultivation, en-
braclng every branch Of the vegetable
Kingdom. Combined with it he has
the most perfect system of roadways |
nave ever seen, and you can drive 100
miles over macadamized pavement
without going of his estate. AS an
exnibltlon Of landscape gardening it is
without an equal. Frederick Law
Oolmstcd has charge of that branch of
Tho work, and the late Richard Nj
Hunt was the architect of all the
buildings, WHICH for their several uses,
surpass any that exist on earth.
There arc no palaces in Europo that
can equal Mr.. Vandcrbilt's for ele-
gance. comfort and convenience, and
no is gathering there collection of
works OF art that would mako it fa-
moas II 1T had no other attraction.
Ills stables, his barns, his dairies, his
propagating houses, his hcnncrics, and
Other features OF his establishment arc
al! on the samo grand scale. Ho has
undertaken to furnish tho highest
possible example Of the science of food
culture in every ono OF its branches.
tio has employed the best me q he aan
lind to take charge Of hi. experiments,
and pays them salaries that are com.
mensurato with their services. There
are Germans and Frcnchmen and
Italians ard EHglishmcn, as well 10
Amcricans, employed. The foreigners
are usually men Nf high professional
repHt4s!Anln Who are ATTACHED to uni
ferssiIics ia tho old world, and spend
vhoir vacations, threo, four or six
months, on Mr.. Vanderbilt's estate
looking alter their respective depart
been carried far enough to show tha
results, the possibilities of usof,,ln,'s 81
offered by MIR. Vandd.c"Nii&s enterprise
arc un!iT,itoA.
:. t tonJ!der his work there lust as
impor tant to the agricultural interests
OF tn is country 0s the Department Of
Agriculture at Washington. 1e EN-.
p;;oys more ;TIi". tthaH hAvp under my
Ahar&p, arl think he is spending
Ihoro money every year than Congress
appropriAtca for this department,
although do not know his figures.
He has nearly 1000 on his payroll,
and we have about 7U0. His men arc
promoted for efficiency. aCrOrh;u.e TO
the most nrHcti"El MyIi-scrWice rulos.
Il Il man @ho is employed at Il dollar
day to shovel dirt shows that he Is
capable OF something better, his W0r!S !
and his wages arc both aa~anccd, aud |
tho eRrh rNl@ .Hnp''es to- everybody on
tne estate. If there were nothing else |
to b. accomplished, Mr.. NNndcrhi! It ia, |
at least, bmi'dtn& np IN educational |
institution that will Iurnsh scientific |
farmers nnl teachers for the ia true. |
tion OF the rest Of mankioG. ana frul |
like thanking old Commodore Wander.
bilt for having givon us Il grands' n
4