The Republican journal., 1897-11-18
Nye's Estate will be sold.
The Famous "Buck Shoals" Mansion, Near Ashe
vile, will Soon Change Hands.


''Buck Shoals,'' the famous Bill Nye
estate eight miles from this city, is soon
to sold, says an Asheville, N. c., CORE
spondent of the Atlanta Journal. Mrs.
Clara F. Nye, the widow, is reduced al
most to penury, owing to her recent
losses, and she now finds that the sale of
the mansion is necessary to meet her &C
tual demands for money. Mrs. Nye wants
it distinctly understood, however, that
she is not beggar, but amply able to
provide for herself and five children.
1t has been rumored here that Mrs. Nye
lost much money by the failure of the
First National bank of Asheville, which
closed it's doors on July 31st last. Mrs
Nye, on June 1, 1896, left her "Buck
Shoals,' ten miles from here, on the
French Broad river. Her widow weeds
were fresh upon her. She took with her
to Europe her two daughters and her
three sons, that she might place the girls
at school in Germany. She knew then
she was not rich, but she was sure she
would always have money to meet her
needs.
Two weeks ago she returned to her
mountain house with money she had Dor
rowed from relatives in Chicago. Every
dollar of ready money she owned in the
| Woflu nau Deen swept away.
Mrs. Nye is remarkably bright woman
she looks always ON the sunny side, and
is inclined to be an optimist. She speaks
without reserve of her financial condition.
To reporter she said:
Il lost every dollar Of ready money
had by the failure of the First National
bank, y she said. "The amount was ST.
00O 1t was made up of the 50, 600 in
surance on Mr.. Nye's life, the proceeds
of the sale of the right to the publication
of Mr., Nye's book, which was sold after
his death, and such other cash as | had
on hand after buying my tickets for Eu
rope. | took my family to Germany to
give my daughters every possible educa-
tional advantage. l thought it could be
done cheaper there, everything considered.
Five thousand dollars of the money was
to draw interest the remainder lying sub
| ject to my cheek. But that friends in
Chicago, knowing my condition, sent me
money, / should not have been able to
get home.'
'You nave met with other losses?''
"Yes,' answered Mrs. Nye. ''My most
serious loss was in New York city Five
years before he died, Mr.. Nye, as an in
yestment, bought fat house on One
hundred and Eighty third street. He ex
changed for it property on Staten Island,
estimated to be worth SIS, 900. The fiat
house was valued at S45, 900. There was
a mortgage on it for S27, 900, which Mr..
! Nye assumed, and upon which he made
| yearly payments until he died.
| "These, together with the value Of the
Staten Island property, amounted to about
$50, 900. In January or February last |
was notified by the Lorillards of New
hold +la hot tba.t
| would foreclose unless payment could be
met. could not pay, and the property
went for the mortgage. | had no one
with whom to advise" added Mrs. Nye,
for the moment, helplessly, ''or might
have saved something from the wreck
'Have you no income from royalties on
MI Nye's books?'
THE revenue from that source is very
small, not exceeding S40O year" she
answered. ''This is all paid by the Lip
pincotts, publishers of the histories of the
United States and England. The History
of England, - said she, ''was never finish
ed, and the royalties from it have been
very small. The Lippincotfs are the only
publishers of Mr.. Nye's works who have
made any returns, either to Nj. Nye him
self while he lived OF to me since his
death. I sold the book outright since
then, and the remittances from Lppncott
now constitute the sum total Of my in
come
Then she added, entirely cheerful, per-
fectly hopeful:
Il have my home here, which is unin-
numbered. Here | shall live until | can
sell it, when l will buy simple, ineXpen-
sive home | should like few boarders
this winter if could find those willing to
live in this secluded spot. But shall not
try to run a boarding house, as | doubt
whether would be remunerative
you can say said Mrs. Nye, in bid
ding good-by, ''that l contemplate pub
fishing during the coming year book of
memories of Mr.. Nye, which will include
much Of his personal correspondence and
short extracts from his best writings dur
ing Mr.. Nye's life Paul Potter, the
dramauist, will aid me in the literary part
of this work. He is now in Paris, and
has play which he expects to bring out
in London the first of the year. Then he
will return home and my book will be
prosecuted as speedily as possible
''Have You engaged a publisher for
this book?'
II have not,'' she answered And
with her two sons she started up the hill,
lined by golden-le afed hickories, toward
Cavalry church, where he who was fun
lover and a fun maker lies-he who
sought to make sure of his wife's and his
children's future.
These sons, Max and Jim, are manly
fellows. Max is IA years old, jim II
years Max is strkingly like his father,
but he has more hair on his head-''had
when he was BORN as his father said
The boy has clear blue eyes, a strong
mouth, thoughtful brow. The baby,
Douglas. is about IS months old Miss
Bessie Nye is 10 years old, Miss Winnie
II years.
'Buck Shoals is large, roomy house
with ample porch, towers and modern
outlooks, situated upon hill overlooking
the river. The lawn, made by cutting
the underground from the native forest,
is to-day overgrown with tall grass, and
everywhere are visible the evidences of
neglect. 1t was in this house that the
last decade Of Bill Nyes life was passed
1t was the breath of these great noun
tains that brought back health to him in
1SS6'S7, and certain it is that the hap
piest hours in his existence came to him
here. Ninety six acres of land surround
the ouse, which, all in all, cost Nye
$50, 900.
SaCreligeOuS SenSationalism.