The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-03-18
VANDERBILT PALACE At B|LTMORE, N. c..
SIX MILLION DOLLARS HAS BEEN
SPENT ALREADY.

"A Place OF Rare Beauty Now-OId
Forest Has Been Turned Into Mag.
nihccnt Gamc Prcscrve-Thousand
Of Strangers Visit the Estate
Specialize Atlanta Constitution.
George w. Vanderbilt has done more
than any one man to attract people to
North Carolina. His lordly estate
with its magnificent chateau Is the
supreme object Of interest to many of
tho thousands Of annual visitors to
the metropolis Of the Land Of the
Sky"
A few days ago l had the opportuni-
ty Of seeing the Biltmore Estate" as
it is officially named, under exception
ally good circumstances. l was invited
to accompany the official photograph
er. AS had driven over the estate
several times before, thought knew
1t quite thoroughly, but never before
d had seen it as on this occasion. The
acres Of land in the choicest section of
the far-famed "Land of the Sky"
The palace is located in u tract uf 10, 900
acres, at BiltmOre station, on the
Southern railway: which is two miles
from the courthouse in Asheville.
The other 10000 acres is woodland,
and extends over several counties, and
up ta.e side Of Mount Pisgah, the tAllest
peak of the Blue Ridge mountains
visible around here. This great game
preserve is being stocked in metho-
dlcal manner with quail, pheasants,
deer, etc. The forest is also being
cared for by experts in growing trees
and shrubEery.
TNhn ,orl, =, ,,,l> -, A.. -.
chateau is situated is most beautifully
laid out by Frederick Law Olmstead,
tho famous landscape artist with
roads smoother than the government
boulevards of Chickamauga national
park. This Is because Mr. Vanderbilt
has his roads daily sprinkled with
watering carts and frequently rolled.
The entrance to the park at Biltmore
Is through largo and imposing lodge
gate, quito English you know. Here
you show your permit to visit the
grounds, which you have previously
secured at the Office building of Mr..
Of the estate, in the village of Bit
more. Permits to enter and view the
estate are only granted on Wednesday
and Saturday afternoons from l to 6
o'clock, and in printed form, are some
thing like q railroad ticket. The
palace is about three miles from the
lodge gate. There are some sixty
miles OF roadway in the park, of which
the chief drive, twelve miles long, is
called 1.-The Arboretum." 1t is firing
cd, or bordered, with ivies, honey
suCkles and banks Of shrubbery. There
are many queer and curious species in
the 100000 prOpagated plants along
this winding and picturesque drive
c
Madagascar periwinkle, of which
there arc thousands, and which bears
bright-c0lOred flower. The curving
bridges and artificial lakes and water
falls are all SO constructed as to look
entirely natural
AS to the palace, it is the me st
picturesque and beautiful building
zone can imagine. The location is
ide |, on top Of an elevated plateau,
which can be- seen for miles around in
every direction. Tho Biltmore house
back Of it the babbling Swannanoa
river serpentinely rolls and beyond
the Blue Ridge mountains kiss the
clouds.
The house is built of Indiana gray
limestone, and % 1T glistens in the sun
light, might be appropriately called q
"whito palace" Its extreme length
is 373 feet. Still its beautiful propor-
tions seem to diminish the size Of it.
In style of architecture it is Of the
French renaissance" The greatest
width OF the building ia 1872 feet. The
height from basement to turret is 100
feet. A mammoth granite retaining
wall on the southern A9fd of the build
ing is impressive because of it's splen-
did construction. t is forty feet high
lin some places, and 1873 feet long
Beyond this great retaining wall, and
In front Of the residence, appears the
esplanade 333 feet long and IS feet in
width. In the center of this esplanade
is costly fountain some thirty feet in
diameter. Gritfins and dragons chisel-
ed from immense blocks of stone stand
out several feet from the wall Musi
clans of many nations are the unique
designs under the window openings.
There are about one hundred rooms
in the house. Forty of these are slecp-
luxurious bathrooms. There arc
three elevators. Entering the main
floor from the terrace, the visitor Is at
once struck with the beauty of the
winter garden, which is built in
octagon form and is about sixty fec t
square. All the principal rooms are
seen from its many large windows in
almost Kaleidoscope completeness. 10
the west Is the salon forty feet in
length. TO the north of the garden
and corridors surrounding Is the ban
quet hall and west of this Is the break
last room, beyond which is the main
Kitchen. The banquet hall Is seventy
Two teet long, forty two feet wide and
seventy feet high, with ono span and
dome ceiling. It has not been finish.
ed up, yet, but it is said to be Mr.. Van.
derbilts intention to make it one OF
the most gorgeous rooms Of Its kind
In this country. AT the western end
Of this hall ere three massive triple
firc-places of almost gigantic proper.
tions. At the eastern end there is
an organ loft and a balcony for musi.
clans.
Another feature of the main floor is
the living hall, sixty by thirty feet in
size. Immediately west OF the hall.
way, under the main hall is tho music
room. There Is also q swimming pool
sky feet long and thirty feet wide