The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-12-22
BELLE MEADE FARM.
Interesting Gli1npses Of the Great Belle
Meade Horse Farm i'll Tennessee.
McKeasie, IN st. Louis Republic.

Mckenzie, IN 81
';Come out and spend day at
Belle Meade.
It was Gen. W. H. Jackson, the
owner Of Belle NIeade-the grandest
horse breeding establishment in the
world-who addressed me.
We were seated on the piazza OF the
club house at Cumberland Park, Nash
ville's noted race track, watching the
concluding races Of the recent fall
meeting. Igladly accepted the invi-
tation extended to me, and was fur
ther advised to bring friend and that
the General would send a carriage to
the hotel for us at 7.30 next morn
ing.
General jackson bears his 10 odd
years lightly. He is the picture Of
rugged health. The kind of health
and coloring which is Indicative OF
much outdoor life, plenty Of exercise
in the saddle, and tramping the coun-
Try in pursuit Of game.
The following morning when we
stepped into the well-appointed surrey
sent FOR us we thanked Sod we we're
alive. It was the last day Of the glo-
riious Indian summer, which makes
the late fall in Tennessee close COM
petitor for the honors generally ac-
corded to an autumn on the Riviera.
There was just suspicion Of frost IN
the morning air. which caused crimp
IN the leaves and added extra luster
to the glorious autumnal tints.
;, Belle Meade les some seven miles
west Of Nashville, out on the Gather
Inc pike. The road to General Jack
soma historic home runs past Wander
bilt University, alongside the Cen
tennial Park and through the best
residential portion Of the city, until
the open country is reached. The Vi
einity Of Nashville is happy hunting
ground for the cycling enthusiast
the roads are Of the billiard table or
der and the iatch-string is ever hang
ing on the outside.
1T was truly an ideal day to visit
Belle Meade, and as the sun climbed
over the Tennessee hills the pictur-
Sssquely placed farm probably
looked It's very best. Just be-
fore reaching the entrance gate we
we're very much taken with the very
unique fence which surmounts the
stone wall Surrounding the $500 acres
comprised in the estate. The wall is
Eve feet in height. with galvanized
iron poles mortised in the stone work
and strung together with FIVE strands
of wire. The purpose of the added
height is to prevent the fallow deer,
elk and high-strung thoroughbred
stock from breaking bounds. We at
terwards learned that the stone struc-
ture WAS in itself a monument to the
thrift and enterprise Of our. host, for
every stone used in its construction
had been picked of the domain it en-
closed. The generally unremunera-
tive toll of clearing the soil had thus
been turned to profitable account, but
even at that the masonry work for the
construction Of this magnificent fence
cost the General $64, 900.
But this story has to do with the
hospitable interior of Belle Meade
rather thar its fence, its unequaled
collection of thoroughbred sires and
dams, its elk and fallow deer and its
herd of Jersey cattle. Upon arrival
at the driveway Of his home, General
jackson met US in person and made US
welcome. The house is good exam
pie of the old colonial style which is
to be seen at its best in Virginia, and
has that impelling sense Of comfort
and homelikeness which the modern
skyscSaper has no use for. The Cen
eral conducted us into his sanctum-
half library and half Office and be-
fore we had removed our gloves his
head faetotem appeared with tray
carrying examples of the far-famed
Tennessee toddy. The appetizer had,
scarcely struck the right spot before
Mrs. Marks, the Generals elder daugh-
ter. announced that breakfast was
served, and we adjourned to the very
handsome dining room, the walls Of
which are hung with portraits of the
jackson and Harding families.
General Jackson's immediate fami-
ly consists Of himself, his elder daugh-
ter, Mrs. Marks; his younger daughter,
Mrs. Ellison, and his only son, Hard
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