The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-03-16
VANDERBILT PALACE AT BILTMORE, N. C.
SIX MILLION DOLLARS HAS BEEN
SPENT ALREADY.

A Place OF Rare Beauty Now-Old
Forest Has Been Turned Into Mag
nifcent Game Preserve-Thousand,
OF Strangers Visit the Estate.
Special to Atlanta Constitution.
George w. Vanderbilt has done more
than any one man to attract people Ia
North Carolina. His lordly estate
with its magnificent chateau Is the
the thousands of annual visitors to
the metropolis OF the "Land OF the
Sky"
A few days ago had the opportuni-
ty OF seeing the Biltmore Estate" as
1t Ia officially named, under exception
ally good circumstances. was invited
to accompany the official photograph
err. AS had driven over the estate
several times before, l thought knew
1t quite thoroughly, but never before
had seen 1t as on this occasion. The
Biltmore estate consists of 100, 900
acres OF land in the choicest section of
the far-famed Gland of the Skv."
The palace is located in a tract Of 10, 600
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 the side OF Mount Pisgah, the tsllest
peak OF the Blue Ridge mountains
visible around here. This great game
preserve Is being stocked in u metho-
dical manner with quail, pheasants,
deer, etc. The forsst Is also being
cared for by experts in growing trees
and shrubEery.
The park in which the magnificent
chateau is situated is most beautifully
laid out by Frederick Law Olmstead,
the famous landscape artist, with
roads smoother than the government
boulevards Of Chickamauga national
park. This Is because MIR. 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, quite English you know. Here
you show your permit to visit tho
grounds, which you have previously
secured at the Office building of Mr..
Charles McNamee, general manager
OF tho estate, in the village of Bilt-
more. Permits to enter and view the
estate are only granted on Wednesday
and Saturday afternoons from l to &
O'clock, and in printed form, are some
thing like 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, 10
called THE Arboretum." 1t is firing
ed, or bordered, with ivies, honey
:suckles and banks of shrubbery. There
are many queer and curious species in
the 5000, ,0C0 propagated plants along
this winding and picturesque drive
way. One OF tho most common is the
Madagascar periwinkle, OF which
there are thousands, and which bears
6right-colored flower. The curving
bridges and artificial lakes and water
falls are ali 80 constructed as to look
entirely natural.
AS to the palace, it Is the most
picturesque and beautiful building
one can imagine. The location Is
ide |, on top of an elevated plateau,
which can be seen for miles around in
every direction. The Biltmore house
faces east. AT the foot of the hill just
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 as it glistens in the sun
light. mig hit be appropriately called
white palace" Its extreme length
Is 375 feet. Still its beautiful proper
oioho ocCLi w Uuo SlZ6 OI lG
In style of architecture it is of the
"French renaissance" The greatest
width Of the building is 1872 feet. The
height from basement to turret is 100
feet. a mammoth granite retaining
wall on the southern end of the build
Ing Is Impressive because of it's splen-
did construction. 1t Is forty feet high
In some places, and 333 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. Griffins and dragons chisel-
ed from immense blocks of stone etand
out several feet from the wall. Musi-
clans OF many nations are the UNIQUE
designs under the window openings
There arc about one hundred rooms
In the house. Forty of these are sleep
ing apartments. There are twenty
luxurious bathrooms. There are
three elevators. Entering the main
moor from the terrace, the visitor is at
once struck with the beauty of the
winter garden, which Ia built in
octagon form and Is about sixty feet
square. All the principal rooms are
seen from its many large windows in
almost kalel scope completeness. To
the west is I..>' 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
fast room, beyond which Is the main
kitchen. The banquet hall is seventy
two feet long, forty-two feet wide and
seventy feet high, with one span and
dome ceiling. 1t has not been finish
ed up yet, but 1t 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 are three massive triple
fire-places of almost gigantic proper
tiOns. AT the eastern end there Is
an organ loft and balcony for musi-
clans.
Another feature of the main floor is
the living hall, sixty by thirty feet in
size. Immediately west OF tne ball
way, under the main hall is the music
room. There Is also swimming pool
sky feet long and thirty feet wide,
adjoining which are needle baths,
sprays and the like. North OF the
living hall is the tapestry gallery"
Three large panels have been built In
the walls to receive valuable tapes
tries to be placed there by Mr.. Wander
bilt. This will also be used as the
picture gallery. AT one side of the
gallery are two large stone tireplaces
In tho sixteenth century decoration.
To the south OF the gallery Is the
library, sixty by for,y feet. This 10 at
the eXtreme sOuth end Of the huildi n p