Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-04-08

From TarheeIlana.
AsHEvILLE, N. c.. March 81, 1897.

This being "Biltmore day. - Mr..
Vanderbilt gi~es access to his grounds
Wednesdays and Saturdays-and the
weather being pleasant, the hotel is
pretty well deserted this afternoon,
and one can write in peace and quiet
with the reading-room to himself.
But even on the favored days the tide
of travel on Mr.. Vanderbilt's fine
roads is restricted to two vehicles from
each hotel and livery stable, and when
the allotted number of passes has been
issued it's pretty tough job to pro-
cure another. The entrance to the
road leading to the interior premises
and drives is faithfully guarded by a
mundane st. Peter in the person of an
ex-coachman of the late Cornelius Van
derbilt, and, without the regulation
permit, duly stamped and countersign-
ed, the visitor-be he king. prince,
potentate or pot washers turned to
the right-about. He leaves hope be-
hind him because he cannot enter here
unless, indeed. he can possess his
soul in patience to await a more fortu-
nate day. Even if he possess the COW
eted 'open sesame" and is admitted
within the vale be must ordinarily con-
tent himself with distant views of the
famed chateau from various points
along the forty miles of perfect road
meapdering over and through the
grounds. The average traveller is a
vandal: his close approach is fraught
with danger: and the average must
govern the whole. If all globe-trot-
ters were newspaper men, no doubt all
latch-strings would hang upon che
outside, and Cerberus be out of job.
Just two weeks ago to-day, a gen
tleman from Boston-a retired mer-
chant surnamed Howard-intimated to
Mr.. Crevier and me that double-seat-
ed rig would be at the hotel main en-
trance at 10 A. NJ. to convey US TO the
Biltmore estate. l inquired, had he a
pass? No, but he doubtless could OBJ
tain one at the superintendent office.
We shook our heads. ''Well, we can
drive out and l can try" So out we
drove, and in went Mr.. Howard to the
Superintendent. He was unsuccessful,
the Superintendent informing him that
passes were given only for afternoon
visits. So we drove back to town,
MIR. II. disappointed but not dismayed.
He would try again after dinner, and
we must again come with him. He
wasn't sure the Superintendent had
promised him pass, but there was no
law against a second effort.
So, after dinner, behold us again at
the gate, possessed OF the necessary
ticket of admission, obtained by Mr..
H. after considerable palaver with the
functionary in charge of the Biltmore
office. st. Peter read the paper slip,
doffed his high silk hat, and ceremon-
iousIy waved US through the entrance
into the enchanted ground. We drove
along over highway as smooth and
clean as Chicago avenue, across
streams spanned by cut-stone bridges,
and rising by winding ascent to the crest
| of the mountain which the chateau
adorns. AS we bowled along we came
to diverging branch of road whose
| entrance is usually obstructed by a
sixteen-foot plank bearing the fateful
legend-ssNo Admittance to the Pub
lic." This day it was pulled aside and
the way was open. We graciously ac-
cepted the invitation silently extended
us, and as silently entered on the way
which led to the castle. A few min
utes' further drive brought us to the
stables of the estate. We dismounted
and went within. Here an employe
on the estate joined us and graciously
showed US through the building, point
ing out the things of interest it con-
tanned. The grooms were busy carin 3
for perhaps twenty horses of famous
pedigree. The stable itself was clean
as a new pin, and provided with all
the latest appliances necessary to the
| comfort and luxury of horse life. The
harness room was resplendent with
gold and silver-mounted harness. The
carriage department contained car
| riages, carts, buggies, etc., of all the
costlier styles. In the collection was
the vehicle to which Cornelius Wander
biIt had driven Maud S., and near to
it hung the harness she had worn. A
$500 whip-a present from a Paris
Jockey club to the Cornelius aforesaid
lay encased in a locked box on q
table. Unfortunately our guide didn't
hare the key; so We all looked as hard
as we could at the box, and had to lei
it go at that
AS we were about to depart-it be
ing understood that admission to the
castle yard was positively forbidden
we cast longing look through the
partly open sliding door which led tc
the sacred precincts, the mansion be