The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-24
Three Of Them Are to
Enter the U. S. Army.
ONE RAISED REGIMENT.
One Joined Roosevelt AM Olher
Will Enlist as Private,
HISTORY OF THE wADswORTHs.


raised a regiment and offered to pay half
its expenses, belongs to several clubs
hero and numbers friends among New
Workers by the score. They are all glad
that, while 1t was not thought expedient
by the government to accept Mr.. Wads-
worth's offer In full, 1t has been decided
to make use Of his personal services and
that commission has been bestowed upon
him to that end
Mr.. wadsworth belongs to an unusual
American family. Its wealth Is very con-
siderablo--sufijcient to entitlc several of
its members to be counted millionaires,
perhaps two or three times over-but IL is
all or nearly all invested in land, not
western land or city real estate purchased
for speculative purposes, but good straight
agricultural land located in the Genesee
valley, where the Wadsworth estates extend
for miles and miles and In the midst of
which the Wadsworth homes arc set.
The wadsworth Estates.
1t is probably within bounds to say that
the combined Wadsworth estates, for there
are two or three or more of them, each
vast, are exceeded in extent in only two or
three instances In the entire country, be-
sides forming undoubtedly the widest
reach I'm the United States that has not
changed ownership for century and
more. 1t was In 1897 that the Wadsworth
estates were first set apart their owner
ship by the founder of the family originat-
ing in the famous "big tree treaty" with
the Indians. 1t was a pet notion OF this
first Wadsworth that the territory which
he thus acquired should be kept perpetual
ly intact and i'm possession of the family.
The notion has not only been adopted by
his descendants, but each generation has
added to the family domain until now IL
stretches entirely across the beautiful val
ley and for miles along tho river both
above and below the village of Geneseo
and Is quite roomy enough for each branch
Of the family to dwell upon its own estate
In some deg,eo the Wadsworth estates
are conducted like great English landed
estates. They are divided into farms, each
of which has its distinguishing name and
some Of which have been cultivated by sew
eral successive generations OF the same
family OK tenant farmers. Between tho
tenants and each Wadsworth owner there
exist relations much similar to those be-
tween English landlords OF the liberal type
and their tenants. The system of tenancy
is different, however, being n sort of COM
bination OF rental and crop sharing, so de-
vised as to give special advantages to un-
usually industrious and thrifty tenants
and SO operated that dissatisfaction ON ell
ther side is rare.
The wadsworths Are sportsmen.
Outdoor sports are among the greatest
noble amusement Of fox hunting Is pur-
trty -
Genesco probably than anywhere else in
America.
Real foxes are hunted for the most part,
of course, and the cunning, bushy tailed
animals are carefully protected by the
Wadsworth proprietors In order that there
shall never be dearth Of foxes to follow.
Whenever fox den Is located special in
structions arc given out that no one shall
disturb It, and these instructions arc al
ways obeyed, no matter how much hurt
reynard may do to the crops, for Wads-
worth money Is always ready to pay for
the damage, and few questions are asked.
There Is u saying In the neighborhood Of
Geneseo, indeed, that crop of young foxes
Is one Of tho most profitable products a
Wadsworth tenant can raise, and It Is
fact that hundreds Of dollars are laid out
near Geneseo every year to make good
their ravagcs.
Good horscmanship among the dwellers
of Geneseo Is a natural result of the Wads
worth devotion to fox hunting and cross
country riding, and tho Gcnesce Hunt club
Is n famous organization. Most of its ex-
penses and more than half tho mounts rid
den to the hounds are furnished by the
Wadsworths themselves, and once year,
in October, they get up q great free horse
show on an extensive plain. several hum
drcd acres in extent, TO which many swells
the country over receive special invitations
both as spectators and participants, and all
the neighbors arc privileged to attend
This horse show h one of the institutions
of the county. All business stops on the
day it is held. The smart turnouts of the
swells and the lumber wagons of tho farm
ers form long professions converging at
the plain in tho morning and moving
away late In the day. Dashing red coated
men and smartly habitcd women ride
prancing, leaping horses up and down the
plain in straight races, displays and steeplc-
chascs, prizes being given for the most ex-
pert performances
The Wadsworth hunts arc enjoyed oil
most as much by the farmers and villagers
rs tho Wadsworth horse show, and tho rid
ers are always followed up and down the
country roads by highly interesting pa
rade OF every imaginable sort OF turnout.
Az least once every season tho anisccd
bag Is substituted for tho living fox in cr-
der that the spectators may SEQ all the fun,
since the anisccd courso can be laid out
with special reference to aTording spoc-
taclc.
The Wadsworths True Americans.
But the wadsworths are all good Amer
leans In spite OF what somc have termed
their English methods OF amusing them