The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-24
TO PROMOTE AESTHETICS
UNIQUE PLAN OF AN OHIO PHILAN-
THROPIsT AND ART PATRON.
Provides a Home Where Authors,
Develop Their Various Talents.


Correspondence of the Journal.
YELLOW SPRINGS, o., July 23.-John
Bryan poet, philosopher, philanthropist-
and capitalists the owner promoter and
manager of Riverside Farm and Park, "
two miles west of this quaint little city.
Riverside is intended to be what Brooke
Farm didn't succeed in being-a practical
abiding place for writer's. and for artists,
musicians and actors, too. 1t will not of
necessity be a. public place, for Mr.. Bryan
expects to invite those who will be quar-
tered there. The prime requisite for this
will be talent. AS to the surroundings and
other things necessary to support this tall
ent-they will be provided by Mr.. Bryan
Riverside" will be ready for its colony of
devotees of the arts and letters within the
next six months, and then Mr. Bryan will
select the pioneers Of the colony.
To begin with, Mr.. Bryan has money. To
talk with him, and hear him outline his
future plans for Riverside and himself, and
to see what he has already done with the
place, the first thought is that Mr.. Bryan
has more money than he knows what to do
with. But the second thought is that he is
carrying out an idea which is a trif1e
higher than the ordinary mind usually
evolves.
Before Mr.. Bryan purchased this farm he
was a citizen of the world. His address
was as likely to be some place in Switzer-
land as to be New York. He studied law,
and became a good lawyer. He studied
medicine, and has a few diplomas. He tried
theology-and gave it up. Then he wrote
book of Fables" which Robert G. niger
soil pronounced better than Aesop's, and
which received highly complimentary no.
tees from book reviewers all over the coun-
try.
Two years ago he came to Yellow Springs,
and one bright morning took a drive, saw
the farm which he now owns, concluded 1t
was the best spot to try his theories on,
and bought 1t.
AN ATTRACTIVE SPOT.
There are $50 acres in the farm. Over a
hundred acres lie on each side of the Little
Miami river, forming a natural park. There
are cliffs, and grottoes, and springs, and
hills, and big trees-so big that they must
have been there since the memory Of man
runneth not to the contrary
1t is in this park that Mr.. Bryan will
quarter his literary, artistic musical and
dramatic guests. He is having four rows
of neat cottages built. They are not far
different from the ordinary summer resort
cottage. Each row Of cottages will accom-
modate the writers and other talented classes
respectively. Near the cottages is the man
sion house, a large, roomy structure, of
much beauty inside, and architectural grace
outside. The driveway in front of the
house makes a great loop around a huge
flower bed, which is to have a fountain in
it's center. From the driveway to the river,
a thousand feet away, runs a great ridge,
one hundred feet high, which bears the
euphonious title Of THE DEVILS Backbone"
In fact, each feature Of the entire park
has been given a title, romantic or other
wise. For instance, there are the ''Vale of
Easy Wooing," 1.-THE Lovers Retreat .
without which no park would be complete,
and dozen other similarly named places.
Mr.. Bryan intends to make Riverside well
come to a coterie OF literary people, musi-
clans, artists and dramatic folks, and he
says he will see to it that they are all con-
genial. He is interested in the Western AS
ISOLATION of Writers and it will not be a
surprising thing if he has that association
holding convention as his guests some
time.
side. 1t will have one head, as far as man
agement is concerned, and that head Is John
Bryan. In selecting this spot for the trial
of his plans Mr.. Bryan hit upon one Of the
educational centers of the country. Yellow
Springs is the seat of Antioch College, over
which Horace Mann presided so long. 1t is
not far from Cincinnati, Wittenberg Uni
versity at Springfield Wilberforce College,
the great colored university. is three miles
away. There are any number of small col
leges around-at Cedarville, at Wilmington,
at Oxford and other places Then there is
Delaware University, near Columbus. It is
Mr.. Bryans hope that he will have the OBJ
portunity to bring out many a literary
genius at Riverside who would not be
known but for the advantages there afford
ed him.
\ A MODEL FARM.
In the meantime the $50 acres Of fine farm
ing land is to be worked for all it is worth.
There are men in charge of each depart
ment who have only one thing to do. hut
must do that well. The man who pushes the
lawn mower over the big lawn is Just as
much master Of his own department as the
man who has charge of the thoroughbred
stock. 1t was this feature which made the
neighboring farmers smile knowingly and
say something about crank" and wait a
year. when Mr.. Bryan began his scientific
farming" They smiled again when he built
a barn three hundred feet long and hun
dred feet wide, but they quit smiling when
he put four hundred wagon loads of hay
into that barn, for hay prices are high in
Ohio this year.
So it has come to be acknowledged that
John Bryan knows what he is about and
now it remains to be seen whether this COM
bination of scientific farming-with the aid
of patent gates, and telephones, and all
that-with literature and the other arts. will
prove a success. Mr.. Bryan says the farm
will more than pay for the rest of it, and
certainly the rest of it ought to benefit hui
mainly to a large degree.
The people about here have grown proud
of Mr.. Bryan, and now it is Riverside. in
stead of the proprietor, which is pointed
out as one of the sights. And Mr.. Bryan is
proud of his farm-almost as proud as he
is of his book of Fables" And nobody
blames him for his pride in both.
There is nothing which better shows Mr..
Bryan's sentiment toward STRANGERS who
are always welcome visitors, than the big
signboard which TANKS the entrance to the
grounds. AS you drive in it reads:
Welcome. Please keep your horses off
the grass
AS you go out the reverse invites:
Come Again, and Bring the Peace of
Liberty, Justice and C1entleness with Won >,