The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-15
LILY LAIGIRTS Farm
To Be ParceIed Out and Sold
in Small Tracts.
STORY OF AN ADVENTURE
In Horse Ranching Which
Failed to MateriaIize.
STORY OF AN ADVENTURE


New York friends held gay carnival. All
sorts Of adventures and "gunscraps'' took
place between the visiting tenderfoot and
the spirited dead game" attaches of the
| place.
This IS where the famous English beau
ty and her then devoted admirers spent
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars in an ef-
fort 10 breed a race of horses that would
be world beaters. Through m.smanage-
ment and horse luck the vast estate of
nearly twelve square miles has gradually
! declined from model stock farm to a
| prosaic grain ranch, and is about to be
sold in small lots for ordinary farming
purposes.
1t was by owning this farm that Mrs.
! Langtry secured a nominal residence in
| California for several years, and was
thus enabled to get a divorce from her
lately deceased husband, Edward Langtry.
| Mrs. Langtry's paradise by the Shutdown
! seas is to be no more. Her California
home will be sold.
That idyllic spot where she and her
! worshippers spent so many happy days
| during their sweet infstuation OF a few
! years ago is to come a prosaic grain
ranch"
What a change is that for the romantic
| spot where the gayest sporting men OF
| New York used to gather and live like
| princes. riding, hunting and racing horses
/ on private track, all within the confines
of her Lilyshp's lordly domain.
Some New Workers have lasting mem
cries Of this place Hallett Alsop Borrowe,
the now famous dynamite gunner of the
Rough Riders, got worse wound from
horseman's little gun there than any he
received in the recent Santiago campaign.
Other equally interesting sporting cpl
sodes occurred at the Langtry place. In
fact, something was always happening
there. The hired men, were all stars in
their line, knife men and gun men as
picturesque in their every day attire as
the made-up perforfers in a Wild West
show.
50 If there were no distinguished ten
derfoot visitors to entertain by shooting
off their hats the local sport had gun
scraps" on their own account.
II was in 1886 that the famous stage
beauty and pet of the Prince of Wales,
accompanied by her old friend, Freddie
Gerhard, Of New York, made a trip to
California. They were guests at Lucky
Baldwin's ranch in the southern part of
the state
The Jersey beauty was always some
what "horsey" and the exhilarating life
and scenes on this California estate COM
pletely captivated her. Mr.. Gerhard was
pleased with the idea. too.
Together they commissioned a certain
noted DOC" Abbey, of Blue Grass line
them place as nearly paradise as could
be found in the Golden state.
The astute DOC" faithfully carried out
the orders given him. Up in the northern
part of the state, where the winters are
one long, sweet. f1owery spring. the sum-
mers continuous bird song, he discov-
cred a Garden of Eden.
1t was in Lake county, just above Mid
letown. Here was splendid tract Of
1900 acres Of rich valley and grape land
and grassy hills for grazing. 1t was dot
ted with the most picturesque ranch
houses. bounded by miles and miles OF
fences, and in one sheltered nook was a
vintage that distilled the finest of native
wines. For this splendid domain Of nearly
twelve square miles the sum of s125, 900
was asked.
But that was easily adjusted Mrs
Langtry selected 1900 acres for her very
own and paid $4,000 in cash for it, while
Mr. Gerhard took the adjoining $500 acres
and paid 81. 900.
Then began the costly improvements
that made the Langtry-Gebhard farms, as
they were thenceforth known, a true sport
ing paradise. Great barns were erect
ed for horse breeding. A model mile track
was laid out with the prettiest of observa-
ton stands. Mr.. Gerhard erected a raulb-
ling mansion on the Moorish-Mexican
style on his portion.
Mrs. Langtry put up on her land a
somewhat more conventional tne-room cot
tage and furnished it with every luxury.
which was called the Homestead" But
there was no dividing lire or fence be-
tween the two properties
The place was stocked with the choicest
stations that could be bought in the whole
country. Gerhard brought there rho
noted St. Zavier. which has since made
a great record in eastern stables. The
soiendiily bred stallion Imported Green
back and Owns Of the celebrated Iroouois
also made their appearance through
Gehaard's bounty. While the Lily. 90
keep up her end. contributed the we'll
known stallion Brain Tuck. Then came
carloads OF brood mares from Kentucky.
In this liberal fashion the horse-raisine
industry was launched. The place was
alive with horsemen. caretakers and Jock
eys. Training was always going on ut the
track during the long dry summer. II
was Ike continuous horse show. There
was nothing but money and good times
there.
Besides horses. there were dogs Of many
degrees. mas;iGs hounds and coolies.
There were quaint little groups Of sheep
scattered about 10 give an English touch
to the landscape. Goats. TOO. were added
for decorative effect. and a certain "Bulv'
became the mascot of the place and was
known as HIS Eishness."
While these ad.tions Of livestock and
improvements were going ~ the aris-
tocratic proprietorS rode and drove about
the estate planning with the ardor Of
youth. II was all a glorious new world
OF life and endless possibilities
Lily. in her bloom of thirty. seemed a
mere girl again. Many a morning before
the sun was over the blue hills to the east
she was up. With short skirts and riding
stock and high laced boots she was ready
for race over the hills on the Geetest
hunter in the stables.
TIE storical farm hands we're soon cap
tivated by her charming ways. her
t10uEhtfu,ness and EeGteelness and her
marvellous beauty. ~ length when il was
known thar size was going away some O. /
the big. rouSh fellows actually wept.
After the first faciHaiias novelty of the
thing wore OF, the whimsical owners