New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-01

immense marble eutablatures behind the NlP"
gates are equally barr Of ins'r pu"h i''Iiil'-
the gate of the lcf,-hand arch is an imposing
funeral urn of hlaok-sraN granite. hlEuis
POLISHED and about its middle line runs the
declaration Of faith II know HAT my Redeen'r
liveth" ON the opposite side Is companion
piece upon which is found the rest of the utter,
ance And that I'm my flesh snail J see COO
Between the two massive urns. and BACK OF IN"
barred gates Of the towering central arch. are the
doors of iron. with secret locks. that guard me
tomb Within are the chambers Of the dead
These chambers ar" min" in number ana "ach
is SuhdiVided into eight trNpts "ach furnished
with us own sealed front and memorial tablet
Beneath the floor of TN" n"riuari chalri. ABOUT
which the chambers are grouped there are more
orypts The chapel itself is furnished with 81
altar and reredos Each chamber Is fitted with
soulptur-d designs ln front Of that herein lie
the bodies of Commodore Vanderbilt ana his
wives the picture is that of Creation Othcr
designs are Il picture ~ PARADISE Moses handing
down the Ten Commandments King solomon
and tho queen of Sheha. the Virgin Mary ana
the Infant Jesus. the CrucihXion and the Ascen-
sion. All are sculptured i'm the polished granite.
Cp In tn" archcd roof two lantern towers cast
dim. scpulchral glow. the oircling windows being
made # glass ten inches in thiO kncss and barred
on the outside with ornamental ironwork set
deep I'm the grani,- castings. The roof Of the
mausoloum 80 OF stone thing of great thickness,
the walls 81 the structure are eight feet thick
and The foundations ar" fifteen feet below the
level Of The plateau front The doors are reached
hN circlng flights of stone steps.
NATURAL BEAUTIES or THE SPOT
The hill which shuts I'm the side walls was arti-
ncially constructed and planted with trees and
shrubs At the rear Of the mausoeum and look
ing Westward for the gates face the east and
the waters If the Ba.. there IS wide stone
pulpit. from which o superb view can hc had Of
the island. From th" front the Wow is one ~
especial beauty First there is the decline ~
the land 10 the broad stretch of meadows That
interNrncs between the water and tD" cemetery
a INtt fat fIIf doris ia %
turning first To- the right secs the Highlands.
the left Coney Island and the reach of The
shore toward Fort Hamilton can ice discerned
through tho tr"es Ia the very centre Of the
landscape part Of The scene the observer sees
the red roofs Of tho buildings ON The Vanderbilt
farm. where Commodore. Naulcib ilt passed his
boy hood and hercon hr made the first 500 he
could call his OWN. and where William H. Van
d,.rblt also passed many years before he was
called to larger duties ON rise of ground to
the right of The tomb is the sepulchre ~ Colonel
Elliott f. Shepard ON either side Of him II"
two daughters and there is a place reserved
for his wife. II is said that thr great tomb is
reserved for those alone who bear the Wander
bit name Trul} 10 is an IDEAL resting place.
Birds nm the air With music. squirrels run about
III tho woodland. with uOu~ tO modest them.
and the rabbits Hft their ears i'm mild surprise.
hat iu no srmblancc Of fear at the sound ~
human Footsteps. sure. 10 hear the birds sing
Of 4 morning the trees would do your heart
good" remarks the veteran Waterman. Nicholas
Curry. who has been ir the service ~ the Van
dcrblts man and boy. for nearly half century,
and who now watches their last sleep with az
fcctlonatc falthfuness.