The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-06
Home of Madison
It's Ideal Site in
Old Virginia.

Gaflard Hunt writes to the New YORK
Evening Post: In Piedmont, Va Wnlch
is a land Of beautiful country places,
there IS none more beautiful than Mont
peHer, where James Madison spent near
ly the whole of his long life, and where
his body is buried The house presents
a symmetry Of proportions and fault
lessness Of taste that do credit TO the de-
signer. the accomplished William Thorn
ton. who drew the first accepted plans
for the capitol. The final additions that
were made at Montpelier in 1903 were un-
der the supervision Of the famous Lat
robe. The front porch is supported by
four lofty plastered columns and com
mands a grand view Of the towering
range Of the Blue Ridge mountains which
lie about twelve miles distant. North
OF this porch stretches an avenue of
pines. planted by Madison, leading 70
circular colonuade above an ice house.
This was also built in 1902 and was the
first ice house constructed in that part
Of Virginia None Of the country peo-
pie could believe that it was possible 10
keep ice all summer, and Madison prom
Used his tncre5ul0us overseer, Edward
Brockman. that he would ind ice for his
mint julep on July g. and If he did
Brockman was to give him his finest
Christmas turkey. Tho ensuing summer
was hot one but one small piece re-
NAMED IN the new ice house when July
came. sufficient however to cool Brock
mans julep and insure Madison his tur-
key
The most elaborate Improvements to the
place were maze during Madison's pres
idency and the first few years after his
retirement. The garden, which was laid
ont before the retirement about a hum
bred yards west of the house is on an
elaborate scale Of horseshoe terraces. 1t
was cared for by q Trenchman who re-
cetved wages Of over 500 q year. a sum
regarded by the neiebhcrs as extremely
extravasant. He was assisted by two
back men, and later enc Of the latter
succeeded 10 the Freuchmau's place
when Madison's straitened circumstances
required a reduction in expenditures
Surrounding the house is q broad sweep
IF lawn frineed and dotted here and
there with large forest trees and few
trees 81 rarer variety which Madison
planted The house ITSELF Is nr-DerIv
termed stately mansion. Tn the base
rent there were In N8dison.s time Two
kitchens, one being for his mothers os-
+abfsbr,er+ (which --ss e,-t-.1.. ---,-,+-
from thu rest or thu b0--e5o77. e.,.s-sI
large wine cellars and rooms ro- r.--
household servants on tba 7rz+ ao.r
were The rooms his 7o+ber ooe,,-fs7 =i+
ting room dining roam, ana 49,. ,.7
77-r7r-+ba DRAWING room, his o-q-, etr.7,-
2 small room, e5f.frfrq v-ta~o HE ss.rs
ts-v had his desk the dining rom, ana
lta~a-v on +ba second eoor v-srs ei,,,+
large ned rooms After his matthews
death In 1900 tho rooms v,lf-b shs rg4
occupied became five a-F,-.o7s7 ba7.
rooms making In r7a-,ra- 7-s trr.-+,--
two rooms besides the servants. quarters
which were entirely gepara+s from +ba
ho1lsa and have since been torn down
The interior IF the house was o~na-
nented nrofueelv with nlctrrs- and 5ustz
for which Madison and his wife had
great r-0H7ee7 and If which +rav ~.
cumu7ated varied assortment IN tbs
vez+.r-f4 hung a -e7rtraf- an china ~
C7rrro.rrs. an engraving -s ..-rra Descent
FROM tho Cross q rrfn+ IF Charles TT
a 7-oun ~ ssvanue and P=v-bz -. q mas
+o-a7 niece a handsome and the great
rra-r1a medallion rus+ of the master Of
+be r7foa which +ba u1-e+arraa italian
s-,17r7- r,a~a-c-I made in 1871 In fn
d-av-fue room, were marble busrs of no.
~,ar Socrates Jefferson Monroe and
John Adams the three last bv G. Car
deli ACQUIRED I'm 1919 and Washington.
Joel Rarlax and Madison ana his wife
and a small wax medallion Of his nothe-
bv varaDer+o There was portrait on
ivory If F,r70rass Tosanbfne an engra7--