The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-10-17
THE wADDINGHAM MANSION
History of Connecticuts Famous Build
 iDU


 ing.
 The Waddingham mansion, at the time of it's completion, about 1889. was one of the most magnificently furnished residences in the state of Connecticut. It was four years in building, and on account of it's large size and the great amount of money spent in it's appoint ments it proved to be one of the most interesting places in the state for sight seers, and soon the Waddingham man. sion became famous. This was when Wilson Waddingham, known as the millionaire cattle king, was at the head of what now might be called q cattle
 trust" Although only a small portion of his wealth was sunk in the West
 Haven property, nevertheless it is claimed that it cost him $S54000 for the grounds, house, furnishings and every thing complete. Thousands were spent in filling in to make slight elevation of ground along the house. The barn alone, gigantic structure covering an acre of land, has never had horse in it and was abandoned by the builders soon after the walls and roof were com pleted Every window in 1t has been a target for the gamin of the borough.
 until at the present time not whole
 pane of glass is left. The brick walls, roofs and cupolas and boarded doors represent the5thousands of dollars put in that building"
 The mansion was success for a few years, but for the last decade it had been unoccupied.
 The Waddingham family, consisting of MT. and Mrs. Waddngham, two daughters, Mamie and Alice, and two sons Robert and Charles Stanley, lived in the mansion for about three years, and during their stay there they enter tained lavishly. receptions, balls and all kinds of parties taking place frequent ly. No building in the state was better adapted for entertaining than the Waddingham mansion. and at the time of it's opening a house. warming. the 1 like of which has rarely been seen in | this state, took place in the great rooms of the house and it was attended by prominent people from this city and all over the country.
 After the Waddinghams left the man. sion it was occupied by the Barrows family for 8 short time When the Wad- dinghams left it they took with them tWenty-One car loads of furniture, the only thing left for their successors being the magnificent imported carpets and the billiard and pool tables. These car pets remained on the floors up to the time it was destroyed last night. not a piece of furniture, with the exception of
 that of the caretaker's. being in the 1 building. All through the mansion the finest of hardwood, wall paintings and finishing S were intact LID to last night. the care- 1 takers that have lived there for the past ten years keeping it in repair whenever | it needed 1t.
 1 One of the most costly private billiard rooms in any house in the country was the one on the third floor which had a depth of half the mansion. Its walls alone required years work for con1- pletion and when finished presented the 1 appearance of beautiful art gallery. 1 Historic scenes were reproduced in oil l paintings and artists from all over the country came to the mansion for the purpose of studying the work These | paintings some of which were Colum- 1 bus discovery of America, the saving l Of John Smith by Pocahontas, Wash l ington crossing the Delaware, and Sher- ! idan's ride were all done in beautiful l colors on the walls of the room Costly i billiard and pool tables put the finishing l touches on the room. Not many years l 4lN,n 1; EoI
 sold at auction to one oS t5e fire com" pahies of the borough.
 1 The massive staircase in the center of the hall was marvel in the wood 1 carving line and was one of the feat l ures of the ground floor. It was in solid | mahogany. The first room on the right l of the hall was the dining room which 1 was finished in mahogany and on the 1 left in the front of the house were the | three Darlors in different coOrs It is
 understood that the chandeliers in thcsn
 three rooms along cost thousands ot 1 dollars and they were hanging when the | fire broke out. A drawing room, loung- ing room, callers room, card room, and kitchen were t:e other rooms OH the first floor, all being in good repair. l There was a basement cellar equipped
 with every necessity for the use of the
 servants and below this was a sub-cel- lar ten feet below the ground, which
 was used by MT. Waddingham as a
 wine cellar and during the time he livec in the mansion it was we'll stocked.
 On the second floor were about a dog
 en bed rooms. the high ceilings anG !
 1 1Continued on Third Page.)