The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-01-17

He saw Mr.. Flagler's Half Million
Dollar Iesidence mt Miami-He In
Now Bound for NASSAU.
Miami, Fla, January 16.

0A INV StlkllS Ie1Oy W ledNG pTeI-
~ Miami for Nassau Monday night on
the steamer Miami" Of the Peninsula
and Oriental steamship line, which is
scheduled 10 leave here at HOO D.. m.
and to arrive at NessauIthe next day at
3:0I D. m. The distance is only 1S5
miles.
/ do not want to leave here. I am
so comfortably situated and it is so
pleasant every way. While writing this
the temperature is about o., and / have
just packed my overcoat and some other
heavy clothing. a lot of books, etc.,
with which i do not want to be burden
ed longer, preparatory to expressing
then back to Wilson. The first class fare
from here 10 Nassau and return is SO. o.,
to Nassau 500 o
a 30 Uound sweet potatoe would be a
curiosity and quite a.show in Whining
ION y. c., but / have just seen an han
Qled one, which Is on exhibition at the
Florida East Coast Home Seekers Of
nc 1t was grown on a farm near here
and II Is noW sprouting and has vines
several inches long on it.
L find North Carolinians here, as l do
almost wherever l go. Mr.. j. A. 2.
Lane. whom L knew up there, has
bought land and is now living near
town
Mr.. B. E. Tatum, editor of The Mia
mi Metropolis. once lived in the Old
North State l think.
While there have been for some time
past and are now hundreds OF visitors
here or business. pleasure and health
Dent the tourest season proper opens to-
morrow. January 18th, when the great
Hotel Royal Palms opens for the sea-
son. A hundred or more men and wo-
. MAN Inr-a bow I@-4 s..
ting the great building ready, and Mr..
Flagler came down in his private car
yesterday afternoon from his home az
Palm Beach to look after the opening.
For some reasons it may be interest
ing to many to know that, besides the
fine residences of Mr.. Flagler at Long
Island. N. Y, st. Augustine and Palm,
Beach. this state. he is now erecting
one of the finest private residences at
Palm Beach that is to be found in the
While there last week / walk
ed around and admired it's grandneSs
and had explanations in regard to its
construction, etc. and the following
brief description, taken from the Miami,
Florida Metropolis, will no doubt be in
teresting:
"WhitehalI' the palace home of Mr..
H. NJ. F1agier, the owner of the great
hotel and railroad system of the entire
east coast is nearing completion and
will be ready for his by the
last of December. The construction of
this residence has required the services
OF a large number of maSOnS, carpen-
ters, plumbers. plasterers, painters,
frescoers and artists for months and
months. Work was begun nearly a year
ana a half ago and still goes On. AS
one of the finest and most expensive
residences in this country and as the
private home of Dade county's best
friend and Florida's greatest developer.
cnrpnfhinr Of n 1ncoriptiOp y.ril not hn
amiSs.
1t is built of solid brick. which will
be plastered over, and trimmed with
marble. The architectural design is
Spanish, specially adapted to this gen.
ia! climate. The building fronts east,
toward the Poincisna hotel and the
ocean. 176 feet. and iuns back west 81
feet, nearly to the lake. Verandas Is
feet wide are on three sides. Solid mas
Onry f1uted olumns 81 feet high and
four feet in diameter will support a por-
tico along the east front. The recep-
ton hall is on the first floor and is
42x10S feet finished most \gorgeously.
Leading up from this are two broad
solid marble StaircaSeS, to the next
floor on which is located the bed cham
bers. 26 in number, ten of which have
baths attached. Next to the reception
room. on the south, is the drawing
room. 31X42 feet and X to this the art
gallery and music room, 24X65. This
will contain a grand pipe organ, one OF
the finest made, in addition to its other
furnishings: West Of the art gallery
will be Mr.. Flagler's private offices. On
the north end the parlor which is 31X42
feet may be entered from the reception
| room and next to the parlor, west, is the
dining room. which is 24X65 feet in size.
| The culinary and servants room take up
the western part of the building and
complete the square around the grand
! innor court which fc S4y1uS feet Mr.
| Flagler is sparing no expense TO make
| this the most comfortable house that
money can, build. and its finishing and
| furnishing will be not gaudy but gor-
geous. The bed rooms will be frescoed
overhead and finished with tapestry on
the sides. The grounds are being orna>
mented with palms, ferns and flowers
of every description and are to be en-
closed with a fence hat will cost S14, O0O..
the front gate costing S2,400. The en-
tire cast of the. building annot be ascer~
taine as yet but will exceed $500, 900
and no doubt the furnishings, paintings.
works of art. ~bric-a-brac, silverware,
etc. will be as much more.
Mr.. Henry NJ. Flagler, who is known
and loved as Dade county'S developer
and friend is now a legally registered
voter Of the Lake worth precinct and
is therefore more than ever identified
with the interests of the county Dor
what he has done, as we'll as for Ehe
great things which he yet has in con-
temptation for the advancement of the
growth and prosperity of this, his adop-
ted home, the people are thankfu and
will join in the wish and the hope that
he may be spared to enjoy many de-
lightful winters in his new and palatial
home. the location of which at Palm
Beach means so much TO the citizens Of
Dade county.
Mr.. Flagler seems to have the good
will Of oil tha naOn1o on the east cna ST
Of Florida. From the time / reached
Jacksonville till today / have heard
nothing but kind words and high praise
from the people in regard to him. AS
a result of building near leo miles CT
railroad and the many palatial hotels
he is now giving and has for years
given employment TO hundreds of
thousands of people and developed this
part Of the state as it could never have
been done except by him or others who