The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-03
GAMBLING Or
No GAMBLING
Question Seems to be Settled
in CanfeId'S Mind
AMERICAN MONTE CARLO
Description of Most Beautiful
Spot in New York


from the centres of the stage where he
has been so prominent a figure is amply
proved by the costly and elaborate at
fractions now being added to his Sarato-
go club house Very soon Mr.. Garfield
will arrive in America from a prolonged
so1ourn in London, where he went to have
his portrait painted by Whistler. This
work is now completed. The great artist
himself declares that he has given TO it
tnore time and care than to any other
portrait ne ever painted
Pending it's lords return, great improve
snents are going forward at "Canaeld's
club house in Saratoga. Always a beau
hiful spot 1t will now seriously rival Monte
Carlo. The grounds occupy an entire
block on Union avenue, which is the
great drive in Saratoga, being the thor
oughfare to both the lakes and the race
track.
The club house stands in one corner,
fine picturesque building, containing
ladies restaurant, which opens into the
gambling hall. The spacious grounds
have hitherto been a velvet expanse Of
Ereensward, smooth as velvet, dotted with
Mower beds. Now, however II is to be an
open air museum of art. Under the di-
rection of Charles W. Leavitt, Jr. most
elaborate scheme of landscape gardening
has been laid out, and added beauties are
the statues made by Louis Potter. This
brilliant young American artist returned
last winter from six years stay abroad,
and went direct to Washington, where he
made busts Of many famous persons,
among them former Senator Charles A
Towne, Senator James X. Jones, Professor
Elmer Gates and former Senator Petit
grew. He is now at work on the bust Of
the Rev. Thomas r. Pynchon, former
president of the Trinity College, Mr.. Pot
tiers alma mater which is to be present.
ed to the college by the alumni
OF all the statuary made by Mr.. Potter
for Canheld's club house the most elabor-
ate is the sun dial which viii be placed
IN the centre of the lawn The dial is
supported on the bowed shoulders of three
male figures representing Morning, Noon
and Night. Judging from their positions
and the length of time they will maintain
them, they are more likely to find time
hang heavily on their hands than any one
else who goes to Canfcld's.
The four figures Of the terminal which
will make such a beautiful vista at the
end of the garden are seven feet high
They and the sun dial are executed in
the finest Carrara marble.
On the pedestal Of the nymph in the
beautiful design so exquisi,ely chiselled
by the artist the experienced eye of an
"old sport might trace a suggestion of
the shape Of poker chip here and there,
but as Mr.. Potter is entirely ignorant of
the national game he must be eXonerated
from any such idea.
Il want" said Mr. Garfield to the land
scape engineer. the finest park that
money can make. complete to the last
twig. in six months. The cost is i'm
material. Go ahead.
The task set was so difficult that fifty
years ago it would have been pronounced
impossible. The property to be trans
formed extended eastward from the boun-
diaries of Canheds club to Circular street
and was bounded north and south by
Spring street and Union avenue. For
many years ii had been known to Sara
toga's visitors as the Indian encamp-
mcnt"
\ narrow plateau extended northward
from Circular street for a few HUNDRED
feet, where a Hill so steep as to be really
q cliff dropped some forty feet into the
Quicksand swamp already referred to.
Along the top OF this hill years ago a
humber OF Indian families built little
shanues and sold basket work Latterly
they had given away TO the more en-
terprising paleface. leaving however. a
heritage Of aboriginal dirt and rubbish.
and the place had become a miniature
Coney Island and general nuisance.
From the time that old John Morrissey
built the club house it was his hope to
lid himself of his Objectionable neighbors
by buying this land. but he became in
VOWED in quarrel with the owner. who
efterward refused 10 sell. so It was not
until last year. after the death of the
proprietor. that Mr.. Garfield was able to
realize his predecessors ambition by pur-
chasing the land from the heirs for $4S-
o0o The alleged Indians were ordered
60 fold their tents. or rather tear down
Their unsighly huts. by the first of last
July, but il was not until this year that
the real work commenced.
The suhduinE of the swamp was first
undertaken. This problem avs finally
solved by creating an artificial brook along
tho loot of the hin into which the num-
erous springs that ran down the slope
were led. Some idea OF the difficulties Of
the work may be obtained from the fact
that this brook is built of pIanking rest
ing on piles. and 81 bad was the Quick
sand that more than once the workuaen
returned IN the morning 90 md that plies.
pl1nks and an had utterly disappeared
during the night
Today the swamp has been transformed
into firm. level greensward. in the cen
TIRE ~ which is formal Italian garden
surrounding large fountain. The four
large beds filling each corner. viii he
Eoid masses Of blue and white. red and
yellow flowers. which viii he in the height
OF their bloom during July and August.
Indeed. throughout the park care has
been taken 10 select so Ear as possible
flowers and shrubs that viii be in bloom
during the Saratoga season.
Facing the two marble columns thar
mark the entrance To the gardens is a
semt-circular niche bounded By high ever
greens. where massive marble sun
dial Is half surrounded by marble seats
separated by marble statues.
To the left q this sun dial niche which
is shielded by the hillside. Is one end Of
the artificial brook 50 skiufullv banked nv
vines as TO seem the work Of nature The
other end is in the old trout pond. from
which Il was Morrissey's boast those who
oined at the club house could pick their
own fish.
The brook Is broken al irregular inter
walls BY the rockwork and il il hand TO
kalr