The Savannah morning news., 1903-05-10
NEW YORK TOPICS
GOSSIP AND CURRENT COMMENT
FROM THE METROPOLIS.

new GOV. odelI Differs From Most
of Hts Predecessors in Never Using
the Secret Passage and Stairway
+o the Executive Chamber in Al
bauy-He Rides to the Capitol
From the Executive Mansion,
however, which Neither ROose-
velt Nor Hill Ever Did-AnsOn
Phelps Stokes and the Abandon
rent of His Million-DoIlar Farm
and Shadow Brook Cottage" the
HandsOmest, Most Spacious Resi-
dence in Swell LenOx and. in Fact,
the Entire Berkshire HiIIs-His
Daughter, who Married a Poor
Man, and His Son, who Has BE-
come a Clergyman.
New York, May S.-The plainly ap-
parent and rapidly widening breach
between Gov. Odell and many state
leaders of his party, notably Senator
Patt has brought the name of the
Empire States executive way UP
front" in the newspapers of his own
state and city. His trip to st. Louis
and the remarkable address he made
there at the dedication ceremonies have
brought him forward in newspaper
columns all over the country.
There is no doubt that his present
type prominence to sure to continue
even to increase-since his differences
with his party have evidently only be-
gun. How they will result, both with
reference to him and the party in his
state, nobody can foresee.
But whether his future fortunes be
good or bad, everybody who knows
him seems to agree upon one point:
Personally, Gov. Odell is a pretty good
fellow.
In one respect he differs from every
Governor of the state who has pre-
ceded him, save two, since the occu-
patton of the new state Capitol at
Albany. He disdains to avoid a crowd
Of persons, who may be waiting to see
him, by using the famous secret stair
way, either in entering or leaving the
Governors ROOM
Though the existence of this stair
way, and the exact location of the
doors leading to it are very we'll
known to hundreds-maybe thousands
of persons, it a genuinely hidden
passage, and. he would have sharp
eyes indeed who should detect either
Of its entrances. The door opening
from it into the Governors office looks
exactly like the remainder of the oak
panelled wall which it pierces. There
is no latch, knob, keyhole or other Wis
lble sign of its presence, and 1t is
truly a startling experience to see it
swing open. The door at the other end
OF the stairway connects with the
prison department on the floor below
the Governors room, and is likewise
cunningly concealed.
Both David B. Hill, Democrat, and
Levi P. Morton, Republican. used this
secret passage a good deal when they
were Governors. Mr.. Hill used 1t al
most exclusively, for he was much
averse to meeting any one whatsoever
In the corridors or on the public stair
ways before entering or after leaving
the executive chamber. Gov. Nor
ton often entered and departed from
the chamber by the routes open to the
general public, but there were times,
especially when he was tired or when
bores were waiting for him, when he
chose the private route and lodged.
The same was true of Roswell P.
Flower when he was Governor. But
neither Mr.. Roosevelt, Mr.. Odell's i'm
mediate predecessor, nor Roosevelt's
immediate predecessor, Gov. Black,
is remembered ever to have made use
OF the hidden way. Gov. Black, like
Gov. Odell, used to use the elevator,
but old-timers say that Gov. Roose-
Welt used always to walk up the stairs.
And, though the executive chamber
at Albany is only three or four stories
up, any one who has ever climbed
the stairs of the Capitol will tell you
that it's no joke to negotiate them two
or three times a day.
Cows. Hill, Roosevelt and Black used
always to walk the mile and more that
separates the executive mansion from
the Capitol, but Gov. Odell always
rides the distance in his carriage.
The news that Arson Phelps Stokes
means never again to occupy Shadow
Brook cottage" on his million-dollar
farm at Lenox, is causing no end OF
gossip, but so far no one seems to
know the reason for it's abandonment.
Mr.. Stokes began to build his cot
tage" nearly eleven years ago, and its
construction occupied rather more
than two years. 1t was the most i'm
posing residence in all the Berkshire
Hills, and If ever a man was proud OF
his house, that man was Mr.. Stokes
Though called by him cottage 1t
is nearly 300 feet long and its circun1-
ASlCllCe Is nearly QUARTER VI q iAiiA~
1t is three stories high, but owing to
its great extent on the ground, it
looks low, and is relieved from
'squatty" appearance only by the
grace and beauty of it's outlines.
Its rooms and corridors are truly
spacious. Mr.. Stokes own private
apartment is 30x4O feet in size.
One of Mr.. Stokes daughters re-
Gently married a poor man, after haV-
ing renounced society for several
Years in order to do settlement work
on the East Side in New York. She
met the man who became her hus-
band, while so engaged, and there
were rumors at the time of her mar
rage that Mr.. Stokes was disappoint-
ed, though by no means actively OPP
posed to the marriage. A son of Mr.
Stokes, intended by his father for a
business or public career disappointed
his father somewhat similarly by be-
coming clergyman. Possibly in these
two appointments might be found
The cause of the abandonment OF
SHADOW Brook.
1t is certain that very many people
Will regret the wealthy owners de-
clsion to shut the place up, for it has
been the scene of many and lavish
festivities since it's opening seven or
eight years ago. 1t is the first instance
on record of millionaire abandoning
MS country place in the Berkshires,
thus following the example of the farm