The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-02-15

New York. Feb. 14.-Lske Success, the
body Of fresh water on Long Island near
Great Neck: for which William X; Wander
stead $4,000, still remains in the possession
OF the citizens of the township, and there
; mems s,s to nb be l.tsls l TX tas %aS 0d # Ras sams
lily for some time to come. Mr.. Vanderbilt.
however. has not given up the fight. which
tees arc elected. some time this month.
The question of the sale OF the water
rights and the four approaches to the lake
Is the political issue of that section Of the
country, and the feelings aroused are far
more bitter than those engendered by a
presidential campaign.
The township trustees are the custodians
Of the public lands, and in order to deter
mine If the people want to sell two. sets OF
trustees must be voted for. one in favor OF
selling and the other against 1t. When the
original offer was made Mr.. Vanderbilt had
power enough to force a special election,
and the result was not favorable to him.
that an offer Of S100. 900 would be accepted.
Fiding that money could not buy the lake
because it was pointed out that a few ~,
hauling Ice. and the Sunday schools use it
yearly as a picnic ground, the Vanderotlts
resorted to diplomacy. Last Shris.mas
in North Hampstead a Christmas tree and
dispensed over two wagon loads of presents
among the scholars.
wasting the country. asking people to vote
for them and pointing. out the fact that,
while a few persons will be prevented from
more will be employed by the Vanderbilts
on their estate.
In the meanwhile Mr.. Vanderbilt is going
right ahead with the work of rivaling Mr.;
John p. Rockefeller in buying historical
lands! lam lsr In order ss.se to SECURE Ma has for era hlmself on e
building on his estate which he calls a
clubhouse" 1t is finished and the furniture
summer. 1t stands on a beautiful eminence
overlooking a vast and picturesque terri
tory. The spires and domes of New York,
f rdos NJ miles NH h, aWay; can snd be 1e s seen IRON nf f. the tse
hill and trees have been cut away. revealing
a vista over cultivated fields and the steePle
through the patriarchyal eims to the east.
The clubhouse contains everything need
full for the temporary comfort of the mill
lionaire. while building the greater mansion
the stone castle-which he has In mind. 1t
is provided with a library. billiard and
cardroom. indoor tennis court. bowling al
leys. bedrooms and living rooms
Hunt & Hunt. architects. are busy draw
ing up the plans and specifications for the
baronial castle which will be placed near
looking the lake. If the lake does not come
into his possession and still remains the
picnic grounds 1T has been, Mr.. Vanderbilt's
privacy on his hilltop will be nothing but q
name.
The plans for the clubhouse were drawn
Dy f1Orace lTumDaf OF PnlldOeipnla. ana
the building contract was awarded to NJ. W.
Young of Overlook. Pa. The structure Is
Of wood and brick, and has a frontage Of
m~acadamized road leads up from the lake
to the house, and near the house stands
the camp tree" a huge poplar, said to be
the revolution the British soldiers camped
under It for a month. The trunk measures
forty feet around ,ro and the spread of its
The estate which Mr.. Vanderbilt has DUR
chased includes six or seven farms and
tel. all of which will be torn down. He
owns all the land about the lax except one
little stretch of forty feet. which still be-
man about Great Neck before Mr.. Wander
bilt came. Mr.. Worley and Mr.. Vanderbilt
are great friends. and Mr.. Woriey is now
acting as Mr.. Vanderbilt's foreman during
his absence.
EXTENT OF THE ESTATE.
Not only does Mr.. vanderbilt
William G., whitney. on Wheatiey. Hills:
Mrs. Clarence Mackay. E. r. Chapman and
tween Mr., whitney and Mr.. Vanderbilt
Just how much Mr.. Vanderbilt has spent
for his estate will not be known. because
t the pr less paid paid !, are sns kept oahe se ,ys,aa snd cs the
siderations."
ON May 81. 1907. it came out for the first
time that Mr.. William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.,
| had been secretly making purchases Of $3.50
900 worth of land about Lake Success. The
purchase Included Queens Farm and the
Lake Success Hotel. formerly a popular
summer resort, standing on a knoll over
looking the lake. Three hundred and thir.
ty-four thousand dollars were paid for 4H
acres, the highest price ever paid for farm
land on Long Island.
Mr.. Woriey. who now acts as Mr.. Van
derbilt's foreman. sold him more property
around Lake Success. and on June %. 1S02.
Mr.. Vanderbilt bought thirty-nine acres
more of land around Success Lake from
Annie. l. C.. Gilman of Ridgewood, n. J.
The deed covers the land under water in