The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-11
BILTM0RE HOUSE.
Why NE. Vanderbilt Closed His S3,-
100000 Country Home.

Providence Or ID Journal.
Announcement was made on Wednesday
that Biltmore House. the country home of
George w. Vanderbilt near Asheville, N.
c.. on which Mr.. Vanderbilt has spent mil
lions Of dollars. is to be closed at least for
one year and probably for a longer period.
With the announcement comes the report
that large number OF the employees of the
estate have been discharged, and that the
improvements which have been going on for
several years are to be curtailed, though
they will not be stopped entirely.
The forestry department has not been
touched owing to the fact that the master
OF Biltmore has practically nothing to do
with it. In 1t are many young men from
the East learning forestry under DR.. Schenk,
the head forester OF the estate, who re-
ceives fees from the students in person.
A story that is generally believed is that
Mr.. Vanderbilt is disgusted with the dis
covery made some days ago that the estate
had been robbed to the amount of 5000 or
more The investigation Of the books Of the
estate Is proceeding, but whether a larger
defalcation thar the one at first discovered
has been found cannot be stated
Mr.. Vanderbilt will not prosecute the man
suspected OF the crime. The servants at
Biltmore House. with few exceptions, have
been discharged.
The house was to be closed yesterday
when Mr.. Vanderbilt was expected to leave
Asheville for New York. 1t is understood
among his friends in AshevilIe that he will
sail for Europe soon after reaching New
York and that he will not set foot in Bilt-
more House again for a year at least and
perhaps not for longer period
No estimate as to the exact number of
men who were discharged can be obtained,
on account OF the close-mouth order which.
IL Is said, was issued as soon as the de-
faIcation was discovered
Biltmors has long been known as the
finest country estate in America 1t is sit
uated on the Asheville plateau among the
mountains OF western North Carolina. with
the Blue Ridge peaks on the east and the
Great Smoky mountains on the west. With
100 giant peaks rise above the cloud line
and the effect they produce is bewilder-
ingiy majestic Forty.three OF them are
Biltmore House is about four miles from
the center OF Asheville, and can be seen
from th. Battery Park Hotel. Visitors with
proper passes have been permitted to drive
through the great park which surrounds
the chateau. and il has been said that even
In England and Scotland there is no prop
erty that compares with this Vanderbilt
estate In elegance or extent
Mr.. Vanderbilt Is a serious-minded man,
intent on the solution OF social and indus
trial problems and anxious TO make the
most OF his great wealth. Nobody knows,
OF course, exactly how much money he has,
but perhaps S30.0C0,0O Is a fair estimate.
He has interested himself in scientific for
estry and highway making and the breed
ing OF fine stock, and in the village OF
Biitmore, two miles from Asheville by
rail. he has given a good Illustration of
what can be done In the way of construct
Ing a model and sanitary village. The little
community has a church and rectory, "A
postoffice, the offices of the Biltmore es-
tate, the homes of his employees and the
carhouse i'm which Mr.. VanderbiIt's pri-
vate railway car is kept. Mr.. Vanderbilt
rents the neat cottages TO his workmen and
supplies them with electrical facilities for
lighting and cooking. He supports the
village church. which Is handsome struc-
ture OF stone. and Is, in short, the COM
munitys great and good friend.
The Vanderbilt chateau contains thirty-six
suites OF rooms and the annual December
house parties there are luxuriausly accom-
modated. The house was begun i'm 1890 and
$3.0cJ.00O. In other words. IL cost as much
as the Rhode Island Statehouse and
grounds combined. Beyond this, four mill
ions have been spent on the purchase and
There are $500 acres In the estate imrne-
diately about Biltmore House, and outside
this great tract is a vast area OF more than
10000 acres. which Mr.. Vanderbilt owns,
stretching miles away into the recesSes OF
the mountains and including Mt. Pissah
which Is over $500 feet above the level of
the sea The estate Is watered by the
Swannanoa and French Broad rivers, the
latter stream bounding the property for a
distance OF six miles.
1t Is exaggeratiOn 20 call the magniii-
cent estate an earthly paradise. The clear
air, the beautiful panorama OF hill and
stately chateau and gardens, the combina-
ton Of natural delight and cultivated
charm make IL impossible for the visitor at
n<ltmore 70 refrain from superlatiyes