The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-27
i ICHIGAN
RAzING A MANSION
Luxurious Home Of Longyear at
Marquette Will Be Moved to
II Boston Suburb. .....
Money Spent Upon It and Adjacent
Grounds Close to Half
Million. '.
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Marquette, Mich, Jan. 27.-The costly
being demolished. It is being torn down,
stone by stone, and a portion of the mate
rial will be shipped to the east and be
utilized in the construction of a new home
for the millionaire. He has selected
Brookline, Mass. as his future place of
residence. The mansion which is being
RACED has been the finest private residence
in the state and one of the best in the
northwest. 1t stands on the Longyear
property on the lake front, and with the
great stone wall which surrounds it and
the identifying Of the grounds, cost, it Is
estimated, close to half a million dollars.
The house is constructed of Lake Supe-
rior sandstone, is very deliberately finished
and contains many costly works Of art
brought from Europe. e. ~..-.
Nearly all the sandstone will be used in
the erection Of the new building in the
east, as well as the, interior hnishings,
which are especially valuable. The panel
ing Of the walls is in sections and can
easily be removed and shipped. A local
contractor has charge Of the work of de-
molition. 49,
The reason for the practical removal Of
the costly dwelling to the east is that it's
great value has virtually made it unsal
able. It's rental was repugnant and the
idea. of it's abandonment one that could not
well be considered the only course left
open apparently being its transfer to The
east particularly there are associa-
lions connected with it that make any
financial considerations immaterial to a
man Of Mr. LOngyear'S wealth. A further
motive Is found in the fact that Mr.. Long
year owns a $4,000 summer cottage on
his Ives lake farm, up the lake shore about
fifty miles, which will furnish pleasant
accommodations for the family on their
xyleff to oh
the warm season. ...
This explanation, however is not accept
ed by the people in general. It is alleged
that the millionaire has become ernbittered
against the city, and that in this lies his
motive for ordering the demolition work
to proceed. -
A little over two years ago. when it was
announced that the Marquette & South
eastern road was to be built, and that the
proposed route would take the line in
front of the Longyear mansion the owner
of the costly property filed a protest. AL
though not opposing the construction Of
the road, Mr.. Longyear naturally did not
relish the tracks being located so near his
property, particularly as it was his inten-
ton to beautify extensively the lake front
In that vicinity and also because he con-
tended there were other routes just as
| good.
| Two other routes by which the railroad
| could enter the city were suggested, it is
| said but were refused consideration by
| the company the ground Of excessive
cost Of construction and future operation.
With the railroad, it was a case of the
| lake front route or none, and with the
matter In this light the common council
granted the necessary franchise. The next
move by Mr.. LolIgyear was to secure an
injunction restraining the proposed work,
and as an offset the company instituted
condemnation proceedings. The hearing
in the latter case consumed several days
and was vigorously fought on both sides.
The outcome was that the. jury condemned
! the right Of way across the Longyear
lands and awarded but $4,000 damages,
the contention being that the lands af-
fected would actually be benefited de-
spite the claim of the defendant that his
property would be ruined for residential
purposes as he had planned it. Immedi-
ately afterward the restraining order was
dissolved, since which time the railroad
has been completed and is adding mate
rally to the welfare Of the city.