The evening world., 1903-04-27
William K. Beautiful Coun.
try Seat, idle Hour"
Near Oakdale, l. l., Badly
Damaged by Third Fire.
TALL TREES SWEPT AWAY.
Rustic Nooks Where the Duke
and Duchess of Marlborough
Passed Their Honeymoon Are
Burned, Stables Too.

idle Hour the country estate Of
William X. Vanderbilt. ST.. near Oak
dale. L. l., the retreat of the, Duke and
Duchess Of Marlborough after their
wedding. and where Willie X. Wander
bdlt, Jr., and his bride spent their honey
moon, was damaged by fire early to-
day, several of the stables containing
carriages and automobiles and farm i'm
plements and cottages of the employees
being destroyed.
The most serious and probably ir-
reparable damage was to the fine piece
of ood south OF the mansion. 1t was
In these woods, where there are rustic
settees and fascinating summer re-
treats. that Consuelo. daughter of Will
lam X. Vanderbilt. led her Duke to the
uiet places which the critics said were
built on purpose for honeymooning.
It was here. too. that Willie K. jr.,
took his bride. Miss Virginia Fair, four
years ago. and 1t was believed that
William K. ST.. would now bring his
bride, who until Saturday was Mrs.
Lewis II. Rutherford. to the same re-
treat
Destroyed I'm 1900.
idle Hour has been undergoing al
tsrauons M improvements In anticipa-
ton OF the coming of the new bride,
n 1t was perhaps on this account that
the IRE to-day was discovered as soon
rs It was.
The old mansion and its surrounding
buildings were entirely destroyed by
fire the night of April IL. 1899. n WILL
lam X. Vanderbilt. jr., n his bride,
who were spending their honeymoon
there. fed to save their lives. The bride
lost her trousseau.
F. Seven years before that, while o. H. p.
Belmont was q guest at one Of the
house parties given by Mrs. Vanderbilt,
who is now Mrs. Belmont, idle Hour
caught fire from a huge CRATE, and all
the guests. who had retired. fled to the
lawns In their nightgowns M pajamas.
When the bride and bridegroom were
routed by The fire four ear ago, which
resulted In the total destruction Of the
place. the young Mrs. Vanderbilt de-
clared that h had seen a man on the
lawn and that she believed the Gre was
incendiary.
Nearly, 200 Employees on Estate.
Mr.. Vanderbilt at once erected the
new idle Hour" and 1t is said to be
ern country, mansions and estates in ex-
istence. 1t has cost nearly $4,000. 900, and
in its maintenahee nearly 200 persons are
ployed In the mansion itself, the great
majority being in the estate surrounding
1t; In the stables. machine shops and
The men in the fields near the lake
saw smoke early to-day apparently
coming from the roof Of the idle
given and ali hands started for The
scene. On the way the private tire-en-
CINE and fre-fghting apparatus. with
which the place was equipped after the
hauled out and a dash made for the
handsome modern building.
But II was found that the fire was
OF the house. In one part Of these woods
are several cottages for employees.
y, some stables and a new stone and
brick house in which are stored a num-
Der of automobiles.
Fire I'm h Woods.
All of these burned and fire spread
ssn w 1ns named A iniS sfHi'oh By St the
Duchess OF Marlborough. il was here
that long after her marriage, she con
greatest happiness. 1t was a delight
fully wild spot which maA had Invaded
to max more comfortable. This is now
q waste and only nature may restore
After two hours of hard fighting the
wind threatened TO blow the fire over
to the mansion. and the south side of II
was kept water soaked. In case the
were made to save the most Valuable
property. AT the last fire many vaIu-
able paintings and much plate and art
works were destroyed.
The superintendent of the place was
unable 10 place an estimate on the dam
age done by. the fire to-day He SAID IA
would largely depend on The damage
10 the automobiles and the Cottages
which could, not be determined until an
inpestlgRtt0i is made. ~ ~
He cableds the news of the fire IN
William X. Vanderbilt. who with his
bride is at his country home at Poissey.
a Paris. 1t was understood that Mr.
Vanderbilt and his pride would soon
come over to idle Hour"