The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-01-23
(Ry J. A. CreWs.)

This is my third day of sight SCENT
In the beautiful town of West Palm
Beach and Palm Beach. About thi~
date last year l spent a day here while
on my way to the Bahama Island n
Cuba l am at the LaGrange-SemlnoIe
Hotel in West Palm Beach. which is
Just across Lake Worth from Palm
Beach proper. From my room. which
fronts the lake, / am opposite n in
GfulI view Of WHITEHALL" the palatial
new home of Mr.. and Mrs. Flagler-
the home OF North Cardinals richest
lady. or. I might say, the home of n
of the weaIthiest women in the United
States or the world.
WHITEHALL"
81 clip from the souvenir number OF
the Lake Worth News, which it copies
from he New York Herald, a partial
description of "Whitehall," which I am
sure will be interesting to many Mes
senger readers:
More wonderful than any palace in
Europe, grander and more magnificent
than any other private dwelling in the
world Is Whitehall, the new home
Henry M. Flagler has built in the Lana
vi Il " ~ - NAS CA-''Ao
the quarries, the old salons. the ART
shops and the looms have contributed
some of the choicest treasures to deck
this marvellous structure. 1t is in ma
lures garden spot OF the banks or
Lake Worth, at Palm Beach, Fla. Pill
grims with poetic fancy will find in
Whitehall beauties that are grouped
nowhere else on earth. TO go from
room to room is to go from century t.
century. from one period of art 70 an
other. The golden fairies AVE had no
thought of cost on this. their most eX-
Quisite creation. 1t is to turn back the
pages of time to visit WHITEHALL. Fit
ting to the place and the associations.
the architecture is that of Spain. but
Its exterior gives no suggestion of it's
slories of interior decoration and orrra-
meutatiOn. and it is within the walls,
and not outside, the artist will find the
charms which hold him captive.
In every detail in this palace the
work has been so thorough that he
who visits it would be led to believe
the structure was built a hundred on
more years ago instead of being a pro-
duct Of the present day. just released
from the builders hands. Men have
been working day and night for a year
in this country and in II lily and in
France. making and collecting the
decorations, and now their work is
ended. In the grouping of sculpture,
tapestry. rugs, antique furniture. cera-
mics. bronze and panels there is Moth
ming the Uorld to equ"l Whitehall
AS its name suggest. Whitehall is Il
palace of white. AS E3u approach the
broad marble steps : hich lead to the
~eOIOnnade the ines @ white are br0kAn
by the can palrls and the orange
trees in front. Or : within the great
bronze grill doors the fancies of the
fairies begin to unfold. The hall is
of marble. It is 10 feet long n forty
feet wide-large enough, almost. to
marshal half a regiment. The ceilins
is twenty feet high. with a dome In
the center upon which are decorations
1n canvas representing the "Crowning
of K~nOWledgr." Cameo medalliOnS
tyrifying the earth, the sea. the air
and the soil stud the ceiling. and there
ere panels representing prosperity ana
happiness. In inches are lift sized stat
utes, Peace, Science, PenSiVe and Ma
rine. while sixteen marble columns ut
the end OF the hall and at the APP
to the grand staircase d t"
the imposing grandeur of the whole.
Panels of rare AubussOn tapestry are
hung at either end of this hall. repre-
setting Faith. Family, Patriotism and
Humanity. One of the glOries of this
hall is q Kirmansha rug, soft in color
and of Persian design. 1t is forty-tw"
feet long by twenty-seven feet wide.
the largest OF is kind ever made.
Many OF the chairs and important
pieces of furniture are richly carved
in LUuis XIV design, covered with
tapestries and silk v~elvets. The clock
is q masterpiece in bronze. standing
nine feet high. 1t represents time rid
ing the world in a cloud The top Is
by rays of the sun, ano
below the bronze is made to show the
fruits of the earth.
In an opposite corne is. an antique
F~lorentine chest. with n decorator
panel representing the marriage OF
B~OCcaeciO. Windows in the hall are
in Spanish tapestry of green,
and the portiereS are plain green vel
our with antique cloth of gold appli-
Qued borders. Four slender pyramid
trees. ten feet high. stand near the
windows to complete the color scheme.
On the left of the hall is the library,
which is of the Italian Renaissance
period. The walls are hung in rich
tapestry in two shades of red.
and the pOrtieTes are OF red velvet.
windows are hung with Arabian
IaCes. n over the mantel is Il large
oil painting of Mr.. Eiagler.
Aubusson tapestry furniture. carved
walnut chairs and n richly carved
table. with SavOnnerie rug in rich
tones of red and border in gold. rare
books and paintings complete the fur
nIshings OF the library. One of its
pieces Is an bic painting representing
the landing of Ponce de Leon in
As The music ROOF IS hung with fine |
paintings. it is actually an art gallery |
as well and IS designed after the !
Louis XIV. period tSiZe. 66N24 feetl
n room also has Il domed ceiling. |
with Il decorative canvas paneI
of the aurora which is lighted at night |
by invisible electric bulbs. !
The pipe organ is the largest ever
placed in a private house in this coun |
try Every detail Of Color and design
employed In the decoration of the
is carried out in the organ case.
A handsome piano. Boucher panels, |
goes to make up 4 complete music
room. There are some subjects in Au- !
busson tapestry furniture and richly
carved banquet SaVonnerie seats. and
ChandF[e of cut glass. with sun |
of electric lights above. The !
floor is finished in selected oak. laid |
IN clearinghouse pattern.