The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-19

cottages on the preserve, and one hun
bred cottages will be built for the ex-
elusive use Of members. AS the club
win be practically limited, to one hun
dred members this plan will give each
member an individual lodge or cot
tage on the hunting grounds. Camps
will also be built in various portions of
the forest The clubs privileges ex-
tend over a period Of ten years. from
Jan. l, 1904.
The tract includes the counties of
Buncombe, Henderson, Haywood and
pennsylvania, in North Carolina, with
exception of Mr.. Vanderbilts beautiful
chateau and the six thousand acres i'm
mediately surrounding it. his private
lodge on Mount Pisgah and a small
tract known as the Busbee tract. This
vast estate abounds in game, such as
deer, bear, wildcat, grouse, pheasant
ana quail, which affords opportunity
for sport quite superior to any pre-
serve east of the Rocky Mountains, not
TO mention the scenic features, which
are unsurpassed in the world. For
the lovers of small game shooting, on
the Bent Creek section are large areas
of cultivated farms, which, with prop
er care and restocking, will provide ex-
cellent shooting for the whole period of
the clubs, lease. On. the tract is a
farmhouse, with ten roomss which may
be used by the hunters as a desirable
camping place to and from the fishing
and large game shooting. e.
The terms of the lease give the club
the use of the large house on the Bent
Greek estate, fishing camps in Hender
son county, a new four room house on
the south fork of Mills river. and the
new houses on Davidson river. The
protective staff of uniformed rangers
VIII be maintained as heretofore at
Mr.. Vanderbilt's expense. Thus the
game preserve will be amply protect
ed. Aside from the hunting and fish
ing rights the club will have free use
of the entire estate of $4,000 acres. The
1900 miles of. trout streams will be re-
stocked by Mr.. Vanderbilt each year
and by the terms of the lease he will
place in the Biltmore waters $4,000
trout annually from his hateheries.
With shares fully paid in the club
will represent a, capitalization of $780,
900, which will be divided, into ESQ
| shares of $500 each, full paid and nom
asseSsable. In order to build a lodge
or cottage on the preserve a share
holder must own three shares, which
in turn will entitle it's owner to a site
of two acres. The owner of two shares
in the club will be entitled to two
building sites. No member will be al
lowed to own more than five shares.
/ New York Boston, Philadelphia,
Washington, Baltimore, Newport ana
Narragansett will be represented in
the membership.
Pisgah forest, with it's roadways and
trails, is now easy of access from
Asheville and Biltmore, and cottagers
from the vastness of the forest may
shoot and fish and still be in touch
with civilization II they choose. The
first business meeting of the club will
be held on Jan. l, at Kenilworth Inn,
when active plans for the hunting and
fishing season will be mapped out and
the club formally organized.
Why Mr.. Vanderbilt has leased such
a large portion of his estate has been
a matter of much conjecture not only
in the North but in the South as well.
Various reasons have been given as to
why he should allow outsiders the
right to invade his vast Carolina pos
sessions. Those who know him best
surmise that underlying the wish that
Pisgah forest should at least in reve-
nue. pay it's taxes, lover Of beauties
that he is, it is no more than natural
that he should desire others to share
the glories of his magnificent preserve,
WHICH SnOulu SCdICcly DG dppIC NAdlCu
in any other way. Thus shorn of the
business aspect of the leasing of Bit
more, which in reality will be but a
| trif1ing addition to his income, the
transaction shows the generosity Of Mr.
Vanderbilt. . ,eF. ett-..-
While it is generally known that he
it not a devotee of the rod and gun as
sportsmen go, nevertheless he is low
err of nature, and in developing the
resources of the Biltmore landscape he
has proved himself AN artist. 1t has
been generally understood that Mrs.
Vanderbilt has not cared for Biltmore
as a place of residence, and in the flu
ture Biltmore will probably be used
for brief visits and house parties dur
ing the year.
Mr.. and Mrs. Vanderbilt are passing
| a portion of the winter in France.