The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-05-21

LAKE SUCCESS FROM PUBLIC ROAD.
This spot Mr.. Vanderbilt wishes to close
to the public.l
has been informed that he cannot buy
the land at any price, he has also been
told that if the estate ever goes on the
market he Will be given the first chance
to purchase. He is indignant at the
stand taken by the authorities, how
ever, for he believes that somebody. is
trying to squeeze" him because he is
millionaire. Some time ago he offered
the town $4,000 for it's rights in Lake
Success, an offer which many conserva-
tive residents deemed very fair, basing
their opinion on what is said to have
been the value appraised by Brooklyn
when it thought of obtaining the lake
as part of the city's waterworks sys-
tenn. Several reasons were advanced
nevertheless for the rejection Of the Of
fer, and rejected it was.
The principal reasons for the adverse
decision Of the authorities were that
the price was not high enough, that
some of the townspeople harvest ice
from the lake and that In summer it is
used for boating, fishing and picnics.
As matter of fact, there lis small evi-
dence that. the townspeople flock to
Lake Success either in summer or VIM
ter. The three small roads are over
grown with grass and weeds and in
every way present the appearance of
highways that are seldom used. and
any picnic parties that might select
Lake Success for the scene of their fes-
tivities would be obliged to content
themselves with the width of the road,
for the property on either side is Sc
curely fenced with barbed wire Which
in some places extends a short distance
into the lake itself.
It is altogether probable that but for
leak regarding Mr. Vanderbilt's
plans ne would long ago have acquired
the rights now held by the townsfoIk
Just exactly a year ago it became
known that he had been quietly buying
up large tracts Of land for a country
place bordering on Lake Success, ana
once this information became public
property the lake valuations rose to a
marked degree. Up to May, 1902, Mr.
Vanderbilt had secured 474 acres, for
which he paid 1884 .o0o the record
price for Long Island farm land Since
then he has bought much more until
his holdings now aggregate 643 acres.
For neighbors he has such people as
w. G. Whitney, Clarence H. Mackay.
e. r. Chapman and the Pagets, and it
is his intention to rival these in the
sbaronial estate line.
Therefore, although he cannot yet
say what will become of his project to
obtain exclusive rights to the lake. he
is busily engaged in improving his
property. The plans for the mansion
which he intends to build are not com
plete as vet, but he has already erected
smaller building which he calls the
clubhouse and which is fully large
enough to make pleasant temporary
home. The grounds have been taste
fully laid ont. lawns have been seeded
and roads built
Il goes without saying that the lake
itself is the most picturesque feature
of the domain. surrounded as the wa
ter is by splendid growth of oak. pop
lar and chestnut. 1t is quarter of a
mile long and averages an eighth Of a
mile in width. Shallow near the shores.
it is very deep in the center, SO deep in
fact that some of the country peopIe
grayely assert that its bottom has new
er been sounded. The origin of its
name Is unique.
In 1790 the New York state legisla-
ture passed q bill providing for what is
believed to have been the first expert.
ment at fish culture in this country.
The law enacted that the authorities
should stock the pond at Lakeville
with small yellow perch from Ron
konkoma," another lake about thirty
miles to the east The experiment was
success. and forthwith the pond was
christened Lake Success.
HENRY BAYLEY.