The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-18

the green meadows and wooded slopes OF
the towns of Dover, Natick and Wellesley,
are a number Of extensive estates owned
by Boston business and professional men
of large wealth.
On q recent afternoon the writer was
wanderingly aimlessly along the shore
Of O lake on the estates that now belong
to George A. Alden and A. W. Pope, when
his attention was drawn to the mouth
Of a cavern IN the rocky bluff that overhangs
the water. At frst glance 1t seemed
natural formation, but upon passing
short distance into the seini-darRness,
the decayed, fallen hmbers which once
supported and formed part Of the roof
attested to human origin.
Though the mere existence OF the cave
was mystifying, 1t was the additional dis
covery Of what can only be described as
stlmps OF artificial strlachtes, made OF
glass Of many colors. pendent from the roof
that led to the inquiries which elected the
singular story OF Ridge Hill Farms.
In 1888, William Emerson Baker, OF the firm
OF Grover & Baker, manufacturers OF sew
ing machines, having made what was for
those days an immense fortune, retired
from business, and removed TO Wellesley,
where he bought eight hundred acres OF
land In the valley OF the Charles, which
he proceeded to improve along lines unpar-
aileled In the annals Of farming.
At the present time there is little left
of the strange conceptions he here carried
out, except the lake and the ruins OF the
cavern; two large bear pits which for twenty
five years have been without tenant
few buildings, resembling Chinese pagodas.
long since fallen into decay, and. here and
there, scattered about the grounds great
columns Of granite which are. year by
year. slowly sagging from the perpendicular
Every trace Of all else that once made
Ridge Hill Farms famous, and which repre-
sented an expenditure Of million and
half of money, has loug since vanished
under the destroying touch OF time, fire
and dynamite, and the rapacity OF relic
hunters.
Thanks. however, to the good memory
OF the older inhabitants. who long ago
shared Mr.. Bakers eccentric but lavish
hospitality, and the possession Of guide
to the farm, written by him, 1t is possible
to reconstruct the place in imagination
much as it formerly existed in reality, and
to describe with accuracy the exLraordi-
nary entertainments there given by him.
The site Of Ridge Hin Farms is one and
half miles south Of the village OF Weiies-
lev and at the time Of Mr.. Bakers ocou-
pancy, was divided into two, nearly equal
parts by the extension Of one OF the village
streets.
On the east Of the roadway was the
family residence surrounded by lawn
700 feet in length and half as wide. bor-
dered with a continuous bed OF brilliant
portulacca. Near the house were several
clusters OF conservatories; the album
bowling alley; a pavilion, sox14o feet, in
tended for dancing, and log cabin used
as a kitchen at the times Of the greatest
gatherings.
There was also a stable. nearly as large
as the house itself, resembling q church
while only few yards from Its foundation
there rose to the height OF hundred feet
Mr.. Bakers .Norino tower OF amusement
and education From the second story
of the tower was the suspended 'doggerel
gallery connecting with another building.
which contained on its second floor the
"Arcadium for children" and on the ground
floor sTivoh Hall for grown-upe.
Here, also, butajust of the lawn on the
edge of Pavilion Grove was the private
chapel. 1t had over the door the words
Liberty OF Conscience; Faith, Hope and
Charity
From the ceiling within were suspended
white doves On Its walls were photo
graphs and mott oes in blue and gold, re-
lating to ethical subjects. and over the
windows quotations from the secular poets.
- tlNa obi nal thnt ran-
nels; the enclosures for deer, antelope, elk
and bison, and the structures where the
partially tanned and domeeticated animals
we're housed when necessary. At all times
MANY Of the latter could be seen wandering
at will about the grounds. but as every
animal in the collection was duplicated in
bronze, stone or zinc, in ifelike posture,
1t was sometimes hard to know the one
from the other.
With the exception of the residence, all
the buildings mentioned were elaborate in
design and decorated In strongly contrasting
hues; yellow and blue and gold hutings upon
a background Of black being the predom
nant color schen es. In addition the Norino
tower, the album bowling alley, and the
stable had uron their outer walls we'll
executed paintings illustrative Of the uses
to which the structures were put. For
example, upon the roof OF the stable was an
alleqorical pictures OF the Hor@ leading
forth the horses Of the Sun, and upon its
north and west walls respectively paintings
of Orpheus charming beasts with music
and the flight Of the Valkyrles,
That the stable was as odd within as with
out is proved by q passage from the guide
book 1t reads: -The hopper of the auto
matte feed boxes being filed and the indi.
Gator Of the clock set. the trap will fall and
the feed pass to the horses at hour indicated,
thus soon inducing the horses to watch all
clocks, thoughtful Of the feeding time"
The book also states that for the conven-
fence of the horses the stalls were 30 placed
that visitors could readily be seen by them.
The seven floors OF the Norino tower and
also the Arcadium and Tivolt Hall were
devoted to n echanical and electrical de-
vices optical delusions and illusions: games
of many kinds; trick paintings similar TO
those Of the Wiertz gallery in Brus sells:
models Of the famous buildings OF the world
and much else, 80 the owner says. intended
TO amuse and incidentally to instruct. The
album bowling alley was 80 designated
because MIR. Baker used its walls, as others
do books, for souvenirs Of his eventful life
To reach the part OF the estate where the
improvements were upon the largest scale
and which swallowed IN the bulk OF the
money spent at Ridge Hill Farms 1t was
necessary to cross the road and pass under
a stone arch, called the Chamois Gate. be-
cause Of two granite chamois poised thereon:
This raised. the visitor who wished to find
Sabrina Lake was obliged to follow for half
a mile the banks Of little stream which
had been diverted from its course and made