New-York tribune., 1905-12-31

which once extended miles up and down both hanks
OF the Hudson. and The ane old manor house of
William Patterson Van Rensselaer,. near this city.
once the scene q merrymeking for The gentry of
She countryside. Is doomed - raII before the on
ward march % the commercial spirit of the age.
The passing Of the last corsfGerz bic portion OF
once extensive domain into tne hands of a realty
company IS sad ending of rhat once promised 10
be great enterprise and marks the failure ot the
Plan e establish 2 landed gentry in this country.
The feudal system however successful II might be
n EuroIe, was not adapted to The needs or spirit
OF the new country. and the efforts to tx It Ipoa
the lands OK the Hudson Valley we're unavaing.
The decay OF tho system, which vas tried IN this
country. has taken hundred years. but the
steady advance OF the democratic spirit among the
early yeomen and their descendants was too in
sistent to permit deep roofing of the scheme here
Tho manor OF Rensselaerwyck was granted 70
kiHi2en Vsn Rensselaer, in 1880 BY the Dutch West
India Company. and extended twenty-four miles
north ard south and forty-eght miles east and
Tsst on Ioth sides Of the Hudson and comprised
the greater part OF the territory now occupied by
Albany and Rensselaer, counties II descended d-
rectly to Stephen Var Rensselaer, the hfth pa
t-oon. and was. his death, in 1899 divided be-
tween his sons. Stephen and William p Van
Rensselaer, The former mad rho property the
liz west side OF The river William P.
an lsnds in Rensselaer, County.
sas IN the commanding spot on a his vast
pc acTes overlooking the Hudson and Albany on the
ne opposite shore. William P. Van Rensselaer, pur-
mt posed to build the finest country manor house in
thiS part OF the State and with that view.
rnotandsca7e gardeners architects and artists
dis World afforded. No expense was to be spared
Bs in making the residence the beautiful and
ar permanent possible. and how well that purpose
m carried is BY the that the cost
m said have approxmated quarter Of million.
OF in the building the big pile
10 have wrecked his private fortune.
The of skilled artist evident
passes through the gates into the parkhke
that surrounds the house. A unique keepers
lodge TANKS the gate and winding drives lead to
eastern end the wide spreading
lawn There the first view OF the mansion bursts
the visitor who has not had inkling
OF the house is The landscape
eener planned the approach well. The perspec-
Rve of the house is fine and excels that found
in many country residences built to-day. The
lawn perhaps thousand feet long gives an almost
unbroken vista a. the far end Of which the house
appears. It gives evidence OF the Italian school Of
architecture and although much the for
OF repair, still has air Of distinc-
lion that win remain as long as vestige Of the
house stands
The long approach % the house gives the visitor
an opportunity 70 the atmosphere of the
place. and by the time the carriage brings him 10
the wide portco IS all difficult to imagine
William T. Van Rensselaer, a satin waistcoated
,ertleman with a black stock, standing there to
welcome his New Year guests
Tho portico Of brownstone, with its four Ionic
,o.unns of material leads to the massive
-, nj door which swings freely in days Of
.ore Not q sll IS sunken, ard NOT door in the
ouss slgs The front door the wide
Ncstihulc with floor OF parquetrN ana with nlassNs
onyx pillars Beyond this Is the grand hall, run
Ming north and south al right angles with the YES
Jau@
rris extends a. The south end to the marble
stairway which is really the glory Of the old
house The marnie steps wind about unsupported
and lead ,o inc apartments above The stairs are
as firm as when first built. They are constructed
on inc Keystone principle, the whole resting on
the bottom step which is firmly imbedded in ma
sonry ii such that the greater the load
the stairs called to bear the frmer they
stand The stairway has been inspected BY more
architects and builders probably than any other
similar structure in the country. mahogany
hslustrade bronze supports winds gracefully
with the stairs
on the lower floor the gorgeousy decorated
music room TO the left Of the yestibule. where
color runs riot in the ceiling decorations. where
the merry Pan Silenus the foster father OF
Bacchus occupies a leading position in the revelry
OF and satyrs. which centres in the Van
Rensselaer, of arms in blue and gold over
the doorway The ceilings high, and the
mantel of Carrara marble is carved with the pipes
Of Pan.
The north end of the grand hall ends in the big
dining room with its carved wanscoting. Although
this fine room has been transformed into a bar
room BY the efforts of a saloonkeeper who aimed
to make OF the big summer garden. and
although the tawdry fixtures and cheap glasses
disng1Ire the place. the old magniiceRce OF the
apartment cannot be hidden. Adjoining this room
and occupying the western outlook of the house
IS the library an hexagona room, with mahogany
bookcases extending from floor TO ceiling and mir
rors Of equal length between. while the ceiling
is frescoed 90 represent the interior of Grecian
temple Italian marble mantels adorn the fire
places in all the rooms the first floor. but that
in the library is the exQulsitely wrought
II was this mantel for which the present owners
nrs said 70 have received offer running into four
figures The design IS a carving Of the well known
picture The Flight Of Dawn The figures are
brought out in relief. and the detail shows the
degree Of perfection demanded by the architect.
The French windows command view os the Hud-
Adjoining the library IS the drawing ROOM 40 by
70 feet fresooed with Ionic columns and decorated
I'm white and gold. IN all its detail the house
shows evidences Of ;he italian school. and the
halustrades and verandas giving the villa effect are
strong and massive hVt delcately wrought. The
house was substantially constructed and, consider
.a7s~ its l use at the hands Of yandals and irre-
ponsitAe unappreciatve tenants, is yet IN good
condition. exterior IS covered with mastic. the
house being % brick The mastic has yielded 10
the ravsges of time and climate, and has crunbled
off IN places. but the structure whole in
tact
It's original owner about 1850 Was obliged 10 turn
8 the property into cash after occupying il only a
few years and II bought by PAU Forbes.
Nev-York man. Who acquired wealth IN the Chi-a
trade in latter part ot the eighteenth century
ord the first or the nineteenth Nj. Van Rensselaer,
was led to sell By the cutting of Of HIS income
from lands because the antI-rent difficulties
81 Anti-renters swsrrned the place and the PATRON
was doubtless made uncomfortable. II fright
ened away. A demonstration from hostile anti
renters is different proposition from the herd Or
subservient and placid retainers who we're ex-
pected 70 assemble az the big house. on rent DAYS
and pay their tribute Of grain sood fat poultry
he rents. though small obnoxious. and
1radua iIv fell into disuse