Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-04

they were driving exceedingly shrewI- bar
gains when they got as much as $40 ana
500 an acre. But they soon got over this
folly, the milionaireS themselves, by dis
playing keen rivalry for the choice sites,
affecting the change, that prices rapidly
rose to five hundred dollars an acre, to a
thousand dollars, and in some cases to
two and three times that sum- William X
Vanderbilt, jr.. recently paid $4,000 for a
forty-acre farm which he coveted as an adj
ditiOn TO 'Deepdale,' in identifying which
he has already spent over a million dollars,
Clarence Mackay. in order to get control
of the hill on which his magnificent $780,
600 palace stands, was frequently compelled
to pay enormous sums of money to the
owners of five and ten-acre patches of the
hillside. 1t is probable that Mr.. Mackays
were record purchases, for his is one of the
two most desirable sites on Long Island,
and several of his acquaintance tried as
hard they knew how to possess his hill
themselves. But by outbidding all corners
and acceding to the demands of the various
owners holding out for all they could pos
sibly get the hill finally passed into Mr..
Mackay's hands, after several years of
anxious bargaining and pickering.
The Highest Point.
Harbor Hill, the million-dollar house
crowning this hill, is second only in point of
elevation to the great house owned by E. D.
Morgan. a few miles away. Mr.. Morgan
was one of the first millionaires to go into
the Wheatley Hills, and he was fortunate
enough to secure at a reasonable figure the
highest eminnece in Long Island. For some
time after Mr. Mackay bought his hill he
held that his the higher. Finally, in order
to settle the dispute, the principals went to
no little expense to have careful survey
made, with the result that Mr.. Morgan's
contention sustained.
Mr.. Morgan's estate is typical of the scores
round about lining the shores of Hampstead
Harbor and Manhasset and oyster bays,
and extending inland in almost continuous
procession a matter of ten miles or so.
There are at least 500 acres of wooded hill
and dale. In the center topping the hill
that slopes gently away on all sides, stands
the house. a low, architectural picture some
200 or 800 feet in length, with scores of
rooms and furnishings valued at over mil
lion dollars. Near the house are the great
barns, costing q fortune in themselves, and
equipped with horse flesh, equipages and all
the necessary accouterments at the eXpen-
diture of another fortune. AT The entrance
to the house grounds on one side of the
grand gateway, is a stone dance hall; on
the other a chapel, where on Sunday Mr.
Morgan and his family and his retainers
unite in worship, and scattered all about the
estate the various houses that shelter
the 1Go-odd Englishnen and 1rishmen and
their families who keep the estate in order.
their principal work outside of house and
stable, being the care of the grounds. On
these Long Island estates nothing in the
way of crops is raised. They are kept for
purposes of pleasure only, and they do not
bring in one cent of income to their owners.
Naturally 1t takes fat pocketbook to keep
such an estate running. Mr.. Morgan's year.
ly pay roll is close to 100000, and he
spends tens of thousands annually for new
machinery, improvements of various sorts
and refurnishings for house and stables.
Take an Active Interest
Their owners take a keen interest in
looking after the estates. For some it is
the chief part of their days work, as it is
no small task to direct an estate which re-
quires thousands of dollars a month to run
it. To manage such an estate properly the
owner has necessarily to be an expert in
many lines.
For example, Mr.. Morgan knows as much
about harness as the men who make it; If
he didn't he could not boast of the second
finest harness room in America, which he
has secured at cost of a good many thou
sand dollars. And he is far from being de-
ficient in knowledge of carriages and their
construction, horse breeding, landscape
gardening. fori and horticulture archi
lecture and art-all necessary specialties of
a managing owner. Hereafter, when you
hear that a Vanderbilt or a Belmont is
spending his time experimenting the lay
ing out of country estate somewhere,
don't envy him the job. Ten to one he is
meeting with great deal more trouble at
the task than you are experiencing over
your affairs.
Royal Hospitality.
On these estates the owners have made
ample provision not only for their own
luxurious comfort, but for that of the
guests as well, who are nearly always pres
ent in numbers, the average millionaires
country house being capable of easily ac-
commodating as many people as a fairly
good-siZed summer hotel. This thought
fulness frequently takes the form of a pri-
waite polo field. sometimes a private hunt
club, and nearly always a large stable for
those who love horsefiesh The various
members OF the late w. r. Grace's family,
who have broad estates grouped together a
short distance beyond Flushing, maintain