The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-02
CHARLES M. SCHWAB
 HAS COSTLY HOME Great Palace in Riverside Drive
 Nearly Completed IT COST ABOUT $5.00O,000 Striking Artistic Effects Inside and out-comblnatlon of the Antique
 and the Modern-oreat Col
 lection of Paintings.
 
IT COST ABOUT $5.OOO,OOO
By James creelman in the New York

By James creelman in the New York World.
 It has taken the work of more than 5000 skilled men and an expenditure of some thing like s5,000,00O to make ready the great French Renaissance palace on New York's Riverside Drive. which Charles M. Schwab, president of the Bethlehem Steel Works. will occupy in October. This impressive and princely residence picturesque feudal exterior, sheltering arrangements known to modern science reveals much of the character of the man. MT. Schwab has shown his respect for specialized knowledge and taste by trust ing his architect, who planned every de- tail, from the walls and roof to the lace curtains and dishes. The architecture and all that involves art, including the in terior decorations, the furniture, the sil- yer, the rugs and tapestries, even the tablecloths, are adaptations rcopies of the past. As for the rest-lighting. heat ing, ventilation and other practical details they represent the extreme developments of modern civilization. It is an amazing union of the age of steel and electricity with the most picturesque and free periods of French art. expressing the fertilization, the palace and the convenient American home.
 Behind the formidable gothic towers and granite walls and under the steep, antique roof are three dynamos, operating three electric elevators and 5000 lights; extensive apparatus that ventilates each room at a separate temperature, a modern swimming pool, with a comfortable Turk ish bath gymnasium, a bowling alley, billiard room an art gallery refrigerat- ing cellars libraries, and everything in that wonderful combination of art and science, past and present. from the hew- ing of the 60000 square feet of granite and the fashioning of thirty-two carloads of steel to the painting of the ceilings, the setting of the mosaics, the carving and gliding, the weaving of the. tapestries. rugs and lace hangings; the firing of the porcelans and hammering out of silver all has been accomplished In four years, and without a labor strike; nor is there an awkwardness noticeable from the massed machinery in the cellar to the roof garden and sun parlor on the sum init of the hugh structure.
 Passing through the magnificent open work bronze doors of the main entrance one enters a great hall, with a stained glass ceiling. which ends in a ceremonial staircase, dividing to the right and left at broad landing, with a chapel re- cess brilliant with stained glass and fur nished with a grand organ. There is an echo organ on another floor. and the hall skylight is so arranged that the distant strains can be heard on the main floor. The floor is a shining parquet of rare woods, bordered with delicate mosaics The woodwork Is carved mahogany, picked out in gold: the walls are covered with soft green canvas and the ceiling l is ivory white TO the left is a splendid ma afa1 of I,,-
 nettes representing "The Renaissance" and Faith and Charity" from the brush | of Albert Mantelet.
 | To the right of the hall. in the front of the building. is the Louis XVI draw ing room, all white enamel and gold, with d marvellous ceiling nodded in pure white the center occupied by a painted | allegory of "Eden"-antique statuary on the dainty mantel and two tapestries rep resenting Bouchers Love Message" woven in America by Fren artisans from cartoons prepared by Arthur Thomas. It is not very large room and the epoch feeling is preserved strictly, even in the specially designed room and curtains and the tapestry furniture. There is not piece of woodwark In the house, not a rug or curtain, Or disn or ornament that was not first drawn on paper to scale. and In it's proper color, before 1t was made.
 
 Across the hall opposite the drawing room. Is the main library, in the style of Henry II, with walnut woodwork, old red canvas walls. an ivory-white ceiling. and a copy of the famous carved mantel at Fontainebleau which reaches in the ceiling.
 In the rear of the library. facing the south is the Louis XIV dining room. It's old carven mahogany, gilded bronze. an- tique green marble and dark epoch fur niture well set off five magnificent tap estry panels. woven in America from Louis XIV designs, representing four seasons and Abundance" These tapes- tries were exhibited at the St. Louis exposition. The dining table, chairs ta- ble cloth. napkins, china silver and cur tains were all made from special de- signs in the Louis XIV style.
 It may be interesting to know that Mir. Schwab's dining plates, intended for about thirty guests, cost in the neighbor- hood of s10.000 There are s10,000 worth OF lace curtains on the windows of the house.
 MT. Schwab has a great collection of paintings, but the feature of his art gal lery consists of two heroic bronze figures. the last work that came from the hands ~