Omaha daily bee., 1906-01-28
AsToR TO RESTORE A CASTLE
Property In Kent WIN surpes. in
MaEnihceaee ITS Appearance
Under Henry VIII.

LONDON. Jan. N.-tspeciaI Cablesram TO
The Bee. .g-william Waldorf Astor has de-
cided upon a plan for the restoration OF the
historic castle Of Hever. which will have a
tendency TO restore TO this property many
OF its traditional, glories. Mr. Astor has
kept his plans in connection with the Inn
provements OF the castle Of Hever pro-
found secret. and II was not until he ac-
tualy commenced the operations looking
towards the Improvement Of the property
that any Of his ideas in this connection
leaked out. AFR. Astor IL best known as
large landed property owner In England by
his estate at Ciiveden- But II his plans for
the revival Of the castle Of Hever do not
make this estate begin to compare with
that OF Cliveden II is certain that the prop
erty will be improved until In its magnih-
cence it SURPASSED even what Il was back
in the days OF Anne BoIeyn and King
Henry VIII.
This new Astor estate is located in Kent
on the banks OF the River Eden Already
the old bridge across the river has been re-
moved preparatory to the building of a
strong bridge with wide spans broad road
way and steel frames. Among the other
plans for the Improvement may be men
toned the following: Restoration OF the
castle to its ancient battlemented gioriAs.
Building In ancient style series OF castle
villages. A model farm. An Italian garden.
A lake Of forty-ive acres An artessan well
and a capacious reservoir. Widening, and
changing the course Of The River Eden A
new public road three quarters OF a mile
long. A large power house for electro light
etc An extensive deer park.
Some idea OF the magnitude OF the opera
tions undertaken by AIR. Astor may be gath
cred from the carting operations alone. The
contract for these was given to a local
man. The contractor had score OF horses
OF his own. They we're all needed He
looked around for more and secured the
help and cooperation OF local farmers. Al
together some hundred horses have been
constantly engaged for two years past, and
1t is anticipated that as many more VIII be
required for three years to come.
Historians win be most interested in the
changes which Mr.. Astor is making in the
castle itself. One room called after Henry
VIII-in which the blum old English king
Is declared TO have slept while on visit
to Anne Boleyn-will be set apart for Mr..
Astor himself, and the historic long gallery
will be made the resting place Of the mast
erpieces OF many famous artists. Anne
! BoIeyn's rooms will remain untenanted Mr.
Astor preferring TO have them stand as they
were when he came into possession Of the
| property.
Originally there were three farms on the
estate. Two OF these have disappeared. The
remaining one has been so transformed and
perfected that it is probably without an
equal in the United Kingdom model
| farm.
Some idea Of the expense and the rnagni-
| fesree of the plans of Mr.. Astor may be
gathered from the fact that even the course
Of the River Eden has been changed to suit
( him. Originally the castle site was some
what low and the estate suffered severely
from foods In the future, however. tbs
land will he safe from the sudden risins
lof the sv.ater. 7. Is ast kect = how tat,ea
Mr. Astor conternplatcs spending on thi'
| property. but Judging from Appearances rht
cost Of the improvements alone will reach
| at least 100000