Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1910-06-20
AMERICANS OWNERS
OF MANY IMPOSING
PALACES IN VENICE
tBy William F.. Curtis. Correspondent
Chicago Record Herald)

tury architecture In the form of pal
aces may be purchased in Venice all
the way from $4,000 upward Only
few years ago the Palazzo ca d,Oro,
which has often been called the most
beautiful residence in all the world.
and certainly is the finest specimen
of fourteenth century gothic, WAS pur-
chased by Baron Franchetu for $780,
900. IT must have been built some
time between 1870 and 1910, for its
owner and builder, Andrea Doro, was
banished as n conspirator in 1910. AT
one time the entire front was gilded
and sbone like FURNISHED gold. 1t
must have been wonder to look at.
Baron Franchetti intends to restore 1t,
| for building that has stood 700 years
even in this climate requires more or
less repair
Baron Franchetti is perhaps the
richest man in Venice. He is a He
brew His father married into the
Rothschild family and represented
them In Venice for many years. He
lives in an ancient palace, called the
Palazzo Cavalli, which was completely
restored about fifty years ago and is
one of the show places which tour
lists visit. The baron is a dlettante,
| fond OF the arts and sciences, and very
| netian affairs. He has a brother liv-
| ing at Milan, who is given TO music
and has composed several operas, some
of which have been reproduced upon
the stage without much success. Two
of them are called "Asrael' and "Cris.
toforo CoIombo"-the former based
upon the flight of the children OF Is.
rael from Egypt, and the latter, as
may be assumed from the title, con
Germs the discovery OF America.
The Palazzo Contarini Degli Scrigni
which adioins the Academy of Fine
Arts on the Grand Canal is owned
by the Peabody family of Boston, and
| the Contarani della Figuri belongs to
the Princess Poignac, a daughter OF
Mr.. Singer, the sewing machine man.
She formerly spent much of her time
here. but usually her winters are spent
in Rome, where her husband has an
office at court, and the palace is leased
TO George =, Eustis, son of the late
Senator Eustis of Louisiana Peabody
Russell of Boston is the owner of the
Rocco Palace, which is considered one
of the best examples of fifteenth cen.
fury gothic. The late Robert Hargous
of New York had a long lease of the
| Contarani-Fasan Palace, known to ev'
cry tourist who visits Venice as the
house of Desdemona According to
| tradition. Shakespeare's heroine was
born and died there. The palace was
| formerly open to visitors during Ger
tain months of the year, but Mr.. Har-
gous and his daughter, Mrs. Duncan
Elliot. usually occupied it during the
| summer. He was great favorite
among the Venetians, who call him the
American Prince Mrs. Elliot is a
! famous beauty and always creates q
| - hFotioh Shc hpEtal - but
since his death the palace has been
| closed and their collection of furni.
tire and curios was shipped TO Bos
ton.
which is considered one of the best
| examples of the pointed gothic archi.
lecture. formerly belonged to Pizanni,
| enc of IKE doees Of Venice, and was
| occupied manv years by David Sar-
gent Curtis OF Boston. Photographs
of this house are dis libuted over the
world, and one of the romances asso-
ciated with 1t concerns Lord Byron's
physician, DR.. Van Nellegen, an Eng
| lish adventurer, who lived in various
countries of the east and had all kinds
OF wives Greeks, Egyptians, Turks
and ltalians-like a sailor, a wife in
every port. By his Italian wife he
had a daughter who turned out tc
be an unusually capable woman. She
married the heir of the Pizanni family
which had become impoverished ant
had nothing left OF their former wealth
hut this house and farm in the
country. She took hold of affairs soor
after the wedding and by her shrewd
ness, foresight and enterprise made
the whole family rich.
An interesting story is told to ex
plain why Mr.. Curtis came to live IL
Venice. It is said that while in
Boston street car one day tough
insl,ied lady. Mr.. Curtis ihterferet
and gave the fellow thrashing, bu
instead of receiving the thanks OF tn,
community for his gallantry he wa
arrested and sent to jail for as saul
and battery. He refused to live an,
longer in such a community and cam,
here. Mr.. Curtis died in London il
1908. Osborne Curtis, the elder son
lives in London and Ralph S. Curtis
me younger, in Paris.
The Foscai Palace, Witch the guild,
% III tells you is the nNbiest exampl,
in Venice of the ffteenta century goth
ic, and where. as guests of the repuh
lie, have lodged Francis and Henry
kings of France; the king and queen o
| Poland the EmDeror and Emnres