The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-03-04
TWoMBLY's LOVE OF BEAUTY


Il At His Country Estate.
Hamilton McKown Twombly. mill
Honaire banker Of New York and
brother-in-law Of William f. Wander
bilt. who died recently at his country
home, Florham Park. at Madison. N.
j., was born In Boston and received
his schooling there He went to Har-
ward and was graduated with the
class Of 1871.
For great many years Mr.. Twom-
bly,, who was q director OF many COM
panies, took lively part In the affairs
Of both business and society. He put
great deal of his energy and his love
Of the beautiful into his estate at
Madison. with its model farm. He
had several children. the oldest of
whom, a girl. died at the age Of six
teen, fourteen years ago: Florence.
who married William A. NJ. Burden in
1904; Ruth, who made her debut three
years ago, and son. who is named
for himself. 1t was largely to give
these children an outdoor life that he
designed the place. but the farm he
planned chiefly for the interest Of his
boy.
Florham covers almost 400 acres. 1t
is great park. laid out in gardens.
dotted with hundreds of specially
transplanted trees and crossed in all
directions by stone ballasted avenues.
The house, standing at the head Of a
gracefully terraced lawn. resembles
closely Hatfield House in England.
the home Of Lord Salisbury. The
farm, its stables and spotless dairy,
brought In at one time from the sale OF
its milk alone an average Of $1,000
year. The milk came from a herd OF
Guernseys, the first Of them imported.
among which are many ribbon win
ners. The milk. 1t Is said, was ped
died from a $1,000 wagon, drawn by
pair Of thoroughbreds. worth $500.
In gold mounted harness. The farm
wagons, too, were drawn by thorough
breds.
From his howers-he specialized in
orchids and chrysanthemums- there
came yearly some $25. 600. All Of them
were raised in the most scientific way
In elaborate greenhouses. of which the
most notable was the palm house.
standing sixty-four, feet above the
ground and topped by a mammoth
dome. "a MI
But Mr.. Twombiy lost interest In
these things, and in his business. too.
in the summer Of 1906. when the thing
happened which is largely accountable
for his death. His only son was spend
ing few months at Big Squam lake,
near Ashland, N. 81. He was eighteen
years old, had just been graduated
from Groton school and had elected to
spend his last vacation before entering
Harvard In helping to run the camp
managed there by Groton boys. On
July 5 the boys started to swim to
earns grove. mile distant from
camp. He had gone but few hundred
yards when he sank. No one could
reach him in time to help him.
The news Of the boys death was a
great shock. The fathers friends say
he never recovered from 1t at all. At
all events, 1t was not for year or two
that he returned to Madison, the place
so closely associated with his children,
and when he did 1t was not with the
old interest About that time, too. he
began gradually to withdraw from the
active business enterprises In which his
great fortune had interested him.
Mr.. Twombly was a stickler for de-
tails. Fer one thing. he could not bear
to be late at any engagement 1t IS
related Of him that once In the sum-
mer of 1905 to keep a dinner engage
ment at Newport he chartered spe-
ciaI train in Springfield. Mass. made
the 100 miles intervening between there
and Boston In 103 minutes and easily
caught the train he had to take from
there to Newport.