New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-10-15
WANT q mountain and lakes and
80 waterfalls and primeval forests

WANT mountain anu iakes eno
80 waterfalls and primevai forests
Il exclaimed James B. Duke, the
.,,,+,-rnilNonaire tobacco man. one day.
,ook,ng upon the trceless fats Of his estate
:, sonerville. " j.. and he waved his
-,src wand. the checkbook.
And lol the plain began to rise, and from
-. ,op OF the mountain there sprang a
.,-ssrl sending It's water over falls and
~sscades down into lakes and ponds, and
80 bare aelds covered themselves with
nig trees
IKE the great pyramid that rose above
.,s valley OF the Nile 20 proclaim 10 COM
,,e ages the power Of Cheops. so is now
-sinS nom the depths OF this magic noun
,.t5 new palace, TO crown the chain OF
,,us and 10 tower above the valley OF the
Rar4tan N enduring monument 10 the
rower OF money gathered from smoke.
But the plan is even more ambitious than
,h,s The chateau. Is 10 stand In a park
thai viii Guido In nagnihcence Of arti-
Ac,al scenery everything attempted in the
history OF gardens and parks in the coun-
trv Terraces have been laid out that are
intended 90 vie with the fabulous beauties
n. the gardens OF Seuliramis. Versailles
and Fontainebleau. the pride Of the French,
are 10 be surpassed IN the number of foun-
.sius ard tho variety OF their effects, there
vii be exotic plants that Will I'll with envy
,se gardener 70 the Vatican, and IN parts
sudie5 witness IS designed 10 make
Nature 1lusb for her best efforts IN places
thai have acquired regulations for beauty
o. a high order.
No place less adapted 20 the carrying
Oft u such plans could have been selected
Nv NJ. Duke than Sorne-ville, y. J. The
country is as lat as q plate. and even the
,or on hts estate was found 70 be only
,ssle and clay. But the man who created
tse Tobacco Trust, who In twenty years
t,rr on O. fortune Of so 10000 from the
V,.le nucleus OF $4,000, wanted a task,
q 1robiem that would tax his imagination,
and incidentally. give an outlet 70 the MILL
ions that monopoly and smokers we're pour
ipg into hts Golfers.
Not many miles away there are the Jer-
sey uplands. where hills and mountains.
streams and forests can be had IN album
dance. But Mr. Duke wanted them IN
sone--lle and what he wants he has been
accustomed 20 get backed BY the power OF
10 work % create a mountain
To those who may have visions Of the
-stskils. the Rockies or the Himalayas
-ris word mountain may appear ar ex-
aggregation. because Dukes mountain Is
only $50 feet high. But 10 Somerville Il 10
real lountain-a wonder. thing for
,oca pride Twice q week the populacs
marches out 20 view the progress Of the
uo-k. and every man. woman and child IN
ne vi'las, can tell the inquisitive stranger
hoV many million Cubic feet OF earth. how
many millions Of trees and shrubs have
'sen carted and hauled long distances 70
make THIS park. Local statisticians keep
tab on everything, and they have even at
tempted 90 squire OUT how much OF Mr..
Dukes tobacco had 70 be smoked 10 pro-
vide the funds Tor the work.
With me rapid growth Of his gigantic
fortune James B. Duke conceived the idea
Of owning an artistic country place equal
10 the dusst ST. the world. His idea OF this
vas landscape fun OF bills, lakes. water