The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1911-05-26
DUKE PARK.
The Future Home OF J. A. Duke,
Who Rose From Cotton Seed
Dropper TO Tobacco King.


Editors Midland Journal
Not until last week had it been my privileg,
to quench the burning thirst to visit tn,
famous Duke Park, located at Raritan, New
Jersey, which is reached by trolley from
Bound Brook. When stepped off the trolley
the only thing to greet my eyes was crude
rustic stone structure. This was the filterine
plant for the two million gallon pump which
supplies water to the park Next was the
pumping station which was similar to all Other
pumping plants. In going from one to the
other we crossed rustic bridge which was
the gateway to the park, once tract of IL,
acres which has since been added to from
time to time until now 5000 acres are enclosed
This entrance is one mile long and sixty feet
wide, lined with trees on either side and
cost $4,000.
The first thing we noticed was lake fed by
small stream. The bed of the lake was
made of large stones laid in cement, although
at the time we thought it was one of Natures
creation.
AS we wendell our way further in we saw in
the distance on hill great column of mist
rising high in the air. We afterward found
that the park contains forty or more such. OF
different volume
BY this time the mansion had been reached,
frame structure ranging from two to six
stories, covered with dingy paint and sur
rounded by beautifully laid out flower beds.
statuary and images This was not far from
tne entrance and did not reveal the most at
tracuve part OF the grounds, until the stable
was reached. There we saw the carriage and
harness rooms in which were 81 carriages of
dlHerent styles and harness by the dozen sets
oIrange TO say, we saw no autos The passage
ran through the middle of the stable, with
pox stalls on one side, the doors of which were
ntted with brass strap hinges four inches wide
nair inch thick and eighteen inches long
fastened with brass bolts. AL the other trim
mlngs were also of brass. Along the other
sue OF the passage were open stalls with brass
ralls and rods for partitions, bedded with rye
straw which is raised in the park. The mass
age way is covered with a grass mating 11s
inches thick.
WINE was In the stable phone call came
Ior team enabled me to see horses harnessed
nlgn life, which in fact did not differ from
our cecil county farmer style, except that as
soon as horse is taken from its stall an at
tendant with a basket and rubber bucket at
Cracted my attention. / afterward ascertain
ed this was for the purpose of catching all
uroppings from the animal before it came in
contact with the carpet. All the metal on
tne FORKS, shovels, brooms, etc., was brass and
was Kept as bright as polish could make IL.
we DO not traverse all the lines of mac
auam roads In the park, as there are % miles
Oh tnem, built at cost of from three to eight
Thousand dollars mile Neither did we at
Arst realize that the mountains and lakes
were other than the works of nature and
thousands who visit this park have not the
siightes5 Idea they are the result of the To
pacco kings millions, who does not even
spenu ms yearly income. Had it not been for
NY lnqulslt1ve wife / would not have known
cuat tnese lakes and mountains were all arti
nciai. did not see all of them there being
ABOUT seventeen lakes, large and small. the
largest one with surface of % acres with a
aAiInum depth of 30 feet To move this vast
amount OF earth, it required steam drills.
snoVeis and train of cars, excavating for the
lakes and pll1ng up for the mountains. The
-iargesI mountain has plateau of six acres
anu an elevation of sixty feet. This one is the
ste Tor the three million dollar house he has
under construction. The other mounts are
most beautifully laid out in plants and shrub.
pery, trees and flowers, which have been
gathered from the four corners of the earth.
Each lake is stocked with different kind of
nsh and brought from a country where the
cnmatlc conditions are similar enough for If
10 survive in its new home. 1 had the rare
privilege of getting snap shot at a pair of
5000 horses.
NOW snail return to the house on the mount
the foundations of which were laid one year
ago and will be allowed to remain to settle
until next summer. am unable to form any
IDEA what certain portions will be used for. one
section having three-story basement. The
walls are concrete and the heavy iron girders
In some sections are as large as a railroad
bridge One section is about sixty feet square
and is either for the coal bunkers or the swim.
ming pool. To give the reader chance To il.
Illuminate his own imagination, the foundation
as 1t now lays is 467 spans long by ITO in width
at the widest place. Now they are digging a
trench for wall around the top of this mount
10 the depth OF the virgin soil. At the present
time they have reached the depth of a three
man pit, but this is only beginning.
In making our descent from the mount. we
look another route which revealed to ns
large tunnel. Through this tunnel which
terminates in court and which Judge to be
about $50 feet in diameter, all supplies are to
be brought to thehouse
Now, to end with the beginning. the two
million gallons an hour pump would quickly
dry the Raritan river. but the water all re-
turns to the pumping station to be sent back
over the line and no loss arises except from
evaporation and what is used for domestic and
park purposes. The pressue is obtained from
100 foot standpipe which is equal to any
emergency and is really a sight worth seeing.
-%s0N$
Two Women Have Narr0W FScane
Mrs. c. Kreite and Mrs. Airline Reason.
while driving Friday night. had miracu-