The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-10-18
Millionaire May Bring
World-Beating Horses
to Henrico.
DEAL REGARDED AS
ALREADY CLOSED
Yacht Vanadis Arrives for Own
er, Who Is on His Way to
Richmond to Acquire Most
Famous Plantation in the
South-Senff Spent
Million on Property.

Wnen DEEDS arc signed WITHIN the
next few days. Currs Neck Farm, on
James River III Herrico County, re-
garded as the most famous plantation
in the South, Will be transferred to
c. *. G. Billings. OF Cleveland and
New York, Il multimillionaire, and the
owner OF the fastest trotting horses
in the world. While definite informa-
ton regarding the transaction could
not bo learned yesterday. it is known
that Mr. Billings will arrive heee, prob
ably to-day or tomorrow. and it is
regarded certain by real estate
dealers that the sale has been virtual
ly closed. The Vanadis, n magnificent
ocean going yacht, owned by AIr. Bill
ings is now tied up at Curtis Neck
wharf. awaiting his arrival.
Cost Semi st,OOO,0OO.
Agents representing MIR. Billings
have inspected every foot OF the river
property, which embraces more than
5000 acres. 1t is now owned by tho
estate of Charles H. Senff. the sugar
millionaire. who died a. year or two
ago. after spending more than $1,000
900 to make it perfect. The common
understanding seems to- be that Mrs.
Senn did not desire to retain the es-
tate as Il home, and when the question
OF putting it on the market was dis
cussed. there was great deal of spec
ulation over the matter OF finding a
are familiar with the property, it was
held for Si50.000, though MIR. Billings
is thought to have secured it for a
much smaller figure. possibly around
$3.50, 600.
When the Vanadis, manned by q
crew OF hfty-seven men. arrived up the
river from Hampton Roads and began
to unload motor cars and personal ef-
fects Of the owner, the report quickly
reached the city that the sale had been
made. While that did not prove to be
| Il fact The Times Dispatch learned
that there was longer any doubt
about negotiations having terminated
successfully, and that the closing was
simply a matter of form.
May Train Horses There.
BY common consent Mr.. Billings
representatives. agents OF the prop
erty and the manager, declined to dis
cuss the matter; but they admitted
that the report had been freely cir
culated among real estate people for
the past week. Indeed the manager
of the farm would not reveal last night
the name OF the yacht or it's owner,
this Information having been secured
from other sources.
Apart from the general interest in
the transaction. IL is OF more than or
dinary Importance in view of the state
ment that Mr. Billings brought the
farm primarily as Il winter home and
training place for his famous horses.
f-NcTN l!iaH IamlilaF with the turc
knows how he had the mack of breed
ing and buying world heaters. Every
man who knows anything about the
turf remembers what he did with Lou
Dillon and Il string of trottcrs of that
class At the fall meeting in LeXing-
ton, Ky, Uhlan. owned by Mr. Bill
lingS. captured rich stake in / 81 3-i,
the fastest trotting mile in the history
OF the world.
Having investigated the local cli-
mate. his trainers informed him that
IL was ideal for winter work, while
his experts showed that he could build
Il mile track on the place and sit on
his porch and watch them perform.
The location seemed TO appeal to him
most strongly. in view OF the river,
through which his yacht could steam
ately and ut all seasons. In word,
he found exactly what a yachtman and
II horseman desired.
biggest Deal on Record.
This deal. which I understand as
practically closed, is the biggest in the
farming history OF Virginia." said II
real estate man yesterday. "Currs
Neck is not a farm-it is palace. 1t
is absolutely astounding to think what
MIR. Semi did down there. OF course,
!t will require an enormous amount OF
money for upkeep, and YOU had to go
cut of the beaten path to find a buyer.
and | think ought to congratulate
ourselves that Henrico County is to
nave q CitiZen ana taxpayer OF Bill
lings's type. He is not rich man
who loves idlcness. fie will not only
keep Curtis Neck in the same magntl-
cent condition that Mr.. Senff left 1t,
but he will make Virginia famous
again the world over rs the breeding
and training ground Of horses that
beat everything else in the matter of
speed Moreover. IL is reasonable TO
assume that if Mr.. Billings moves to
lienrico County other prominent men
of means will come here. and eventually
buy some OF the splendid plantations
along the James River, Curtis Neck
had to pass into the hands of man
who able to maintain the stand-
ard, for otherwise you can imagine
what might have happened II the own
ers had no personal desire to live
there"
Show Place of the Country.
For ten or twelve years Mr. Senff.
who developed Curtis Neck had tbs
very commendahle mania of making
1: one OF the show places OF the coun-
try, even though he did not talk or
brag about IL. He simply went there
and established model farming and
stock raising plant. Every agricul.
tural expert in the United states knows
what he accomplished. There was no
other place like IL. But Currs Neck =
products were not kept altogether from,
public view. for they were brought
every year to the Virginia State Fair,
and every year they went back covered /
with ribbons Farmers from all parts
OF Virginia came here especially TO see
them: they wanted TO see sweeping
fields OF alfalfa: they wanted to find 81
cut the system in vogue by the man S
ngement: they wanted to learn moro {,
about scientific methods OF farming az {