The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-03-17
OWNERS OF GREAT ESTATE
MAKE THEIR OWN CLOTHES.


Ia the heart 81 Manhattan island.
on FIFTH avenue Itself and within three
blocks ~ Forty-aecond street live three
women who. with their one sister. who
lives un Central park. west are alb
solufe mlstresse sof fortune various
Is estimated 81 from 10000. 600 g.
$50 eoa 600 And all are a. remote from
and alien 60 the life % the great city
around them ~ they would be on Z
desert island in the south seas
These four women are the sisters
and heiresses u John Gottiicb Wen
del who died December 40. 1914. AZ
santa Monica. cal. ard whose for
tune consisting almost entirely ~ real
estate holdings "a New York cts. js
seeond only 20 the Astof estate among
landed properties In the United state
The wendell estate. incidentally. an-
tedates that ~ the Aators. a. the
nrst John Gottlieb Wendell turner from
the FUR trade 10 tho acquisition cf
New York real estate. several years
before the fFst John jacob Astor made
4 similar transaction.
These four Wendell sisters have
never ridden IN an auto. they have
/ never teen o. I yacht the have
never attended . theateT they have
7 NOS been Ia q church In twenty years
they never wear jewelry they have
mover used a telephone, they have
never used an elevator, they never
receive callers. nor have they. 50 far
as known. sny really close personal
friends.
81 the seven members of the las
generation. In the direct lire o. the
Wendell family. but four remain. Of
the seven only one. the eldest living
daughter. married. She has ~ chill
dren she il Mr. Luther A IRE
hecca 4 g. wendel swopa. OF No sac
Central Park West where she Iivcg
alone with aer husband The exac.
ages 81 the four sisters are unknown
even 10 their few intimate friends
bot AIRS swope is certainly past sew
enty
She Is the only one u the family
who ever ventures abroad among her
Kind Accompanied hy her husband.
who Is past eighty. twice a week she
leaves their home O. make the terri
Tying 81 ioFfhey - the little old
fashioned office a. No. l1b Broadway.
where ali the complicated business at
fairs ~ the Wendell estate are trans
acted
The other sisters. MARY T. A.. ella
81 won r. and GeorRiana q. * Wen
del. stiu cling { othe cid house at
Thirty ninth street and Fifth avenue.
The house Is three story. brown
stone 'front.' red brick structure. d
WAS built Ia isb6. and looks every
year of les age It's original cost wa
about IS zoe and though Il stands on
. iat now assessed AZ value ~ 81
So 00o il has never been altered OF
renovated ia the slightest degree.
Each az the three younger sisters u
almost q replica, On an even auieteg
. aud more unobstrnsive pattern. 0f Mrs
Swope There is in each case ths
same gray hair. drawn tightly dowr
J over tire ears. the same dead -hiacl
. elfthlug cut ID the style of twn gen.
erauona back. and the same family
esst ~ features
10 an the years durlng which IN,
TIDE ~ New York nfe has been How ~
tumultnousiy up and down the aveuu,
beneath the blank windows ~ th,
uld Wendell house not one ~ an th,
millions hase got glimpse of 90,
~ the jewellers wtthin ON two side
.
d little grass grown yard. surrounded
lu its turn. with 1 high brick vail
~ In this yard the three sisters TAX
= their oriy outdoor exercise. Al irrcGu
, tar intervals Of several DAYS. whel
/, tho weather Is fine. the three ventuu
forth into this yard nut they neve
-, d. 50 until after niRhtfall. when th
i blk new once building that tower
II windows that ionk pry1nRly dow
/, down up0n them are dark aud stiil
n With s60o0000o to draw On. III
], three sisters make their own cesehei
These clothes. like Mrs. Swope's. az
, always black. always severely plait
a eut on patterns ~ thirty or fort
y years ago. and always worn tnt
shabby Not one ~ the four sister