The sun., 1919-06-29

10 what great many or them IN new
port are to-day. In some cases these
modest cottages have been altered and
enlarged until they have little resem-
blance to their original self.
In a great many cases. however. the
old houses have been RACED or moved
to make room for some of the more
palatial residences and villas Of to-day,
and in some sections of the summer
residence district the entire appear
ance Of the section has been changed
by the enlarging of estates and the
erection Of new residences.
Probably no man did more toward
the building up Of Newport as sum-
mer home city for influential New
York and Boston families than did the
late, Alfred Smith, who was engaged
In the real estate business years ago.
He realized the opportunity OF develop
ing the farm land that snow the most
! fashionable part of Viewpoints summer
residence section. He began to inter-
est men whom he had met in New
York and one by one he was instru-
mental in bringing quite few OF them
! to the city. Thus the fashionable
Bellevue avenue and Ochre Point dis
: tricts started their transformation
| from COW pastures and gardens into
the beautiful places Of to-day.
One of those whom he Influenced to
come to Newport was the late Levi P.
Morton. who erected what Is now
known as "Fairlawn" on lower Belle
vue avenue. now owned by Miss Eve
Ign Burden of New York and rented
this present season to Mr.. and Mrs.
Joseph E. Widener OF Philadelphia
Mr.. Morton remained regular sum-
mer resident for some years and he
then decided to go elsewhere. New
port never has forgotten him and
never will, for before he left the city
he presented to Newport the tract OF
land at the foot Of Spring street that
IL now known as Morton Park. one of
the prettiest In the city.
| Example OF OIden Days.
Cave Clin, facing the foot Of
lie Roy avenue and abutting on the
other side of the cliffs, is an example
OF what the summer homes in New
port were in the olden days. This
| frame dwelling 10 still in good con-
dition and is now owned by Mr. and
Mrs, John r. Abney Of New York.
| They. however. are not to occupy II
this summer, having rented It to Mr..
and Mrs. Paul d. Mills Of Phila-
delphia- This house originally was
owned by William Beach Lawrence,
who owned the whole OF what is now
Ochre Point. In his time, however. It
was all farm. and II was he who sold
sections Of the farm TO the Wander
bits. the Goelets, the Van Aliens and
the other of the early summer resi-
dents who helped to develop Ochre
Point into one OF the garden spots
OF the present summer residence Sec
ton.
Where the palatial villa Of Mrs.
Vanderbilt now stands was a much
smaller wooden structure that also
was the home OF Commodore and Mrs.
Cornelius Vanderbilt, but this was
wiped out by fire one winter and In
Its place was erected the present
palace.
The Vanderbilts'. however, was not
the original stone house on the point
Wakehurst. the home OF James J. Van
Allen. was there before It. Wakehurst
now is occupied by Mr.. Van Aliens son
and daughter-in-law. Mr.. and Mrs.
James Laurens Van Allen, who have
rented their own summer home on
Bellevue avenue, Rosetta Villa. an
other OF the old time houses. 1t was
erected by William Post, one of the
pioneer simmer colonists.
One of the original houses on the
ellis, however. is Bythesea. owned
now by August Belmont and which
was the Belmont summer homestead.
Further down Is Beecbwood, the Aston
homestead. now the property of Lieut..
Vincent Aston. who with his wife
will occupy the place this summer for
the first time since the war began.
This house. which is a brick structure,
with its broad expanse OF lawn. was
at one time the centre of much social
activity in the days OF Mrs. William
Astor. In fact. there was time when
the spoies OF the social wheel seemed
to revolve about Beechwood.
Back on Ochre Point there are also
two other summer homes that date