The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1920-05-25
is the living hall so feet long and 80
feet wide. runnino, mn to the top story

feet wide, running up to the top story.
Under the main hall is a swimming
pool of exactly the same dimensions.
North Of the living room is the tapes
try gallery rs feet long, where three
large panels have been built into the
wall to receive rare works of art. To
the south of this is the library, 60 by
40 feet in dimension. This is trim
med in deep red Numidian marble and
contains bookcases filed with literary
treasures.
Emerging from the library, the visi-
tor finds himself on the library ter
rance plaza 35 feet wide which leads
rdown to the south terrace, which is
more than 800 feet long and contains
a bowling green. The ports cochere,
the gun room and the billiard room
are to the east Of the banquet hall.
On the upper floor, reached by the
famous circular staircase, are a be-
| wildering succession of sleeping
rooms, exquisitely appointed. There
are 20 bath rooms so arranged that
every sleeping room has direct access
| to one.
See Only Extension.
Of the external appointments. the
most interesting is the 'rampe-douce."
Through this remarkable structure of
masonry runs a stream of limpid wa
ter, that finds it's exit through the
mouths of half dozen gigantic black
iron terrapins. Spouting thence, it
rushes away in little stream and
over artificial cascades into an arti-
fetal lake.
On the posts of Biltmore house are
marble figures of NEUROLOGICAL crea-
lures, half women and half lion, that
were imported gy George Vanderbilt
from Rome for the decorative purpose
they serve. To the average visitor
that is. one who has permit to drive
through the Biltmore estate, the ram
pe-duce and the lion ladies are the
only objects that may be closely in
spected. No stranger is permitted to
come within 100 yeards of the house
itself.
Tennis courts. flowers beds acquatic
gardens and an outdoor swimming
pool complete and external ensemble.
One would suppose that this earthly
paradise made playground only for
New York's millionaire flour hun
dred," but strange as it may seem,
Mr.. Vanderbilt's guests more often
were literary or artistic folks than
the merely rich. Edith Wharton Ford
was often a visitor. Vanderbilt him
self was a quiet, introspective
character with a literary turn of
mind.
1t was to house the servants and
overseers Of his 10000 acres estate
that Mr.. Vanderbilt originally planned
and built the town of Biltmore. But
it soon outgrew the original idea.
Persons of considerable means seized
the opportunity to rent the "model
cottages which Vanderbilt constructed
Soon the colony grew to town Of
two or three thousand persons. In
many ways it was a remarkable little
village. Vanderbilt himself was may
or, common council and law maker.
He laid down two or three cardinal
principles for conduct, as follows:
There shall be no dogs nor chick
ems in Biltmore.
2. No servant employed within the
town shall sleep therein.
The first law is self explanatory;
the second, Mr.. Vanderbilt believed,
would solve the difficulties of the serv!
ant problem by making it difficult for
housewives to bid against each other
for the services Of the help. Both rules
worked splendidly and Biltmore never
knew what it was to have domestic
strife.
No City Treasury.
They fined a drunken man So once
within the confines Of Biltmore and
had a hard time disposing of the
money because there was no city
treasurer. Vanderbilt always paid
the bills. The town was quiet and
clean, the soul Of order and refine,
ment.
1t is this little town that the South
ern railway and Messrs. Sinclair and
Stephens have purchased from the
Vanderbilt estate. Biltmore house
still remains in the family a tribute
to the lavish genius of one of Amer
ica's most picturesque millionaries.
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