Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1920-04-21

enty-five feet high, and is lighted on
ly from one end and from the ceiling,
the remainder of the wall space be-
ing reserved for tapestry hangings.
1t is seventy-two feet long and forty
two feet wide with one span and a
dome ceiling. Three colossal fire.
places are at the western end, and an
organ aloft, with a balcony for mu-
sicians, at the eastern end.
Another feature of the main floor
is the living hall, sixty feet long and
thirty 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 tapestry gallery, seventy
five feet long, where three large pan
els 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 trimmed
in deep red Numidian marble, and
contains book cases filled with liter
airy treasures.
Emerging from the library, the
visitor finds himself on library ter
race, a plaza thirty-fve feet wide
which leads down to the south ter
race, which is more than three hum
dred feet long and contains bowl
ing green. The porte cochere, the gun
room and the billiard room are to the
east of the banquet hall.
On the upper floors, reached by
the famous circular staircase, are a
bewildering succession of sleeping
rooms, exquisitely appointed. There
are twenty bath rooms so arranged
that every sleeping room has direct
access to one.
Stranger See Only Exterior.
CT the external appointments, the
most interesting is The "rampe-
douce." Through this remarkable
structure of masonry runs stream
of limpid water that finds its exit
through the mouths of half dozen
gigantic black iron terrapins. Spout
ing thence, it rushes away in a little
stream and over artificial cascades
into an artificial lake.
On the posts Of Biltmore House
are marble figures of NEUROLOGICAL
creatures, half women and half lions,
that were imported by George Van
derbilt from Rome for the decorative
purpose they serve. To the average
visitor, that is, one who has a permit
to drive through the Biltmore estate,
the rampe-douce and the lion ladies
are the only objects that may be
closely inspected. No stranger is per-
mitted to come within one hundred
yards of the house itself.
Tennis courts, flower beds, aquatic
gardens and an outdoor swimming
pool complete the external ensemble.
One would suppose that, this earth
ly paradise made playground for
New York's millionaire "four hun
dred," but strange as it may seem,
Mr.. Vanderbilt's guests were more
often literary or artistic folk than
the merely rich. Edith Wharton was
a frequent guest, and Paul Leicester
Ford was often visitor. Vanderbilt
himself was a quiet, introspective
with a literary turn of
mind.
It was to house the servants and
overseers of the 120,O00-acre estate
that Mr.. Vanderbilt originally plan
ned 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 construc-
ted. Soon the colony grew to a town
of two or three thousand persons. In
many ways it was remarkable lit
tie village. Vanderbilt himself was
mayor, common council, and law
maker. He laid down two or three
cardinal principles for conduct as
follows:
1. There shall be no dogs nor
chickens in Bilimore.
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
servant problem by making it diff