Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1921-09-20
The HQSkit1 Letter . 'sf Rsss1
MUST THE GHOSTS GO TOO?

it is reported that the old place viii
be torn to make way for, modern ho-
tel. Equally historic town and coun-
try places have been abandoned (at
a high price) by the Dukes OF West
minister, Rutland, Marlborough, Graf
ton and Buccleuth, Lords Leconfield
Londesborough, Portman and Camden
the Earle Of Denbigh and Harrington
and many other noblemen. In lv20
one firm Of auctioneers alone sold $40,
695 acres Of country property, and
this year thousands of acres Of old es-
tates are being sold weekly.
The reason for this widespread par
tition of the huge country estates is
best explained by speech made re-
Gently by the Duke Of Portland to his
tenants, in which he said:
A Dukes Farewell.
'The war has entirely altered the
outlook of myself, as it must have
done that of other large owners IN this
country. For centuries past landed
estates have in many instances been
handed down from generation to gen
Grafton in one family, and the land
lords and tenants have grown up to
gether and have lived, as we have done,
on terms of mutual trust and affec-
ton.
"I fear. however, that this state OF
things is passing away, for. with the
present enormous weight OF taxatlon
and the extremely enormous weight OF
death duties inheritance taxes) the
future has become uncertain Tor all
landed proprietors. ;.
with regard to my own case 1t
NAV or it may not be possible Tor me
and nv family to reside at Welbeck.
Rut I fear that there can be nttle
doubt-I hope / am wrong. but 10
not think that / am-that those VINO
come after me will not be able to DO
1T is of no use whatever blinking
the fact, however disagreeaoie IL may
be, that there must, anu lneVi.apy
will be a wholesale closing down OF tn az,
larger country houses; If not noW' ut az
events when the present generation mas
passed away. ,,u ,,,;od
with ghosts and is particularly famous
for its underground passages and Sc
cret apartments, on which the Firth
Duke Of Portland is said to have spent
3 900 900 pounds. 1t contains an un.
derground riding academy, 400 feet
ione los feet wide and so feet high;
hevnnd that there is an underground
hai,room. 1873 feet long, So feet WIDE.
and 81 feet high, and still further on
are subterranean libraries. In 1act,
Tho underground part Of the estate is
said TO extend for Is miles.
n is estimated that there are very
nearly 1000 huge country estates IN
Great Britain each requiring 80 Or
more EMPLOYEES to work them. There
are 20 big places, each employing more
than 900 workers. while some of the
largest estates have as many as Doo
EMPLOYEES each on their payrolls. Be
fore the war, for instance, Weibeck
Abbey alone employed 20 gardeners
The total operating expenses OF the
estate were 1900 pounds. Today the
Abbey has fewer gardeners but its
operating expenses are nearly treoied.
The passing of the great English
estate means the last and final triumph
Of the new industrial age over the pre-,
reding agricultural one. England
mourns it on the whole. but realizes
that it is inevitable. Some even feel
that the change will be beneficial.
1.-THE Dukeries scarcely dovetail In
to the sentiment Of more democratic
age" says the Pail Mall Gazette, for
instance, land while the picturesque
ness of the patriarchal regime will be
missed, it is a healthier life that is
beginning to overspreai the shires with
It's more equal distribution Of property
and initiative"
None of this, however. sheds any
light on what is to become of the man
Or ghosts so dea, to the heart of the
Psychical Research Society. Is it pos
sible that they will follow the example
IF other disgruntled Europeans and
amigrate to America?