Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-05-08
BY the Associated Press.

President Roosevelt selected the
fiat, easy-going, plantation country
OF South Carolina for two weeks
vacation and like it so well he
stayed four.
His host was Bernard M. Baruch,
New York flnancier, administration
adviser and owner of Hobcaw Bar
ony, a 23,o00-acre plantation on a
neck between the Atlantic and the
upper reaches of brackish Winyah
Bay.
There amid pines, cypress and live
oaks festooned with Spanish moss,
the Chief Executive got down to a
semi-carefree kind of life which his
doctor prescribed to help him shake
off an attack of bronchitis.
From a~northwest corner bedroom
on the first floor of a picturesque
brick mansion, Mr.. Roosevelt looked
out across a shaded lawn sloping
down to the bay. From a pier jut-
ting out toward Hare and Rabbit
Islands he Grabbed, f1shed, snagged
cells, or set off on a Coast Guard pa
troll vessel On fishing expeditions.
He summed himself on the pier be-
hind green canvas windbreak, or
on terrace of the plantation home.
Hobcaw was granted in 17l8 to
Lord Carteret, one of the lord pro-
Iprietors of Carolina. Mr. Baruch
bought it in 1905. Since the plant
ing of rice and indigo stopped in the
Carolina low country years ago, Mr..
Baruch has only few acres of his
land in cultivation. But for some
40 colored employees he maintains a
small village, complete with church,
school and cemetery.
Adjoining Mr.. Baruchs plantation
is Bellefleld, owned by his daughter
Belle. To the north is the planta-
ton of George Vanderbilt, now in
the Navy, and to the south is one
owned by Thomas Yawkey, proprie-
tor of the Boston American League
ball team.
The Baruch mansion, built a
dozen years ago to replace one that
burned, has reception hall. library
gunroom, two bedrooms, living and
dining rooms on the first floor and
seven bedrooms on the second
Kitchen and servants quarters are
in wing.
All the rooms have flreplaces
Over the one in the President S
room was an etching reminding him
OF his alma mater. 1t showed Har-
ward winning a crew race from OK
ford in 1876. The walls of the bed
room are restful green. The room
contained plenty of easy chairs, q
couple of chests of drawers and a
mahogany bed with a reading lamp
A tremendous porch, characteristic
Of the plantation country, stretches
across the mansion on the side over
looking Winyah Bay. Six square
white columns, two stories high
parade along it. Beside the door
hangs Weather-b beaten barometer
It's Az miles over choppy SAND
road from the highway to the man
sion. Wild boars, deer and turkey
wander through the forests or
either side.
A fence incloSes several acres
around the house and during Mr.
Roosevelt's stay marines patroled ii
day and night.
Georgetown buzzed for a month
about its distinguished visitor, but
its citizens had little chance to see
him unless they happened to be
boating, fishing or motoring at the
right times and places.
The town is alert and prosperous
but its citizens think nothing oil
dropping everything to 80 fishing
or to organize an oyster roast OF
barbecue.
Mr. Roosevelt was the fifth Presi-
dent to visit the community. The
others were Washington, Monroe
Van Bureau and Cleveland Fifteen
years ago Winston Churchill was
guest al HobcaW.
Some odds and ends of informa-
ton about the Presidents vaca-
ton:
Marines on guard at the planta-
ton gateway amused themselves
with volley ball-and by throw
ing bayonets and sticking them In
lpine trees.