Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1885 — GREYSTONE. [ARTICLE]

GREYSTONE.

1 Descrption of Mr. Tilden’s Magnificent Home on the Hudson. Mr. Cleveland’s Sunday at Greystone ias again attracted public attention to hat venerable and somewhat interesting place, writes s correspo ident of the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette The •oad which runs past Mr- Tilden’s front door becomes the boule.srd when t reaches New York. It is a broad, smoothly paved road, curbed and paved in the most approved fashion. Greytone itself stands ot a knall between the road way and the Hudson, commandng a beautiful view of the river. Crejatone is a huge pile of gneiss rock parried from the neighboring hills, md is impressive from its verv size. It contains ninety-nine rooms, and has a frontage of four-hundred feet. In the center is a tall square tower. Its effectiveness is in its massiveness, and Mr. Cleveland might scour th ebanks or th® Hudson without finding ite' tqual in his and many other respects- The idifice stands in a park ot one hundred md twenty acres of magnificent woodland slopes,, broad meadows, seouesterel lawns, and lovely glades and glens. From the uppermost room of the tower, 400 feet above the surface of the Hudson, the scene is magnificent. To the noria are the Peekskill Mountains and the environments of West Point, To the west are the Palisades; to the south the upper part of New York city and the hills of Staten Island, while to the east are the sail-flecked -waters ot Long Island Sound. Op, every hand the prosbect is not less beautful than vastNear the house are several arge silver firs, which Mr- Tilden imported from Greece. These are interspersed with a unique and berutful collection of trees and shrubs, among which are golden oaks, alders, purple beeches, and evergreens from the deepest shades of green co the richest shades of gold ' Chief among the latter is a beautiful specimen of Japanese arbor-vitae. ■

From the rear veranda the grounds descend by a succession of six terraces to the Hudson, 4(X yards distant. Standing directly west of the mansion is an oak tree that towers above the other monarchs of the forest- It is symmetrical to a fault, and never fails to attract attention. Mr. Glevelaud asked if there was any tradition connected with it Hte host smilingly informed him that he knew of none, except that it had been dubbed the ‘Tilden Oak.’ The spread of its foliage is seventy feet. The main hall of the building extends clear across, from east to west, and is lofty and wide. On the right is the Secertary’g office. The Secrteary. as he sits at his desk, can look at portraits of WillßmlCullen Brvant, Charles O’‘Jon nor and Samuel J• THelen. Next to this rootil is » wide stairway, and next to it the diessing room- At the end of the hall is the entrance to the rear piazza, and on the left oue may enter; .the reception-room, the diningroom or the library. Mr. Tilden’s sleeping apartments and the chief guest’s room are on the second floor- In the latter Mr- Cleveland slept. The furniture la of satin-wood, trimmed with bamboo The room is forty to twenty <eet in size, and perfect in its appointnente. Not tar from this room is another fitted up with a handsome billiard table and other requirements of the game. The third floor is entirely occupied by -leeping-rooms.