268 ^ 'Princely Home in the Suburbs of JVeJu York. 



A Princely Home in the Suburbs of New York.— How 

 Railroad Princes Live. 



THE following sketch is from a correspondent of the Boston Transcript : 

 Forty miles from New York city by steamboat, up the East river, through Hell 

 Gate, and out into Long Island sound, one comes to a pretty little village nestling 

 amid trees, and stretching down to the water's edge, called Glen Cove. The soil of 

 this place is famous for the wondrously fine asparagus it produces, and which fetches 

 in the New York market one-third more than that grown elsewhere. Immense 

 quantities of it are daily sent to the great city. To us the principal attraction of 

 Glen Cove is the elegant country seat belonging to S. L. M. Barlow, a wealthy New 

 York lawyer. This gentleman, a son of old Dr. Barlow, has grown very rich in his 

 profession, and has also managed to get a good deal of money out of the Erie rail- 

 road — that never-failing source of fortunes for all men who are so happy as to get on 

 the inside track. Mr. Barlow now spends his luoney like an American, and lives 

 like an English lord. 



The estate he owns at Glen Cove, L. T., was first improved and built upon by 

 Burton, the actor, who put up a fine house in the midst of a park of about forty 

 acres, finely situated on a bluff on the edge of the sound. Mr. Burton built exten- 

 sive greenhouses, which he attached to his dwelling ; he set out trees, constructed 

 artificial lakes, and did much to improve the property. 



Finally he died, when the estate fell into the hands of Mr. Kennard, the English 

 railway prince, who was at one time so largely interested in the Atlantic and Great 

 Western railway. Mr. Kennard determined to make his permanent home at this 

 place, one of the most charming spots anywhere near New York. He tore down a 

 portion of the elegant Burton mansion, moved the hot-houses some distance away, 

 and built a large and magnificent house in the style of a Swiss chateau. He spent 

 money lavishly, as if he had been a prince, and in turn, so we are informed, was 

 robbed on all sides by carpenters, masons, contractors, painters, etc. But his money 

 held out until a palatial country seat had been erected, which was most elaborately 

 decorated, inside and out. A great deal of the outside of the building was actually 

 covered with gold. It had towers, piazzas, wings and elaborate carvings in all direc- 

 tions. The great hall and dining room of this mansion are very beautiful, with inlaid 

 wood, carving, arches, pillars, etc. The whole outside of the house is elaborately 

 ornamented. He added to the hot-houses until they covered a vast extent of ground. 



Like many another man, he lived beyond his means ; he had serious domestic 

 difficulties, and finally he was obliged to mortgage his estate to Mr. Barlow, who 

 was his lawyer. In the end the lawyer got possession of the whole property at a 

 fio-ure far less than the original cost. Since the last owner took possession, he has 

 made constant improvements, and is at work with a large force of men, to-day. He 

 employs twelve gardeners and three men to look after the hot-houses. He has a 

 larce number of house-servants, some of which are Chinese, and there are men at the 

 stables, stone-masons, etc. 



A walk through the extensive greenhouses revealed one of the finest collections 

 of tropical plants in the vicinity of the metropolis. The central house is devoted to 

 palm-trees, of which there is a tine collection. Two very large banana trees are 



