The General's Home
General Grant's residence stands on the north side of Sixty-sixth
Street,
only a few doors from Fifth Avenue, and directly in the centre of the best
residential quarter of New York City. It is a double mansion, built of
brick, with brown stone trimmings, and an exceedingly massive and solid
looking structure it is. The house faces toward the south, thus getting
the advantage of the warm sun during the winter months and the cooling
southern breezes of the summer. In this quarter of New York very many of
the wealthiest people now reside, though only a few years ago the whole
surrounding country was an unbroken and chaotic neighborhood, occupied by
Irish squatters, billy goats and other hardy by inelegant creatures. The
mansion in which Gen. Grant lived is a very plain building as to is
exterior, but it looks like a structure which ought to have cost at least
$150,000, unfurnished. The Grants, however, came into possession of it
under exceedingly advantageous circumstances. The contract price for
building the mansion was $110,000, but Gen. Grant bought the
restablishment for $72,000. The hosue was subsequently furnished at an
outlay of $25,000, although, of course, that amount does not begin to
represent the contents of this building, which house the large quantity
of
very costly goods received by Gen. Grant during his tour of the world and
a number of other presents bestowed upon him by admiring American
citizens.
When the heavy front doors of the manison swing open one finds himself in
a lofty and broad hallway, tiled and inlaid with mosaic. The tins of the
walls and ceiling are gray, and all the coloring in the hall is of a
subdued and quiet character. In the centre of the floor, facing the
entrance to the drawing-room, is an inlaid monogram of the General's
initials. The hall is lighted at night by mellow rays falling through the
sides of a large Moorish lantern, the framework of which is beaten antique
brass. Brazen small arms extend from the sides of this lantern, studded
with opalescent glass in a number of colors. These arms are terminated in
cups of tulip-like shape, which contain the lights. The woodwork of the
hall and stairway is oak, carved in antique figures and very massive and
handsome in its effect. A huge sofa stands against the wall, covered with
heavy Portuguese leather, and is exceedingly inviting in its aspect.
At another place in the hall stands a heavy chair, framed in four immense
elephant tusks, which was presented to Gen. Grant by the Maharajah of
Deccan. When the General was visiting this dignitary during his tour of
the earth, he expressed his admiration for the fine colletion of ivory
which was lying loosely about in the principal apartments of the palace.
Gen. Grant had not yet emerged from the dominions of the maharajah when he
received the magnificent chair, made of the most conspicuous of the
ornaments he had spoken of. Against the walls of the gret hallway there
are some handsome engravings heavily framed, and a few trophies also hang
there. The principal one of these is a heavy bronze, containing medallion
relief portraits of Washington, Lincoln and Grant. It was presented to the
General several years ago, and is a fine work, copies of which will
undoubtedly be extensively sought for by the admirers of the greatest
warrior of the present time.