Mr Vanderbilt had written that he should be in New York till the first of March but afterwards changed his plan so I missed seeing him and you, to my regret.

I very much like your new plan and your suggestion as to position &c, satisfy me. Upon more exact study slight modifications may be found desirable. I should think that it might be better possibly, to set the house a little higher (not further to the Eastward) a little further north and to swing it a trifle nearer, north and south—the object being a nicer fit to the natural situation.

There are two or three considerations which would have great weight with me in planning the dependencies to which I think that you and Mr Vanderbilt may not have attached as much importance as I do. I want to mention them and indicate vaguely to what they would lead in order that if they are outweighed by other considerations more prominent in your mind, you may guard me against what you would consider a false start.

The value of the site is in its outlook; the local scenery is not attractive. The soil is extremely poor and intractable. There is not a single circumstance that can be turned to account in gaining any desirable local character, picturesqueness, for instance, or geniality. Whatever we aim at must be made “out of the whole cloth”.

What Mr Vanderbilt wants, as I understand, is a place in which to spend [617]the winter and the harsh spring. But it is an exceedingly bleak place. When the wind chops round from south to north the effect is often terrible. In all the neighboring region fruit buds are oftener killed than they are here or in Washington. Being so much more open to the north west, the climate will at times be more severe than that of Asheville. Now and then the force of a gale sweeping from the {snowy peaks} in the north will be frightful. The compensating circumstances are that the greater part of the time the winter and spring air is of temperature pleasant to anyone exercising even moderately, and is of a {bracing} quality. Various facts of vegetation indicate that even though the mercury falls at rare intervals for a short time, {lower} than at Washington—or even I believe at New York—the climate is much less trying on the whole. Plants, and probably men, of such hardy constitution, are happier in it.

That is one compensating circumstance. The other is the advantage offered for making it pleasant for people to be out of doors; that is to say, first, for a short stroll or a promenade which shall be as it were a part of the house—from which while walking the great view {westward}—the valley and the distance with its far away snow-capped hills can be enjoyed. (This would suggest more terrace walk, closely associated with the house than your plan yet provides).

But no promenade south of the house with a western outlook would be available for use with an icy northwester sweeping across the valley doubled in force as it would by the current deflected and concentrated by the walls of the house. Hence a place out of doors is wanted, which attractive at all times in a different way from the terrace, will be available for a ramble even during a northwester and in the depth of winter. This would be a glen-like place with narrow winding paths between steepish slopes with evergreen shrubbery, in the lee of the house on the Southeast. Look at the map and you will see that the topography favors the suggestion. You will see also that a terrace thrown out southwardly from the house, a little but not much lower than the floor of the house, would still further fend off the cold winds from such a place and make it more secluded and genial.

One thing more. East of the entire length of the house you have in view, I presume, a broad plateau; the hill top being raked down so as to open a view to the eastward from the lower story. A carriage approaching the house will be facing {to} the northward and if nothing is done to prevent it will catch the northwest wind sweeping around the north end of the house and the plateau will have a very bleak character, far from welcoming to guests coming from the north with anticipations of a milder climate and Southern hospitality.

On this point much would be gained if there was a substantial wind break stretching eastward from the north end of the house, such as would be supplied by a range of offices and stables. Let there be walled courts in front of these, some warmth of color in the material, green ivy spreading over them, a columbarium with doves hovering about, and I think the establishment would be much less bleak-looking. As neither you nor Mr Vanderbilt have said anything about stables near the house I suppose that there may be objections in your minds [618]

that I don’t take sufficiently into account. If so I want you to advise me as I find something of the kind is rather a starting point in all my imaginings of what can be made of the place.

In a fine summer’s day it would be pleasanter to look past the house into a fine body of wood as one drove up. Take the year through I don’t think it would. In considering the suggestion you must remember that the wood is not fine. It is very poor wood and yet to have wood there on the north of the hill is so desirable that we should never think of wholly removing it. Therefore, if the stables are not to be there, there can be no fine view to a distance in that direction. But a range of low stables there and, poor as the wood is for a foreground, nothing could be better for a background, seen over roofs and walls.

I think that a good place for glass can be made east of my winter garden at an elevation about 30′ below that of the plateau, the nearest point of it being about 350 ft southeast of the library window, the roof ridge being well below the [619]

line of the eye of those passing along the approach road and easily planted wholly out of view from the house and the entire entrance plateau, if that is desirable.

This is a long letter but I hope that you can answer it very shortly. All I want is to know before going into more exact study that such outlines as I have suggested would not cross your views. I think it desirable to make some preliminary graphic study as soon as possible because there is the possibility that out of it would grow some suggestion by which details of your design would be affected, as, for example, outside steps, (stairs) place of coal hole, base of terrace walls, entrance to kitchen court &c.

Yours Truly