The situation has come to be one of much difficulty. Recurring heavy rains have retarded and complicated the work and we only yesterday succeeded in getting some great pieces of rock from distant parts of the Estate to the point where I wished to use them in forming the cascade at the Quarry. The placing of them I cannot trust to Gall with no personal oversight and the undertaking is so related to others adjoining, (a stone bridge and several hundred feet of winding parapet) and is to be so tied in to natural precipitous rocks and plantations that have been already made, as to require delicate manipulation. With two fair days I could advance matters far enough to be satisfied to leave. But now comes another embarrassment.

Mr Vanderbilt writes on arrival from Europe that he is to start from New York tomorrow evening, that he expects to bring Hunt with him, whose plans for building in Biltmore village are not consistent with our plans; are so inconsistent that his assistant in charge has made other plans, which are no more satisfactory to me, so that I feel bound to bring the problem before Mr. V. and I am pretty sure from what he has said to me that Mr V. will be satisfied with none of them. I do not expect to get a plan adopted that I shall like but I do feel bound to try to and the trial must be made now or never. Then the plans for the approach from Ashville and of all the buildings and several miles of roads on the new dairy farm with all the dairy appurtenances and several new farm buildings and revisions of old farm buildings has to be determined. Of all which I have had to form my judgment as best I could without previous consultation with Mr V. and without seeing the Baron, who is in this business to be supposed to be Mr V’s official representative—the Baron being, as I [917]suppose that I have told you now in hospital at Baltimore. As to all this McNamee gives me not the slightest assistance but holds the right to interpose objections and difficulties in discussion with Mr. V.

Then, at last, Mr V writes reminding me of an alleged engagement made with me last Fall to sit for my portrait to be placed in his gallery here with Mr Hunt’s and says that he is bringing the painter Sargent with him to do this work here. While I am sitting he would be able to discuss all the questions I have raised in letters to him. When he spoke of this last Fall, I did not treat it quite seriously and certainly have never regarded the result, as he claims, to be an engagement. A definite engagement for this time I am sure that it was not.

Then Hunt writes that he will be coming with Mr V., also, and must have discussion with me, not simply with regard to various buildings and adjustments to buildings on the Estate but to an old proposition of his as to building on the Central Park which has been a very sore subject and as to which I suppose that he must now have an opportunity and backing which he has not heretofore. I differ with him and, if the situation is as I apprehend, shall have simply to try to bring him to some compromise. I suppose you know something of his tempestuous, self-willed way of carrying on such discussion and perhaps you know that I am liable to be provoked to a point where temper breaks under such circumstances, so I do not look forward to the interview with much pleasure. Still I care little for that in comparison with what is to be settled about building at Biltmore.

I see that evy body here, including my family, thinks it is my imperative duty to stay here until I get various questions settled by Mr. V, and Mrs. Olmsted has taken it for granted that I must & has written to Profr Sargent inviting him & Mrs Sargent to visit us next week. (Mr. Vanderbilt writes also, as if this had been understood and was a part of an engagement made with me and that the whole problem of the Arboretum was to be reviewed and plans settled with the aid of Mr Sargent & the new Forester). I suppose I must unless under advice from you but I am extremely perplexed.

Faithfully yours

Not a word from John.