Frederick Law Olmsted SUBJECT FILE Hotels and Clubs Saratoga Springs and others 1874-88[*1874*] 209 W. 46 [W] NY; April 21st Messrs Ainsworth Tompkins & Perry Saratoga Springs: Gentlemen: In accordance with the intention expressed in my [note] note of 17th inst, I have mailed you a [last; I send you herewith a] tracing indicating the general features of a plan for your ground [character of the plan which I think desirable for your ground] [Immediately] [Looking from the "main entrance" at the Broadway end a vista is designed to be seen [through] extending through the mid-]L. A. is defined to be the art of creating or improving landscapes - If it fails to give as direct access as is desirable [be] between any two points [it] [is] or is otherwise wanting in convenience, it is because I have not [full] fully understood your [wishes in this respect] plans & wishes in this respect, and it may be modified under more specific instructions - [It is designed] After providing needed conversations in all parts it is designed to offer considerable [accommodation [for] in]advantages for promenading and resting out of doors. [Lastly a simple ce] Lastly as much effect of space and distance and general air of luxury and refinement as the ground allows is aimed to be secured by [simple] a few simple central features [as the limitations of the ground allows] [Sowhen] [The better to accomplish this the centre of the general] Standing in what I understand to be the office [Standing at the "main entrance"] and looking through the principal door way [(which I understand to be the rear door of the "office")], you will observe that a [vist] vista [will] would be commanded extending from end to end of the property; [way through the midst of the ground], the foreground would be amply shaded and inviting at all times of the day; in the middle distance would be a quiet sunny lawn, beyond it a fountain [and see]composition is made longer than it could with rich shrubbery on each side, at a greater distance a pavillion would be distinguished and the view would terminate in [a dense] a thicket of foliage. [Stepping] Outside the door the first feature is a pergola the floor of which is designed to be in a line with that of the office. It is to be covered by a trellis and vines, and to serve as an outer sitting room overlooking the ground, shaded but airy -Next, opening from the centre of the [canopy] pergola is a gravelled area with four lines of trees and fixed seats. The trees would desirably be the weeping ash, to be trained to form a continuous canopy of verdure at a height of ten or twelve feet, as in old palace gardens. The space under them would [form] be a shaded [lounging place [with] of intermediate character between the] lounging place and a sort of ante room to the main court. The next principal feature is a plot of turf 145 x 125 feet, designed with especial reference to [criq] croquet parties[, or] and children's dances. ~The next compartment[?] is a Slope of turf to be planted on each side with banks of shrubbery, ; then comes a level area 5 feet higher than the croquet ground in the midst of which is a fountain - Next a lawn terminated with a pavillion or summer house, beyond which a plot [or plat?] which is designed to be closely planted with trees and under wood. A walk through this plantation gives a screened access to the Club House from the Billiard Room. Fixed seats are designed to be placed around the fountain and croquet ground. [Other de- tails are] Minor features will be observed that need no ex- planation. The plan would require but slight changes in the present surface of the ground and could except the fountain under proper superintendence could be carried out by ordinary [carpenters and laborers with a single tolerable working gardener]laborers and carpenters. The [fou] pavillion may be simple and cheap or elaborate and costly at your indication. For the fountain I think [a French pattern] one can be found at the Avenhalt[?] Iron Works imported from France that will do very well. The pergola may be made [of] entirely of pine joists and plank planed square and morticed together in the simplest way. [but to get] To make it more elegantworking gardeners and labor- ers and to allow an [immediate] effect to be produced [by] the first season by annual vines, [immediately] before the permanent vines could grow sufficiently to cover it, iron work as in- dicated in the enclosed sketch [may be] might substituted with advan- tage for wooden posts. Be so good as to return the plan [st plan] study to me as soon [as you have] as convenient with [with] or without your intructions for maturing a [?] plan.To A. T. & Perry. Saratoga S. Apl 21 74 Ainsworth T & Perry Saratoga S. April 21" 1874 send 22' April 21. '74? Saratoga Springs N.Y. Ainsworth Tompkins & Perry, Design for Hotel Grounds.Country Club Drainage J M Forbes 23 COURT STREET, BOSTON, AUG 25 1885 My dear Sargent, Some time ago, when we drained the center of the track at the Country Club, I had some conversation with you & my recollection is that you told me that Mr. Olmsted had kindly intimated that he would give us the benefit of his advice if we so desired. At that time this drainage question was in the hands of a comitee, and had been settled. There is now another question, which is troubling us a good deal, & it has occurred to me that perhaps Mr. Olmsted would be willing to go up there at some time & make some suggestion. The present question is that of the cesspool, we have to keep a man at work a great part of the time to pump it out, the surface is almost 2 always in a filthy state & I presume one that is more or less unwholesome. Mr. Powell, our superintendent, can explain all about it. I do not see any spot where we could re-locate the cesspool to advantage, except at great expense, which we cannot afford on a lease running but two years longer - nor do I see that we can practically adopt sub-soil irrigation in the present place, as there is but one space where this could be put into operation, (in connection with the present cesspool) & this would, as I understand it, be objectionable as the grass would grow up very rank & it would not be safe to drive coaches and heavy carriages over the ground so irrigated. I refer to the triangular space near the cesspool, made by the main avenue & the road leading down to the left hand side of the track, all of which 3 can be best explained by the Superintendent. I have consulted one engineer, without any satisfactory result, & I feel that if Mr. Olmsted would be good enough to look over this question & the ground, that he would be able to make some suggestion, which would get us out of our difficulty at an expense which we could afford. I therefore send you this letter, in case you are willing to speak to him and send it to him. Yrs very truly, J. Murray Forbes - C. V. Sargent Esq Brookline - [*VI*] [*From Miss Bullard*] Brookline, 21st July, 1886. J. Murray Forbes Esq Dear Sir, We enclose plans and profiles for race courses on the Faulkner farm, one three quarters of a mile and one half a mile in length; each thirty feet wide. Of the three quarter mile course two fifths of the distance is to be level; the steepest grade at any point elsewhere is to be one in forty five the most rapid curve to have a radius of 200 feet. Except where the track is carried through a rock cut, it is to have a level border on each side of five feet, beyond which there is to be a slope to the natural surface [of] averaging one vertical to five horizontal the walls of rock cuts are to be thirty five feet apart. Soil is to be removed from the ground to be occupied by the track and its borders and slopes to a depth no where less than six inches, in the peaty ground to an average depth of two feet. This when the subgrading is complete is to be spread upon the borders and slopes of the track, dressed with dung, raked smooth and seeded for turf. The drains are to be laid on each side of the track except in those parts over rock. All rock and boulders are to be removed to a depth of at least a foot from the surface of the track and all pebbles or gravel stones larger than a hazel nut within six inches of the surface.hazel nut For [this work] the three quarter mile course our estimate of cost is as follows:- 8264 cubic yards topsoil [?] mainly twice. moved at 40 cts. 3305.60 17932 c. yds subsoil 35 " 6276.20 777 " " rock 2.50" 1942.50 7500 ft [?] drain 10" 750 ~ screening and finishing 1200 ~ ----------- $13474.30 ======= For the half mile track, prepared in the same manner out estimate of cost is ---------------------------------------- $7.316.45 ======= Steepest grade 1 in 40 three swarths level. [The fifth level][The track is to have a level border on each side of five feet; outside of which the ground is to have a slope of one vertical to five horizontal except] 3/4 Mile Track -- 20th July '86 Estimate of Cost. 17932 Cu. yds of Filling @ 35 cts = $6276.20 8264 Cu yds of Topsoil @ 40 cts = 3305.60 777. Cu yds of Rock @ $2.50 = 1942.50 7500 ft of Drain @ 10 cts 750. Finishing &c 1000 $13254.30Estimate for 1/2 mile [track] course [21 July '86] 5435 Cu yds Top-soil @ 40c $2173.60 7685 Filling @ 35c 2710.35 441 Rock @ $2.50 1102.50 5300 Drain @ 10c 530. Finishing 800. $7316.45 Steepest grade 1 in 40 (2 1/2 in 100) The estimate for the 3/4 mile track was made under the following conditions 1st The Top-soil is to be removed to a depth of at least six inches over the whole area taken up by the track and slopes, except in the low lands where the soil & peat is to be taken out at least two feet deep. The banks and slopes are to be covered with this material to a depth of at least one foot. The cost of doing this will average about 40c a yard, a considerable portion having to be twice handled. 2nd The track is to be 30 feet wide. The ground on each side of the track is to be level with it for five feet and is then to slope off at a grade not steeper than one vertical to five horizontal except where there is rock cut where the total width at the track may be 35 feet. Where rock is encountered it is to be excavated at least one foot below the intended finished grade. The smallest radius is 200' The steepest grade is 1' in 45' The total length of flat is 1500 ft. Length of track at 6' from inside line is 3960' (3/4 mile)[*note by JCO on top of letter "I was going to have a couple of type writer copies made, but as I remembered you had a typewriter who might not be busy at this season I have left all that to you."*] COPY 9th Sept. 1887 Dear Mr. Chandler: I send you at last our report on the Sunapee scheme. After doing the best I could I handed it over to Father. Using all my points, he rearranged and rewrote it to suit himself, leaving out a good deal of detail which I had gone into which did not appear to be needed by anyone reading it merely to judge whether they would "go into it" or not. I don't know whether it will serve you in this form, whether there is not a slight flavor of "damning with faint praise" about it. If it is so it came from the fact that it is written at second hand so to speak. I question whether the comparisons of height are not too vague and at the same time too sweeping, but as you have enough of these comparisons at your tongues end that may not matter. The fact is that I like the place very much and I am sure others will. "Seeing is believing" and if capitalists see under your guidance and hear what you can say at the same time, I doubt not they would feel more inclination to help than if tackled in an office in Boston. Sincerely yours, (Signed) J.C. Olmsted [*VI. from Miss Bullard*] R. Clipston Sturgis, Architect, 19 Exchange Place, Elevator at No. 7 Boston. March 16th, 1888. F.L. Olmstead Esq., My dear Mr. Olmstead:- I was extremely sorry to be so occupied when you were in the office this morning to as not to be able to talk over with you the rough sketches which I had made for the Somerset Club. I have been very pressed for time this week and have not been able to give it as much time as I should have liked. I tried to follow as nearly as possible your advice in the matter, merely thickening the walls because I did not think that 4" of brick work would stand, either to hold the earth, or against the frost. Perhaps I am wrong in this. I connected the two brick walls by granite caps which run across from wall to wall at intervals, so as not to interfere very much with our space for planting. The estimate for this work is so high $1566.00, in fact it is such a very expensive piece of work, that I very much doubt if Mr. Codman will consider it. I will write you what I hear from him. In sending him the drawing, I have given him your message. I am Very truly yours, R Clipston SturgisVI Brookline Country Club from Miss Bullard Was this later Country Club? yes Miss Bullard If so VI