"MY DEAR GOVERNOR TILDEN,--I was very glad to find that no obstacle presented itself in the way of your completing the arrangement for hiring Mr. Waring's place at Yonkers, and the prospect of numbering you and your household among our residents is a very gratifying one to me. I have lived nearly fourteen years in my little suburban home there, and am satisfied that I have warded off serious dangers to my own health and that of my family by the change from city to semi-country life. I believe Yonkers to be in every respect the most desirable suburb of New York, and I trust you will conclude to purchase Mr. Waring's property on which I know a vast sum has been well expended. I hired my house when I first went to Yonkers, but in less than sixty days bought it, in the belief that whether I remained or not it was a safe property, and I have never regretted the purchase. "Hoping to see you soon in our neighborhood, "I am, yours sincerely, WM. ALLEN BUTLER." * * * * * For some time previous to the receipt of the foregoing note, Mr. Tilden had been encouraged by his medical advisers to provide himself with a country home conveniently accessible from the city, where he would secure as many hygienic advantages from its situation as possible. He had been assisted by Mr. Trevor, himself an old resident at Yonkers, in selecting a property in that city which was for sale, and bore the name destined to become famous--"Graystone." He leased it at first, but before his lease expired completed the purchase of it. To the original purchase, he added several adjoining properties in subsequent years. The cost of his purchases and improvements at Yonkers may be stated with sufficient precision as follows, and possesses a certain historic interest: ESTIMATE OF COST OF PROPERTY AT YONKERS 1879. Original Purchase: June 25. To cash paid Mutual Life Insurance Co $3,000 00 Sept. 4. To cash paid Mutual Life Insurance Co 119,162 26 Sept. 5. To cash paid taxes 12,544 77 Sept. 5. To cash paid J. F. Waring 3,500 00 Sept. 5. To cash paid J. F. Waring 11,792 97--$150,000 00 Improvement (?) 48,208 91 Baldwin Property, purchase 55,198 40 Baldwin Property, improvements 546 02 Clark Property, purchase 12,266 38 Other plot 10,521 10 ----------- _Forward_ $276,779 81 _Carried forward_ $276,779 81