Estate Record





AND   BUILDERS'   GUIDE





Vol. YII.





NEW YORK, SATUEDAY, JUNE 24, 1871.





No. in.





Published Weekly by

TIIE REAL ESTATE RECORD ASSOCIATION.

TERMS.-

One year, in advance......................$6 00

All communications should be addressed to

C.   "W.   SWETGT,

7 AND 9 Warken Street,





No receipt for money due the REAL ESTATE RECORD
will be acknowledged unless signed by one of our regular
collectors, Henry D. Smith or Thomas P. Cumjungs.
All bills for collection wiU be sent from the office on a regu¬
larly printed form.





THE VIADUCT EAILROAD.

Besides the confidence inspired by the bril¬
liant array of distinguished names which have
been published in connection with the Viaduct
Railroad, and which go far to convince the pub¬
lic that the scheme is a reality soon to be ac¬
complished, we have additional cause to re¬
joice that this great work will not only be
speedily, but well done, if we look to the in¬
struments that have been selected for practi¬
caUy carrying it into full effect; we mean Mr.
Serrell, the engineer, and Blr. Eidlitz, the
architect.

In all great engineering and architectural
works—although every architect should be
properly an engineer, and every engineer an
architect—it has been the custom, not only
here, but in other countries, to consider them
as the representatives of two distinct profes¬
sions. Unquestionably there are works of
magnitude, such, for instance, as the construc¬
tion of railroads, tunnels, water-works, etc.—
works requiring nothing but a knowledge of
mechamcal forces, and involving no question
whatever of aesthetic beauty—in which the
engineer may be said to be totally independent
of architecture, as a fine Art, in the prosecu¬
tion of his labors. But then, again, there are
many cases in which ifc is impossible for him to
work without an intimate knowledge of archi¬
tecture, and where this is lacking, his work—^no
matter how otherwise grand and imposing as a
mechanical production—is sure to prove unsat¬
isfactory as a whole; for there is no good reason
why the largest amount of strength and useful¬
ness should not be embodied in a pleasing as
well as in an uncouth form. The whole sur¬
face of the country is dotted with instances of
the kind:—Splendid constructions embodying
all the triumph of scientific ingentdty, but so
deficient in agreeable form that the merest tyro
in a good architect's office could have improved
them. One memorable instance of this occurs
to us as we write, and that is fche great suspen-
sioii bridge over the Ohio River, connecting Cin-
cinnatiwith - Covington on the Kentucky side.





We suppose this work may be justly con¬
sidered one of the grandest specimens of engi¬
neering skill, not only of this continent, but of
the world; and yet, who can look at its splendid¬
ly built, but formless abutments of masonry,
without wishing that the distinguished engineer
had expended at least some little thought upon
beauty, while devoting so much to magnificence
of construction.

Our Viaduct Railroad authorities seem, at
any rate, not likely to fall into this grave error,
by having selected two men of such varied, but
co-operative knowledge and taste, as their en¬
gineer and architect. The one bears the high¬
est name among us for his scientific abilities;
the other is a consummate artist, who, in all
the large number of edifices erected by him in
this city and neighborhood, has in every case,
however large or small, left behind him a work
of art to grace our city and improve the pubhc
taste. We may therefore expect to see the
bridges that are soon to go vaulting across our
streets, the stations and stairways that are fco
welcome us at every few blocks in our flying
transit, instead of mere unsightly contrivances
for the purposes of locomotion, real artistic ob¬
jects of beauty that wiU be a delight in them¬
selves to look at. The same combination of the
beautiful with the useful which has, so far.
made our Central Park a glory among all works
of the kind—^no matter to what quarter of the
world we look for a comparison—will attend
the construction of our Viaduct Railroad, for
the work is in the hands of precisely the men
who can ensure it.





THE NEW RAILWAY DEPOT.

The grand depot now in rapid course of com¬
pletion at the junction of Forty-third street and
Park avenue, for the New York and Harlem,
Hudson River and New Haven Railroads, has
arrived at a stage in which its grandeur can be
fully appreciated. We have, in former num¬
bers, given such full descriptions of this buUd¬
ing as to make a repetition here unnecessary;
but no verbal description can give an adequate
idea of the commanding character of this struc¬
ture—^not so much from, any artistic beauty of
detaU as from its enormous size, and the bold¬
ness of conception which permeates the whole
design. The immense roof of curved orna¬
mental iron ribs and glass which vaults over
the huge space in one unbroken span is in itself
worthy of a visit from a long distance. We
question if anything more simple in form and
yet effective in arrangement can be found
among any of the most vaunted roofs of iron
construction to be found in Europe. In spite
of aU the hurry among the operatives who are
at work there, like a swarm of bees, it must be
several weeks yet before the buUding can be





completed, and everything prepared for practi¬
cal use. The artificial stone attracts attention,
the whole of the platforms being laid down
with that material, and apparentiy doing the
work of the hardest blue-stone. The whole
thing, when completed, wUl undoubtiedly be one
of the grandest additions to the architecture of
New York which has occurred in many years.





A SUGGESTION.

It may not be altogether in the line of Real
Estate busuiess, but as a matter in which our
Central Park Commissioners may be interested,
we would suggest to them the propriety of
using classical words as Httle as possible upon
the different signs in the Park, if they would
accommodate themselves to the comprehension
of all who visit it. For " Garnivorium,''^ for
instance, we would suggest '■'■Animals;''^ and
English names accompanying the Latin ones, in
the museuin, might prevent many a searcher
after knowledge from mistaking a rattlesnake -
for an electric eel.

. Our reason for these remarks is philanthropic.
We were seated near the Fifth avenue entrance,
watching the gay cavalcades passing to and fro,
when a bewUdered son of- Erin, accompanied by
his wife and two chUdren, asked us the way to
the wUd animals. We pointed to the sign right
before us, on which was printed very distinctly}
"To the Musuem and Camivorium," etc., etc.
Our friend demurred, and said that was the
Cami-something; but on our persuading him
that we thought it meant to inclilde such
things as tigers, lions, etc., he thanked us and
went off, rejoicing in his new discovery.





DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PARKS.

The following extract from the recent Report
of the Department of Public Parks is of inter¬
est, as reflecting the opinion of the Department,
in regard to two important parks, and from
the paragraph on " Conducting DaUy Busi¬
ness " we are enabled to judge of the manner
in which the Eight-Hour Law works as regards
the employer. The Department declares that
this law increased the cost of maintaining Cen¬
tral Park alone $50,000 per annum, which cer¬
tainly is not a very pleasant pUl for our tax¬
payers to swallow.

MOUNT MORRIS   SQUARE.

Mount Morris Square, the great public park
of Harlem, and one of the most beautiful public
places on the island for capabilities of omamen-
tion, has received a large share of considera¬
tion. The former chief landscape gardener,
Mr. PUat, believed it to be capable of being
improved to a very high degree; the roads
winding up to the hill in its centre, rising far
above the grades of the streets adjacent, make
it an agreeable place for resort when the at¬
mosphere is clear and a walk up the hill is in-