ND   BUILDERS'   GUIDE





Vol. X.                     NEW YORK, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1872.                       No. 241.





Published Weekly by

THE REAL ESTATE RECORD ASSOCIATION.

TERMS.

Orio year,.in advance......___.............86 00

AU communications should be addressed to

•7 AND 9 Waurbn Strkkt.





No receipt for money due the Real ESTATB Recobij
will be acknowledged unless .signed by one of our regnl;i
collectors. Henry D. Smith or Thomas F. Cummings
All bills for collection will ,be sent from the office on a regr.-
laiiy printed form.





Special Notices.

f Messrs. A. T. Sekeeix & Son, whose moulding-mill so
extensively known, was destroyed by fire over a year a"-o,
have built a larger one, with improved machinery aiid
much greater facilities for bnsine.=.s. This firm has been
too long and favorably kno^vn to need any recommenda¬
tion; indeed, the senior partner was the inventor of
machines for worldng wood molding.s and the first to
supply the market.

Mb. j. F. Pamiee, who executed the gas-fixtures and
bronze work for tho building of the Equitable Life Ins. Co.
and the dwelling of A. T. Stewart, and who was for 20 years
Supermtendent with TiilEany & Co., will fill orders in his
line with accuracy and taste and in all respects the highest
style of art.

_ Mb. John E. Bueke, 178 Wooster st., who has done work
m his line for years, for some of the first houses in Nwe
York, is ready to set, repair and clean furnaces, ranges, etc.
Oua up-town readers in need of sras fixtures or plumbing
work, might consult their convenience by visitino- the store
of Mr. Stadler, cor. of 54th st. and Sd av.





PEIVATE DWEILING-EOUSES AT THE

VIENNA EXHIBITIOIT.

(From tlie London Building News.)

At the forthcoming Universal ExMbition to
be held at Vienna, .in 1873, a.proininent.feature
will be made of the private dwelling-house by
placing it in a group by itself. This group will,
it is hoped, assist in the solution of one of the
most important social questions of the present
day. The object of the Commissioners is not
so much to form, a collection of ethnographical
examples, or 'to show the con.struction and
arrangement.of the ordinary private dwelling-
houses of different countries, as ib is to poiut
out what is considered by the iohabitants of
these countries the best mode of buildiag, tak¬
ing iato consideration the climate, local circum¬
stances, and mode of living existing thereta.
Thus, for example, a very common error ia
former attempts to provide dwellings for the
working classes has been the construction of
huge piles of bricks and mortar, in which there
is no exclusive ownership beyond the two or
three rooms having a separate; entrance, and
the right of way down a common stah-case.
Whatever may be the. economical or architec¬
tural advantages of this plan, known as the
" barrack system," it- has failed in almost every
instance, owing to the dislike of the very per¬
sons who were iutended to profit by it. Again,
it is very doubtful whether the "flat" system
has any future in London among the better
classes. The experiment in Victoria street hs s
found but little favor among us, and wherever
this plan has been repeated it has usually devel¬
oped itself into a mere modification of hotel
life. In countries where this plan exists it haa
been found tlia,t beside the danger of over¬
crowding, we have the even greater evils of the





loosening of the family . tie, with injury to
health and morality. On this account, there¬
fore, the tendency everywhere is to restore the
old family dwelling-house, arranged in such
a way as to suit the requirements of modern
life.

The intention, then, of the group destined to
ripresent the private dwelling-house—firstly by
mo 1 els, drawings, or complete buildings, tnd
secondly by similar examples of individu, 1
roo.ns only—is to display all the apartmentf.
even down to the kitchens and cellars, fitted
complete with every requirement for modem
housekeeping, including all the mo-st approved
recent contrivances, the whole being ready for
immediate use.

It is hoped by this means to present to the
visitor a most complete illustration of the vari¬
ed domestic arrangements of all countries, and
one which he could obtain in no other way.
Architects will thus be enabled to exhibit the
dwelling-houses best suited to the climates and
habits of their countrymen, and those interest¬
ed in the important social problems herein in¬
volved wUl be in a position to make the most
instructive comparisons, and to select and
adopt such of the details as may appear to
them novel and valuable. It is, moreover, in¬
tended that as far as possible these houses, be¬
sides being completely decorated and furnished,
shall be inhabited.

By thus grouping together in their actual
positions the handiworks of the cabinet-maker,
the upholsterer, the painter, the joiner, and
the potter, the visitor to the Exhibition vn.\\
have every chance of arriving at a true conclu¬
sion as to their respective merits.

In connection with this group it may be as
well to draw the attention of English ma.nufac-
turers and exhibitors to a class of dwellings for
which this Country is justly distinguished—
namely, laborers' cottages. Of late years we
have given much consideration to this subject,
and are far ahead of our continental neighbors.
Some good models and cottage plans would not
fail to attract a great deal of notice. Our
cheap buildings, again, iu iron, of the class
known as " temporary buildings," would also
be weU worth representing at Vienna, as con-
.structions of this kind are almost unknown
there. We .have but little doubt that if intro¬
duced by enterprising firms (and such are not
wanting in this country) iron buildings would
meet with a ready sale. It would, we thinli,
be found a very profitable investment to take
over a number of iron houses of various kinds
in order to put them up iu the Park previous
to the opening of .the Exhibition. House rents
ia Vienna, owing to the dearth of accomoda¬
tion, are at present enormously high, and a
cheap and readily-erected building would find
great favor there. Of course, there are a great
many objecfcohs to iron houses, especially iji
cold climates; but with a, little care and modi¬
fication it appears to us. that for temporaiy
residences iron buildings would be found to be
the best and cheapest, particularly in a country
where the better class building materials are
veiy costly. Thus we are informed that the
prime cost of bricks in Vieima is from SOs. to
GOs. per thousand, and other material in pro¬
portion. In fitting up such constructions an
excellent opportunity is afforded to Enghsh
manufacturers to exhibit our furniture and fit¬
tings, and to-show these objects in actual use.
Open stoves are almost unkn9wn in .G-ermany,
kitchen  ranges,.: again, find' lio   couhterpart





abroad. Gas stoves and small contrivances for
warming haUs and conservatories are much
needed. English furniture and wall-paper is,
where it has been introduced, greatly admired,
and our bedroom furniture should be adequate¬
ly represented. Of coujrse it is too much to
expect of the English Commissioners that actual
specimens of an English mansion, a viUa, and a
laborer's cottage, should be displayed at Vienna,
but we think that the opportunity should be
embraced as far as possible of showing foreign¬
ers why it is that in' ^England, above all
other countries, we are able to enjoy the com¬
forts and advantages of what no other Euro¬
pean language, we believe, has a word for—
"home."





GOSSIP.

Sevebal weeks ago the Common Council passed an ordi¬
nance, as recoriimended by Commissioner Van Nort, and
petitioned for by the property oivner.s, authorizing the De¬
partment oE Public Works to improve Seventy-second street,
from the entrance at the Central Park to the Hudson river,
as a macadamized road, thus making a park-way connect
ing the Central Park drives with the Boulevard and the
contemplated Riverside Park and avenue. Work has com¬
menced, and is being vigorously prosecuted, so that the
section between the Central Park and the Boulevard may
bo completed this season.

Commisioner Van Nort contemplates a similar improve¬
ment of One Hundred and Tenth street, from Fifth avemie
to the Riverside Park and avenue. This street is the
nojtherly boundary of the Central Park, and legal pro¬
ceedings to make it an eighty-foot roadway will soon be
consummated. When completed, it will form the connect¬
ing link of net-work of pleasure drives of twenty-six miles in
length, including the Central Park drives, the Sixth and
Seventh avenues, the Avenue St. Nicholas, tho Morningside
and Riverside avenues, and the Boulevards.

Hon. Henry G.-Stebbins, having ret-urned from Europe,
wifl immediately resume his duties as President of the De¬
partment of Parks. Frederick Law Olmstead, Esq., late
acting President, resigned tlie position at a meeting of the
Board held Thursday afternoon.





STE.E3T OPiSNINGS.

Th" reports of tho Commissioners of Estimate and Assess
ment'relative to the opening of the following streets, to¬
gether with all maps and other documents used by them m
making their reuort, are now deposited at the ofiice of the
Commissioners of Public Works, for examination by property
owners interei^ted. Time for objections will expire on the
dales mentioned.                    ,     .„    -      ti v.,-

SSth .St., from Sth av., to New Road or Public

Drive               .........—....................     Nov. 23

SSth St., from 12th av., to Hudson River.......     Nov. 23

Sitth St., from Sth av., to New Road or Drive...     Nov. 23

SOtn St., from 12th av., to Hudson River.......     Nov. 23

91st St., from 12th av., to Hudson River........     Nov. ii

Olst St.'. from Sthav.. to New Road or Drive....     Nov. ii

!)3d St., from I2th av., to Hudson River........     Nov. i.^

<)3d St., from Sth av., to New Road or Drive....     Nov. 2.i

9.5th Et   from Sth av., to New Road or Drive-----     Nov. 23

'15'h St., from I2th a v., to Hudson River.......     Nov. 23

97th St., from Sth av., to Boulevard............     Nov. 2 <

98th St., from Sth av.: to Boulevard......;......     gov. £1

Madison av.. from 124th st., to Harlem River...    Nov.   4
ilth av., from 59th st., to the Boulevard.......     Nov. 14

The Commissioners in the matter of the opening of the
followin"- streets give notice to owners of property afEected
to deposit their title deeds, lease, and other evidenc^ of
ownership to them on or before November 6th, at bi Nas¬
sau street, room 24:                .     ,   .,            ,        .^      t™

Dyckman st, extg. from Kmgstmdge road south-easter¬
ly to the Harlem River.                   _     •                 ,,...,.   1

Naegle av., extg. from Kin.gsbndge road north-easterly

"sherman av., parallel with Naegle av., nnd extg. from
langsbridge road north-cfisterly to 10th av. ^

10th ar., extg. from Dyckman st. northerly to Ivipga
bridge rond.