Estate   Record





AND BUILDERS' GUIDE.





Vol. XXYI.





NEW YORK, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1880.





No. 661.





Published Weekly by

TERMS.
ONK YBAR, in advance....$10.00.

(Communications should be addressed to

C. W. S\(rSKT,

No. 137 Broadway





NOW SECURE GRANT.
Ex-President U. S. Grant having become
a permanent resident of this city, by taking
possession of an elegant mansion in Fifty-
second street, between Fifth and Madison
avenues, ought now to be prevailed upon at
once to take charge of the World's Fair to
be held in our midst in 1883.

There can be no excuse now that he is
mixed up with political affairs, and we doubt
very much if he will ever lend his name to
any mining or other speculative entei-prise,
where stockholders only can be benefited
by having this illustrious citizen at the head
of their respective speculations.

The International Exhibition to be held in
this city, however, will, if successful, reflect
great credit upon the people of the entire
country, South as well as North, West as
well as East, and the very fact that the name
of the first citizen of the Republic is at the
head of the World's Fair will secure that
success.

Time will prove the great wisdom of this
selection, and the appointment of General
Grant, as President of the International Ex¬
hibition of 1883, will at once stamp it with
the badge of "Excelsior."

—-^>>-----------

NEW YORK'S GROWTH IN A QUARTER
OF A CENTURY.

It has been said by one of our leading
political economists, that " there is no man
living who can at all imagine the future
grandeur of these United States, and that his
very imagination would fall short of tbj
actual facts, if our lives only lasted long
enough to witness them." It is not our pur¬
pose at all to dilate upon these prognostica¬
tions. On the contrary, we prefer to adhere
to facts as they come under our observation,
lay them in their bare nakedness before our
readers and subscribers and let them draw
their own conclusions therefrom.

We are led to these remarks by a casual
glance we had the other day, at a New York
lot book,-of the -year 1854;' This is only a
ittle more than a quarter of a century ago.





At that time there was a large quantity of
vacant lots, and an immense number of
frame dwellings on the streets crossing from
Sixth to Eighth avenues, between Twenty-
third and Twenty-seventh streets. On the
block bounded by Twenty-sixth and Twenty-
seventh streets, and Seventh and Eighth
avenues, there were, at that time, only
twenty-seven buildings on sixty-four lots.
There were hardly any buildings west of
Eighth avenue between Twenty-second and
Twenty-seventh streets. The block bounded
by Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth
streets, and Sixth and Seventh avenues, con¬
tained exactly fifteen brick buildings on
sixty-four lots. The vicinity of Thirty-
fourth street and Sixth avenue was about
one third improved. In fact, the space be¬
low Twenty-third street, from river to river,
then vacant, was sufficiently large to take in
all the buildings then existing above
Twenty-third street. In 1854 there were only
eighty-eighth buildings on Fifth avenue
above Twenty-third street, and fiffcy-four
buildings on Madison avenue.

Now let us remember that during this
period, from 1854 to 1880, we have passed
through a bloody civil war, unprectdented
as tn destruction of values, and two panics,
one in 1857 and one in 1873.

And yet here stands New York City to-day,
risen from a second to a first-class city of the
habitable globe. The city is built up solidly
from river to river as far as Fifty-ninth
street, and on the east side of the Central
Park the vacant property below One Hund¬
red and Tenth street would not be more than
sufficient to take in the houses already
erected in Harlem. Practically considered,'
New York is built up solidly to-day to Fifty-
ninth street, and on the East Side as far as
One Hundred and Tenth street. This, of
course, leaves out of considetation all the
houses in the annexed district beyond the
Harlem River.

While now with rapid transit we can reach
Harlem in less time than it used to take us
to go from the Batteiy to Twenty-third
street, it must not be forgotten that, during
all the period above mentioned we were,
owing to the absence of rapid transit, forcing
people out continually to New Jersey and
other suburban districts.

Look at tho picture presented by Manhat¬
tan i Island to-day, in the face of all the un¬
toward circumstances and events that have
surrounded us during the past quarter of a
century, and is there, indeed, any one living
" who can at all imagine the future grandeur
of this American metropolis?"

And in conclusion, let us remind those who
have no faith in every word said herewith,
that there are persons to-day living, who
distinctly  reinemher that  to  one  of the





Lutheran churches, was offered, about six
acres near the head of Canal street and
Broadway, but the trustees declined to take
it because, as they said, " it would not pay
to fence it in."

Let this lesson engraft itself upon the
minds of investors, before it is too late. The
time may come, even in their life time,
that not a single foot of ground can be ob¬
tained on Manhattan Island, even at prices
now considered extravagant.





FINANCIAL HINTS AND POINTS.

That C, C. & I. C, is likely to have a rise,
if the court decides against the Pennsylvania
road.

That Missouri, Kansas & Texas stock is a
very good thing to have in the house, in view
of the surrender of the road by the receiver
to the company and the building of the line
to Mexico.

That Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg
bonds are a purchase, as the unpaid coupons
are to be funded.

That Chicago & Alton is a dangerous jitock
to hold at present prices, some of the
directors having already sold out. The
advance was engineered by a young specu¬
lator who put the price up on general princi¬
ples, without special knowledge.

That the Omaha stocks" will have a rise
when the insiders in Northwest get ready.

That Calaveras mining stock may take 'a
jump any day.

That Gold Stripe when put on the market
may be worth buying.

That no one can make a mistake who buys
unimproved property at current rates on the
upper part of this island or in the Twentv-
third and Twenty-fourth Wards.

That the market for miscellaneous stocks
is a good thing to leave alone until the
speculative tide sets more steadily, either up
or down.

That Erie wiU, some time during the
coming year have a very great rise, its
business being better than ever before in
its history. With its present income Erie
could pay six per cent, on the preferred, and
three per cent, on the common ; and would
do so this year were it not for the need of
money to make permanent improvements,
which will eventually be of great benefit to
the stock.

That the shorts in Western Union may get
hurt some fine day.

That New York Central cannot be kept
down much longer; it being the cheapest in¬
vestment stock on the list.
That this is a "special" market, every few

I days bringing out new combinations and a
fresh deal which helps to keep up the whole
list of prices.