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The Real Estate Record
December 3,1881
result before flve yeax-s are over in enormously
increasing the buUion product of the United
States. It now averages about $77,000,000 per
annum, but ten years time ought to quadruple
that product at the present rate of development.
The famous Storm King, near Cornwall-on-the-
Hudson, is being torn to pieces by miners. It is
said that gold, silver and copper have been
found and the prospectors hope to find it in pay¬
ing quantities.
Having possession of three papers of the As¬
sociated Press, one more will put Gould, Field &
Co. into control of that organization, which is
composed of seven newspapei's. It is clear that
the World is being used to try and capture the
Herald. In the first place, the typographical ap¬
pearance of the World is changed so as to seem
like the Herald. The marriage and death
column in the Herald is one of its most popular
features, and of these announcements it has a
monopoly among the daily press. Now comes
the World with an announcement that it will
publish marriages and deaths all over the country;
it is also aiming to get the servant-girl advertis¬
ing. It really looks as if Gould is coming the
Manhattan tactics on the press, and that be hopes
to capture the Herahl by means of the World.
The transfer of the Times property to George
Jones, though an important one, is robbed of its
significance by the consideration not being made
public. The transaction was owing to the settling
of the Morgan estate. When the old Brick
Church property was fii-st purchased, it was quite
an event in the real estate history of New York,
but its re-sale to George Jones, in 1S81, was a
very ordinary event, judged by what little was
said of it.
A PALATIAL BROWN STONE DWELLING.
On the north side of Sixty-third street, 100
feefc east of Fifth avenue, there has recently
been completed a magnificent private resi¬
dence, that in all particulars will compare favor¬
ably with any house that has ever been erected on
Manhattan Island for the purpose of sale. The
location of this house cannot be excelled, as ifc is but
a stones throw from our charming Central Pai'k, and
in close proximity to all the superb mansions that
are being and have been completed on Lenox Hill
for the occupancy of the millionaires, of not only our
own city, but of the whole country. The house is 25x
70, with a two-story extension of 30 feet. The cellar
is paved with English cement, six inches thick, laid
on a bed of two feet of broken stone, and contains
two furnaces with all the latest improvements, and
one of Erickson's engines operated by gas to force
water into the large tank at the top of the house,
which has a capacity of 750 gallons. The feature of
the cellar is the unusual amount of light obtained in
it, and it has been the object of much favorable com¬
ment among builders. All the modern improvements
in plumbing have been brought into play, the pipes
being tin-lined throughout. The basement contains
the billiard room, kitchen, storeroom and laundry, as
well as the dumb-waiter and passenger elevator
which runs to the top of the house, and is lighted
fi-om above the roof. The firsfc floor is finished
throughout in the most substantial and highly orna¬
mental manner, the parlor, which is in the front of
the house, being in rosewood and ebony, and is fur¬
nished with an extra large beveled mirror extend¬
ing to the ceiling. . Adjoining the parlor, and
connected with it by the handsomest of sHding
doors, is the music room which contain two
superb mirrors, one a p'er extending to the ceiling,
the other of an oval character of unique design.
Adjoining the music room aud connecting with it as
well as the dining room is the smoking-room, which
contains a window opening in the clear. The exten¬
sion is fitted up for a dining room, with butler's pan-
tiy extension and a private servants'i-taircase con¬
necting with the kitchen. It is finished in oak and
root and contains an elaborate mantelpiece with mir,
ror and open fire-place, containing the newest thing
m the way of grates, which was furnished by William
H. Jackson & Co., who supplied everything needful
in their line throughout the house. The floors are of
the finest quartered oak, with borders of an exceedingly
attractive and original design. The beams throughout
the entire house are of well-seasoned pine. The second
floor is arranged in the saloon style and contains four
chambers, with dressing rooms as well as bath rooms
aad,water closets. Thesa^roomi are finished in wal -
nut and French walnufc, and ornamented with flve
beveled mirrors of charming design. There are three
chambers on the third floor, finished in oak and maple-
while the fourth floor has flve bed rooms, trimmed in
oak and root. The main staircase is of highly polished
rosewood and ebony. The front of the house is builfc
of first-class Co»necticut brown stone, known as monu¬
ment stone, and ifc was all cut, rubbed and set on its
natural bed so as to harmonize in all narticulars, and.
in connection with the handsom- entrance and exten¬
sive bay-windows extending to the roof is very effec¬
tive, aud presents a most imposing appearance from
Fifth avenue. The westerly wall, facing Fifth avenue,
is of flnely pressed brick. Mr. James Fettretch, the
owner and builder, has given his personal and unre¬
mitting attention to the erection of this house since its
inception. No expense has been spared lo make this
house perfect in all minor details, sueh as the latest
improvements in electric bells, electric burglar alarms
and the necessary wires for lighting the entire house
by electric light when the same come into use. We
congratulate Mr. Fettretch on having completed a
house which is nofc only an ornament to this locality,
but one that will ever be a worthy monument of him
as one of our best builders.
SPECIAL NOTICE.
Numbers of persons may be seen daily inspecting
the many new handsome residences that have been
completed on Lenox Hill. The centre of interest,
however, for the wealthiest would-be purchasers, is
the three magnificent private residences on the south
side of Sixty-seventh street, east of Fifth avenue,
that were built and are owned by Ira E. Doying.
There seems to be but one—in fact, there can be but
one—opinion about these houses, and if any of the
wealthy seekers after new and commodious homes
have not yet inspected these houses, they should do
so at once, for, even if they should not purchase, they
will have spent a profltable hour in seeing to what
perfection modern building has been brought. Those
fond of stained glass decorations will flnd it brought
into unique and tasteful uses in these houses. When
we say that Mr. Doying superintended the erection of
these superb residences, from their inception to their
completion, down to the minutest details, no further
comment is necessary.
THE ASSESSMENT COMMISSION.
Since our last report, the Assessment Commission
have transacted the following business. At the re¬
quest of Isaac L Miller, the Corporation Counsel con¬
senting, the decision of the Commissioners in the mat¬
ter of Sherwood rendered on September 15th was, on
motion, made their decision in matter of Kip as to
assessments for sewers in Seventh avenue, between
One Hundred and Twenty-first and One Hundred and
Thirty-seventh streets, and in Sixth avenue between
One Hundred and Twenty-ninth and One Hundred
and Forty-seventh streets, and the clerk was directed
to prepare certificates reducing assessment.
In the matter of O. B. Potter, assessment for regu¬
lating, grading, and paving Eighth avenue from Fifty-
ninth to One Hundred and Twenty-second streets,
Mr. John C. Shaw presented a portion of the evi¬
dence on behalf of the petitioner, after which the
further consideration of this matter was postponed.
OUT AMONG THE BUILDERS.
Mr. Robert H. Robertson has just completed the
plans for the new Madisonia venue Methodist Episcopal
Church, to be erected on the northeast corner of
Madison avenue and Sixtieth street. It will be bufit
in the Romanesque style, of free-stone, with a central
tower 175 feet; high. The Sunday School building
wiU adjoin tho church, ana will be 32x89. The clear
story of the church'and the lantern of the tower wfil
both be of terra cotta. It wiU have a seating capa¬
city of 750. The flrst story of the Sunday school
building will be used for parlors, and the upper part
for school purposes. Work will be commenced on
the opening of next spring, and the cost of this ele¬
gant church ediflce wiU be $100,000. Among the
many prominent gentlemen connected with this
organization are Messrs. William H. Falconer, J. B. &
J. M. Cornell, and Bowles Colgate.
The plans submitted hy Messrs. Pugin & Walter
have been adopted by fche new Memorial Presbyterian
Church of Brooklyn. The church will be erected on
the corner of Seventh avenue and St. Johns place,
and it will be in ihe early English Gothic style. The
dimension will be 98x100, including the Sunday school
annex. It will be built of red granite, with a steeple
dressed with Ohio stone.; Cost, about $46,000.
The plans for huilding an extension to cover the
whole lot as well as to remodel the old Moller house,
on the northeast corner of Fifth avenue and Thirty-
second street, are being "drawn by Roberfc H. Robert¬
son, for the Knickerbocker Club. The extension wUl
be of brick with brown stone trimmings, in conform¬
ity with the main building. The first floor will be
used for billiard and smoking rooms and cafe, tha
second for dining rooms, and the third as a kitchen
and sei-vants' dining room. The club expect to ex¬
pend $50,000 'on this improvement to their new club
house, and will commence operations as soon as Mr.
Cornelius Vanderbilt vacates the premises for his new
man.sion further up fche avenue.
Judge Van Vorst contemplates erecting during the
winter and spring a handsome villa at Nyack. It will
be of stone and [open timber construction, and will
cost about $15,000. Mr. Horace Gi-eeley Knapp is the
architect.
The buildings belonging to the Charlick estate in
Thirty-fourth street, between Seventh and Eighth
avenues, are to be converted into elegant flats, eight
stories high, at a cost of about $200,000, from designs
by Horace Gret-ley Knapp.
Mr. James Renwickjsjengaged on plans for a new
residence for Vicar-General Quinn. It is to be erected
on the southwest corner of Madison avenue and Fifty-
flrst street, and will be in the same style, but on a
smaller scale, as the Cardinals.
The block of ground bounded by Second and Third
avenues and Sixty-eighth and Sixty-ninth streets, is
to be ini]iroved by the erection of a row of flats with
stores on either avenue, and private dwellings on the
streets. The work of excavating and grading will be
commenced without delay, the contract having been
entered into by John D. Crimmins, and its cost will be
about $100,000. This propertj is rich in reminiscences,
some of which are given in detail in another column.
The work of rebuilding . Mayer & Bachmann's
brewery, at Cliffcon, Bfaten Island, was commenced
this week. The flrm have dissolved partnership, and
the business will be carried on by Mr. Bachmann.
The contract for rebuilding has been awarded to
Police Commissioner Wolf.
Mrs. Catherine Fettretch will erect a flat house
from designs by D. S. McKrae, afc No. 113 Wesfc One
Hundred and Twenty-fourth street.
Ou the north side of Seventy-eighth street, 250 west
of Ninth avenue, Ferd. Hemmerling proposes to erect
a flat house. Architect, John Brandt.
Julius Boekell has completed the plans for a flat
house to be erected at No. 39 St. Marks place.
The lot of ground on Seventy-ninth street, 325 east
of Third avenue, is to be improved by the erection of
a flat house, by Mrs. Sarah T. McCool. Architect, J.
C. Burne.
John Totten will commence at once the erection of
a flat house, at No. 406 West Forty-seventh street, from
designs by C. F. Ridder, Jr.
THE TAX SALE.
The corporation commenced the flrst tax sale held
since 1874, in the Court House, on Thursday last. A.
S. Caely conducted the sale, which attracted quite a
number of buyers. The property was sold to the
person who would take it and pay the charges against
it for its use for the shortest length of time. The
property sold was that lying in the flrst six wards of
the city. The sftle will be continued to-day.
MARKET review!
REAL ESTATE.
^r~ Por Ust of lots and bonses for sale
See pages 11 and iii of advertisements*
The market seems dull. But little was done at ths
Real Estate Exchange, yet it is worthy of notice that
every sale brings> large crowd. Dealers report an
active investment demand and considerable inquiry
from small capitalists, hut. While several large specu¬
lative sales are incubating, none are reported this
week. The demand seems to be for small lots, by
capitalists of limited means. But very few conces¬
sions are made in prices. The tone is unmistakably
strong and steady. The sale of the Brooks estate on
Tuesday brought out quite a crowd, and fair prices
were secured for the parcels sold. The house in Fifth
avenue, opposite the Windsor Hotel, brought 895,200.
It is said to have been bid in by the attorney for the
estate. It is very rare for a house in that choice
locality to come into the market. The only sales of
consequence during the comhig week are those by E.
H. Ludlow & Co., the flrst of which takes place on
Tuesday, on which occasion the southwest corner of
Fifty-eighth street and Madison avenue, 100x120, wfil
be sold. On Thursday will be sold the Knickerbocker
Club House, on the southeast corner of Fifth avenue
and Twenty-eighth street. The Allen estate, at Leg¬
gett's Point, some twenty-three acres in all, will also
be sold by the same auctioneers on Friday, December
9th. We do not hear of any extensive sales of the
houses buUfc during the past summer and fall. There
are a great many of unsold houses and some of the
builders are doubtless wiUing to make concessions in
price. In view of the'good prices which certain im¬
proved properties have brought on the Exchange, it
might pay for the builders to each put Pn four or five