Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 1, no. 14: June 20, 1868

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AND BUILDERS' GUIDE. Vol; I.] NEW YORK, SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 18G8. [No. 14. - Published Weekly by ■ C. W. ^'SWEET &j'0O., Roou B, AVouLD BiTiLniNo, No, 87. Pakk .Roav. TERMS, ; Six months, payable in adA-ance.................'$3 00 PRICE OF ADVERTIsiNO, 1 square, ten lines, three months.......,'.........$10 00 1 square, single insertion.....,.................... 1 00 Special Notices, per line.......................... 20 THE EAST SIDE ASSOCIATION. Tuia Association ■will hold a meeting at Masonic Hall, SOth st., bet. 3d and 4th avs., YorkviUe, on Tuesday evening', June 23d, at 8 o'clock, for the election of officers for the ensu¬ ing year. This AviU be the first meeting of the Associa¬ tion in their corporate capacii^. We hope that at this-meeting measures Avill he adopted that Avill thoroughly awaken the property OAvners of the east side to their interests, and secure improvements --and benefits commen¬ surate Avith the future grandeur of our city and tho age in which we live. The sister As¬ sociation on the west side, noAV so thoroughly organized and effective for good, has accom¬ plished much, very much, for itself and for the city, that Avill for aU time malce that portion of our city in Avhich their energies and efforts have been expended the most beautiful of any city in the world—nature superlatively adorned by art, the abode of the intelligent, the refined, the wealthy,-:7-the envy and the admiration of foreigners, and the pride of the people of this city. While it is impossible, OAving to the natural elevation of the east side, and the definite ar¬ rangement of streets and avenues therein, to vie or compete Avith the west side, yet its value to the growth and future prosperity of our city is none the less marked. It is evident that the whole of the east sideAvill before many years be swallowed up, as it AA-ere, by the avaricious de¬ mands of trade and commerce. The industries and enterprise and labor of this great metropolis win, along the East and Harlem rivers, the ave- . nues contiguous and the streets running across, find ample room for their development. It be¬ hooves, then, the people of the East Side Asso¬ ciation to grasp the mighty question of the proper development of the district under its jurisdiction, and with no narrow or parsimo¬ nious policy to retard or impede its progress and its healthy groAvth, but rather, with judicious, far-seeing purposes, so labor with earnest and united efforts as to make the easterly side of our city, Avith its magnificent water-front, the cen¬ tre of a commerce, the greatest the world has ever'seen. While they who live to-day -will have assisted to rear up oui commerce, now in its earliest stages, its infancy of development, profiting by it to a great extent, it Avill.be for future gen¬ erations to reap the fuU benefit of the Avisdom which they are now called upon to display. Tfiey will then have cause to rejoice at the muni¬ ficence of their ancestors, and their history Avill place our names in the highest niche in the Temple of Fame, as the greatest benefactors the Avorld has ever produced; for we lived and Avrought not for ourselves but for pos¬ terity. The greate-st success, then, to the East Side Association, in its noble efforts for the pros¬ perity and grandeur of our city; with a states¬ manlike policy, let it contemplate what New York Avill be a centtiry hence, and act Avith purposes united to make its realization a thing apparent to the mental A^sion of many Avho live to-day. BONNER'S HOME. We have obtained many facts relating to tho property ha Westchester Co., about which Mr. Boimer, in his characteristic advertisement, has said much to offend the people in that vicinity; and it is but just that we should state them, and be relieved from the imputation of doing such a Avrong as is contained in Avhat the lawyers call the suppressio veri—suggestio falsi. In the first place, the residence of IVIr. Bon¬ ner is situated in the midst of a dense forest, through which the genial rays of the sun can scarcely penetrate. The house is therefore necessarily very damp. Besides, there is a large tract of land contiguous, Avhich every season is flooded for the purpose of forming ice, furnished to residents in the Ancinity and in Harlem. In the spring and summer this place gen¬ erates 7nalaria. It is a proper subject for the Board of Health to investigate, and if it is the nuisance it is said to be, should be abated. In respect to the drainage of this and other parts of Morrisania, it is not generally knoAvn what steps have been taken to reclaim them, but we are assured that as expeditiouslj' and economically as possible, the authorities of the toAvn are doing all that they can for that ob¬ ject. Streets are being opened, regulated, curbed, guttered, flagged, seAvers built, and everything done to make that portion of the county in the highest degree healthful. It is also stated that the object of the adver¬ tisement above alluded to is not apparent on its face, as parties stand ready to purchase the property mentioned in it, and that it cannot be bought for any reasonable amount. It is further said that it is nothing more nor less than a big speculative job to depreciate the value of property in that locality Avith a view of buying it up. Both sides should be heard; so we state what is said on the other sido. A CHANGE IN CLUB LIFE. TnE selling out of the Athenaeum Club, which took place last Aveek, and the heavy mortgages we have recently recorded as haAring been taken by several of the other clubs, shoAvs that those institutions are not likely to be long-lived in this country. Club life is an exotic in the United States. It is too idle and aimless for the busy, bustling, public-.gpirited American. The really successful clubs here are those which have a public function, such as the Manhattan and the Union League clubs, both of AA'hich are of great use to their respective parties. The "Century" is successful, but then it is a rather sioAv and cheap affair, although its list of members contains some of the best names in the city, in literature and art. It is kept up by artists mainly, who, through the club, get customers for their pic¬ tures. The other clubs are places where idle people loaf, drink, and gamble, and are ju.stly regarded by respectable families as soci\l nui¬ sances. So there Avill be no tears shed over their failure. "What Ave need is an American typo of club, to which both sexes aa'III be admitted, and which Avill embrace the best of the working classes. To be successful, they must be vlsb- ful, which can be effected Avithout detracting from their social features. DoAvn Avith the drinking, idling, gambling, exclusive clubs, and success to the American Club—the club of the future. The reason why the work of paving with Bel¬ gian pavement 2d av. from 61st to 86th sta. has been suspended, is in consequence of a no¬ tice from the Croton Aqueduct Department to the contractors, Avho had been furnishing poor stone. It is better that the public should suffer a little inconvenience than that bad material should be furnished. The Croton Aqueduct Board deserve a great deal of credit for the course they pursue in this instance, which ia characteristic of the administration of the affairs of that Department. Contractors avUI be taught a lesson, that they cannot w'ith impunity rush in a lot of bad material, getting the highest price paid for the best. The Avork Avill undoubtedly soon be resumed, as, unless the material is according to contract, it Avill be annulled. Amherst, Mass., is growing rapidly. It ia estunated that §450,000 Avorth of new build¬ ings are erecting this season, including the ad¬ ditions to the tAVO colleges, Avhich ia one-fifth the valuation of the toAvn. Chicago has of buildings, 35,654 that are built of Avood; 3,772 built of brick and stone • 32,047 dwelUng houses, 1,695 stores, and 1,307 Avorkshops and factories.