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Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 6, no. 136: October 22, 1870

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AND BUILDERS' GUIDE. Vol. yi. NEW YOKK, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1870. No. 136. Published Weekly by THE REAL ESTATE RECORD ASSOCIATION. ■ TERMS. Ono year, in advance......................§6 00 All communications should be addressed to 106 BaoAmvAY, COB. OF Pine Street. GENOA. Mark Twain, in his no less instructive than amusing book, " The Innocents Abroad," gives an account of '"'^Genova la Supei'ba"—Genoa the Proud—:-5vhich, with all the truthfulness that generally underlies the genial humor of the writer, is calculated to give a very wrong impression of one of the foremost schools of Architecture to be found in Contiuental Europe; and for this reason alone we refer to the sub¬ ject. Professor Cockerell, one of the most distinguished of English architects, has dis¬ tinctly stated that a student can find more valu¬ able suggestions for the study of domestic and civil architecture in Genoa than in any other city of Italy,—not even excepting Rome ; and our recollections of that quaint and interesting old " City of Palaces " quite coincide with the Professor's opinion. We fully endorse all the rapture that Mark felt on first beholding the renowned female beauties of Genoa, "robed in a cloud of white from head to foot," and allow that he has thereby given good proof of being a most excellent judge in such matters ; but we do not quite as readily agree with him when he tells us that " the palaces are sumptuous inside, but they are very rusty without, and make no pretensions to architectural magnificence." Accustomed as we are to look at our build¬ ings across broad rectangular streets, we can understand how, to an untutored eye, the mas¬ sive and gigantic dwellings of Genoa, "ahun¬ dred feet front and a hundred high," with their walls "asthick as an ordinary American door¬ way is high," would lose much of their gran¬ deur from being located in such narrow tor¬ tuous thoroughfares, "where the tops of the tall houses on either side of the street bend ahnost together." But if the -writer had pos¬ sessed an eye a little more accustomed to the subtle beauties of architectural design, he would have probably discovered, somewhere in the fagade of each of those " frowning,' dingy, monstrous houses," in spite of the rusty frescoes with which they are defaced, some rich gem of • beauty arid ingenious device, that he could not possibly have avoided trying to carry away a recollection of in his sketch-book. Those who built the stately structures of Genoa, Venice, and other renowned old Italian cities, which, even in their ruin and decay, stiU loom up as the grandest models to the student— not for servile imitation, but for honest guid ance and emulation—went to work in a differ¬ ent manner to what we moderns here are in the habit of doing. They never seem to do any work without stamping upon it, somewhere or other, upon some individual feature, the noble seal of high art. Here it may be some gorgeous doorway, there some magnificent window, or turret, or even chimney, but always something somewhere denoting earnest thought and inven¬ tion. We, on the contraiy, are content with the most dreary monotony in architecture, and will deliberately cover whole acres with unmean¬ ing platitudes and commonplace "enrichments," quite as costly, in the end, as if some eminent .sculptor had been called to aid the architect with his sister art, in presenting some original grand doorway, or other feature of engrossing interest. Where, for instance, could one find in all Genoa so large and conspicuous a build¬ ing as A. T. Stewart's immense iron store at the comer of Tenth street and Broadway, or the huge marble residence at the comer of Thirty-fourth street and Fifth avenue, without one single feature betraying even a scintillation of original thought and invention ? In this respect, if in no other, some of our architects would do well to make a trip expressly to Genoa,—vsdth aU due deference to Mr. Mark Twain,—and there take a few hints from many a '' dreary-looking den that looks dimgeon all over." REAL ESTATE. The market, so far this season, for real estate is characterized chiefly by an entire absence of anything like a speculative activity, although the amount of sales for the two months just past (August. and September) compare very favorably with either of the years 1869 or 1870. So far as building operations are con¬ cerned, the activity is fully as great, if it does not surpass, that of the year 1869 ; and judging from the number of houses now going up, the prospect for stiU lower rents during the coming year is decidedly cheering to tenants, and the re¬ verse to landlords. An important fact bearing largely upoii the price of real estate for the coming season, is the great number of fore¬ closure suits which are daily brought against parties who are unable to procure money to pay off mortgages falling due. As many as seven¬ teen suits were brought on Monday and Tuesday last, and the number filed from week to week is greater than ever before known since the famous year of 1861. The same process which periodically takes place in Wall street when brokers sell out parties holding stocks on narrow margins, is now a feature of the real estate market; and thousands of weak- speculators, who, during the fall of 1868 and the spring of 1869, bought property on 20 and 30 per cent margins, will be slaughtered without mercy. As soon as the weak holders are sold out, and their property becomes concen¬ trated in the hands of strong parties, an advance wiU probably be asked; but whether moneyed men are willing to unload weak speculators at the present prices, is a question which "will be solved at the auction-room during the coming year. From the present dulness at the sales, one would judge that capitalists, as yet, are not very decided in their opinions. One of the most important sales yet announced for this season is that of fifty-four lots on Broadway, at Wash¬ ington Heights, which property is to be sold on Tuesday next, and its result 'wiU no doubt influ¬ ence, to a great extent, the feelings of operators in unimproved property. The leading question with permanent investors in regard to this sale will be that of quick transit. KEPORTED IMPORTANT BUSINESS CHANGES. NEW YORK CITT. Hyllested, Charles, cotton broker, changed to C Hyllested & Co. _ . Leon, Arnold & Co., clotMng, dissolved. Myers', James, Son & Co., dry goods, dissolved. Rodrigues, M. C. & Co., commission, dissolved. Settle, Wilham W., produce commission, deceased. Story & Rich, commission, dissolved. MECHANICS' LIENS AGAINST BTOLDINGS IN NEW YORK CITY. Oct. 20 Boulevard, e. s., between Seyen- ty-seventh and Seventy-eighth sts. Joseph Altgeier agt. John Carlin.. $159 95 17 Chrtstie ST., e. s., Nos. 172, 174, and 176. J. A. Candee et aL agt. Anton Reichhardt et al........... 3,392 00 19 Chatham ST., w. s., Nos. 44 and 46. Wm. Armstrong et al. agt. Leggett & Storms........................ 274 00 17 ElGHTT-EODRTH ST., S. S., 100 E. 2d av. Michael Murphy agt. Chas. Mallay........................... 79 00 20 ElGHTT-THIKD ST., N. S., 13 HOUSES, com. 350 w. Sth av. Joseph Alt¬ geier agt. John Carlin............. 552 00 14 EoRTiETH ST., s. s., No. 202 East. Treadwell Seaman agt. —. Eller- field............................. 58 08 15 Forty-second st., n. s., Nos. 425 to 431 inclusive, bet. 9th and 10th avs. James Rose agt. J. R. Tay¬ lor............................... 983 55 15 Fiftt-fourthst., n. s.,. Nos. 529, "i 531, and 533 West.............![ 15 Fifty-fifth st., s. s., between f 10th and nth avs............... J Philip Doerrschuk agt. Woodworth «fc Young......................... 284 25 15 Same property. John NAGLEagfc. Woodworth & Young.........___ 2,002 85 20 Fifty-first ST. and Ninth av., n. e. cor., 100 on st., 25.5 on av. Bal- thaser Lang agt. John Schmidt.... 1,55800 17 Ludlow st., b. s., 2 Bousps, com! " "' ' about 100 n. Hester st. J. A. Can¬ dee et- al.- agt. Metzger & Becker.. 3,822 68 19 Same property. E. A. Bradley & Currier agt.-same...........___ 2,500 00