Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

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Itovember 18—25, 1882 The Record and Guid e. 91 Hewitt, to whom, more than anyone else, the changes in the architectural style of Philadelphia's private residences is due. At present there is in course of construction a large number of fine residences of various architectural designs. On the northeast corner of Walnut and Twenty-second streets. Mr, G. R. Preston, President of the Hibernian Bank of New Orleans, is erecting what wiU be one of the costliest houses in Philadelphia, the pi-in- cipal features being a high peaked roof, crennelated windows—some of them being diamond shaped, the use of rustic stone woi k, as high as the second story, and the large number of tiles used in the decoration of the numerous chimneys. This house was designed by Prank Furness. Adjoining the above, and fronting on Twenty-.«econd street, Dr. James H. Hutchinson is erecting a four-story Connecticut brown stone and red pressed and moulded brick residence, forty feet wide. In front the windows are divided by stone mullions; the bay window on the second floor having been ingeniously designed, so as not to project beyond the street line; on either side there are balconies ornamented with stone tracery and column arches, while bold bracUets support the third floor on each side of the bay. Iu the roof will be found dormer windows on each side of the gables. It is due to this and other devices to give breadth, that the elevation has been overcome, giving the building the appearance of insufficient height. Adjoining Dr. Hutchinson's residence, Travis Cochran will soon com¬ plete a handsome residence, from de.signs by George W. Hewitt. The front will be of moulded brick and brown stone, the latter r jugh up to the first story. The door and hall are at one side, thus giving an appearance of breadth. On tho first floor, all the rooms are en suite; in fact the inte¬ rior arrangement of this house will differ materially from any yet erected in Philadelphia. The late Col. Thomas A. Scott's son, Mr. James P. Scott, is building a charming residence, adjoing ,,the Presbyterian Church, at Twt-nty-first and Walnut streets, which, when completed, will be oue of the most co.-.tly in the city. Edmund Smith, Vice-President of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, is erecting a fine residence with terra cotta front, on Walnut street adjoining the corner of Fifteenth street. Addison Hutton, the architect, is constructing two fine dwellings on the corner of Spruce and Twenty-first streets.- The corner house, which is for his own occupancy, is in the Renaissance stvle, with relieved carving, while the other, which is for Frank K. Hippie, will be built of pressed brick, highly ornamenteci with red terra cotta, richly carved in designs, representing fruits flowers, etc. The interior will be trimmed in ash, mahogany, walnut, maple, and cherry woods, with stained gldss windows. On South Broad street, there has been a number of improvements, while in West Philadelphia, there is quite a buildiug movement; iu fact there has never been a greater^ building] agitation in the Quaker City than is going on now. New Buildings at Cornell. With its customary enterprise, Cornell University is erecting on its Campus two new buildings. One, which will be the finest chemical and physical laboratory possessed by any college in the United States, is nearly completed. It is built of red Medina sandstone with yellow Ohio stone trimmings, and has its outer walls inset with medallions of eminent scien¬ tists. The other building, which will be completed by the new year, is being built of brick, 100 by 60 feet, with arched windows, flying buttresses and a steep roof. It will we used as a drill hall and gymnasium. A costly addition to the chapel, which will contain the sarcophagus of Mrs. Fiske and of other benefactors of the university, is contemplated, and a new and better equipped building for the departments ot architecture and civil engineering is only a question of a year or two. A magnificent library building will soon be constructed, w hich shall meet the present and future demands of a library already large, and having the finest endowment of any college library in America, while Cascadiil Place, whose gloomy halls long ago drove out its students, is to be entirely remodeled.—SyracxLse Standard. -------«------- New Buildings in the Ninth Ward. Editor Record and Guide : I read in your paper accounts of the activity of the building interest in new buildings of the different wards, showing a large increase over pre¬ vious years. This speaks well for the tbrift and prosperous times of busi¬ ness in the city. The Ninth Ward is noted for the number of large build¬ ings that are being erected for storage and factory purposes. There have been more buildings of this class erected, during the last year, iu this ward than in any other in the city. Mr. John Glass has erected on Gansevoort street, two large buildings, 50x80, five stories in height, intended for wholesale stores or market purposes; also five apartment houses, on the corner of West Thirteenth street and Greenwich avenue, with stores on the first floor. They are an ornament to our ward. There bas also been erected on Greenwich avenue, a five-story apartmei^t house. P. W. Devoe & Co. have built, on Horatio street, adjoining their extensive paint works, a six-story factory. ,50x80,.a good substantial building, Mr. G. B. Lawton bas added to the heights of his buildings, Nos. 118, 120, 1-22 and 124 Ganse¬ voort street, three stories, to accommodate the increased basineas of his tenants. The Rubber Paint Works purchased the plot of ground, on the corner of Washington and Bethune streets, 66x88, and are erecting a five-story building. A five-story apartment house, 25x70, on Perry street, Messrs, Beadleston & Woerz have added to their large and commodious brewery, a building for brewing lager beer. Mr, J. B. Snook, architect, has built tor Mrs. G. R, Hoffman, on the corner of Bank street and Thirteenth avenue, a com¬ modious fac ory, six stories in height, 1.50x1.50, and is about to commence for the same lady a building, to be occupied for chemical works, on the corner of West and Horatio streets, a three-story building. 88x100, to be completed by February 1st; also on Bank street, between West street and Thirteenth avenue, a five-story factory, 44x150, with prospects of an addi¬ tion, 33x15(1, to be completed by May 1st. The same architect has com¬ pleted for Mr. Livingston, on the corner of Jane and West streets, a one¬ story building, 88x150, to be occupied for the manufacture of lead pipe and for smelting purposes. Mr. J. Borman Johnston has commenced a large five-story building on Thirteenth avenue, between Bethune and West Twelfth streets, 145x175. to be occupied by Messrs. Nash & Whiton, for storage purposes, who also occupy the remainder of the block for the same purpose. The demand in this ward for buildings of this class is greater than the supply, and if several more buildings were erected tenants could be secured for them. There isa marked increase in the business of the Ninth Ward during the last few years, and, if continued, will make it rank with the lower wards in point of business and prosperity. These are only a few of the.many improvements that have been going on for the past few yeai-s, and, as the tendency of business is moving up-town, the superior market accommodations in the Ninth Ward will make it one of the first business wards in the city. G. B. L. About Conveyancing. The case of Selleck vs. Tallman (87 N. Y,, 106) is instructive as to the pi oper course of conveyancers in closing a title where difference arises as to the construction of the contract. The parties met on the day and at the place fixed for the consummition of the contract; the (defendant productd but did not formally tend a deed of the premises, dated as of the date of the executory contract; he insisted upon interest from that date, to which plaintiff's attorney objected, on the ground that the date should have ^ een the date fixed lor performance, and that intei est should run from that date Defemlant iiwUted on his coi.- struction of the contract upon this point, aud did not thereatter make any- tender or offer of performance on his part, nor was there any affirmative or express withdrawal of the construction and condition so i sisted on 1 y him. After retiring from the room for the purpose of consultation with bis counsd upon this subject he returned and offered to carry out ihi contract " according to its terms," but said nothing to indicate that he hi.d changed his construction in re>pect to the claim for interest. At this interview the plaintiff produced aud hauded todefendant or his counsel tiie bond and mortgage called for by the contract, and. he had a cei titled check for the cash payment agreed ou, without interest, but made no for mal tender. It would appear that the vendor's counsel was not so sure of his position as to be willing to rest h's refusal upon a plain demand for intn-est, hut in his final reponse said ambiguously that he had i ffered to carry out the contract according to its terms. The court held that such a generality would not avail, as the terms of the contract, properly interprt-it d. did n )b entitle him to interest, and as he had previously demanded inieret-t. lie was bound, in order to get the advantage of having offered to convey Hocording to the terms of the contract, to indicate that he reced-