Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

The Record and guide: v. 35, no. 889: March 28, 1885

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i March 28,1885 The "Record and Guide. 821 THE RECORD AND GUIDE, Fiihlished every Saturday, IQl Broad-way, IT. 'X'. TERMS: ONE TEAR, in advance, SIX DOLLARS. Communications should be addressed to C. W. SWEET, 191 Broadway. J. T. LINDSEY, Busiuess Manager. Vol. XXXV. MARCH 28, 1885, No. 889 STATISTICAL N«W YOHK CITY. Salra of the Week. Conveyances. Mortgages. Assignments of Mortgages. Chattel Mortgages. Judgments. Satisfied Judgments. Mechanics' Liens. Satisfied Mechanics' Liens. Projected Buildings. Alterations of Buildings. Business Failures. All Oeneral News about Real Estate and BuUding. Proceedings of Board of Aldermeu and Board of Assessors Ailecting Real Estate. Foreclosure Sales. Recorded Leases. Building Material Market aud Quota¬ tions. Westehester Co. Conveyances. CONTENTS. KINGS OOtTNTT. Conveyances. Mortgages. Assignments of Mortgages. Chattel Mortgages. Judgments. Satisfied Judgments. Mechanics' Liens. Satisfied Mechanics' Uens. Projected Buildings. Alterations of Buildings. Business Failures. Lis Pendens. All General News about Real Estate and Building. Foreclosure Sales. NEW JERSEY. Essex and Hudton Co. Conveyances. Mortgages. Chattel Mortgages. Judgments, &c. The balance of probabilities would seem to be against the breali- ing out of war at this time Isetween Great Britain and Russia. The Czar would doubtless be willing to open hostilities if the great intemational duel could be confined to the two powers most inter¬ ested. Russia has everything to gain and notliing to lose by war with England. She has no foreign trade to be injured, and even a British victory in Afghanistan would leave her in undisputed possession of her recent conquests in Central Asia. Then a foreign war would put an end, for the time being, to domestic discontent and the plots of the Nihilists. It might result in giving prestige to the reigning dynasty. Herat, in possession of the Muscovite troops, would be a constant menace to the British domination in the East Indies, and when next Russia moved against Constantinople the British government might be induced to remain neutral for fear of trouble in Hindoostan. --------•-------- The Gladstone government will go to almost any length to avoid a conflict with the Colossus of the North ; but England would risk a war against the world in arms rather than allow Herat to fall into the possession of the Russians. She considers the preservation of that place of more importance, as far as her future is concerned, than any spot on earth, but any concession will be made to avoid war, provided it does not involve the surrender of the key to the Indies to the Russian armies. But, apparently, Bismarck is master of the situation. Germany has cast covetous eyes on Russian Poland and on the Baltic pro¬ vinces, which contain more German than Russian inhabitants. It is known that Austria is ready to occupy Bothnia and Constanti. nople if Bismarck gives the word. Russia would, therefore, run the risk, if she does not heed the warnings of Germany, of losing hundreds of miles of her present European frontier and of being pushed back into the interior. It has been understood that France will be the ally of Russia if the latter power goes to war with Germany. But France is now engaged in hostiUties with China and could not aflford to confront not only Germany, but Great Britain, which she will have to do if Russia measures swords with her old antagonist and conqueror. If Russia should decide on war it would be because the despot who rules that nation is willing to take tremendous risks. After the Russian forces had beaten the Turks in the last war and were within sight of Constantinople she was deprived of the fruits of htr viqtj^ries by Bismarck, who did not permit her to retain any of tho cOi riseT^d territory. True, Turkey was robbed of her provinces, but it Wq eeieJbe profit of Austria, not Russia. If there was a wise conn«r^.^j ^Qj.j^,verument in control of the latter power there would be no fear of war. Everything depends on the will of the Czar, and he may take all the chances. It is a noticeable fact that the Berlin bankers have taken no stock in war rumors, which shows that Bismarck is determined to preserve the peace of Europe and the world for the present at least. --------•-------- While lawyers have monopolized all the offices of honor or profit in this country, they have permitted our government to be repre¬ sented abroad in part at least by men of letters—historians, poets, journalists and the like. Hence our diplomatic service has been enriched by such names as Washington Irving, George Bancroft, William Cullen Bryant, James Russell Lowell, Motley HoweUs, Bret Hart, John Bigelow, John Russell Young, Marsh and others of the same fraternity. But the group of lawyers who make up President Cleveland's Cabinet seem to have a contempt for " these literary fellows," and are unaware that theie is any talent outside of their own profession. Hence all our foreign appointments are lawyers, not very distinguished ones either, for if our new Minis¬ ter to England had been a man of commanding legal talent, he would have remained in Washington, where he once held a minor office in the Treasury Department, or he would have gravitated to the great capitals, Boston and New York. But, no doubt, Mr. Cleveland is wise in his choice. Lawyers are popular in this country. They monopolize all the avenues of power and no one objects. --------•------— It is curious how different the feeling is in England. A corres¬ pondent of the Tribune states that Milner Gibson made the best speech in Parlament on the Egyptian question, but it faUed to have any effect, because, the correspondent said, "Mr. Gibson is a lawyer, and what a lawyer says has no weight with the British public." The last census returned 64,000 persons who claimed to be lawyers; but not more than one of six of these makes a living in the profession. Hence it follows that ecery office of trust and honor in this country is bestowed upon a profession that really numbers not more than 10,000 or 12,000 persons. It is aU right, of course, but ambitious young men must bear in mind that if they wish to achieve distinc¬ tion in politics it is indispensable that they become members of the legal profession. None others are tolerated in this country among our ruling class. --------•------—- Mayor Grace's meeting to antagonize the new parks was fairly successful. There was a large and respectable attendance, and undoubtedly there are many taxpayers who woiJd be glad if the whole of the projected parks were dispensed with. But the other side is also strongly backed. The names have been published of those who endorsed the new parks, and the list includes some of the foremost men of the city. There is a good deal of feeling on both sides, but we judge were the matt«r put to vote that a large majority not only of the voters, but the taxpayers would favor the projected improvement. --------•-------- The spring election project was killed in the State Senate during the past week. In no sense can this be regarded as a misfortune. It would have cost the city a couple of hundred thousand dollars and the various party organs twice as much more, and there Is no reason to believe that spring elections would in any way improve our city government. They have been tested in the previous his¬ tory of the city. From 1830 to 1849 city officers were chosen on the second Tuesday of April. From 1849 to 1857 the municipal and state elections were held on the same day. From 1857 to 1870 city officers were chosen on the first Tuesday in December. Since 1870 all the elections were held in November. We have therefore tried separate elections the first time for nineteen years and afterwards for thirteen years, and they were abandoned as not giving any better results than when all the elections were held on one day. The problem after all is to choose good representatives and city officers, and to do this requires some new machinery beyond changing the day upon which all the elections are held. Speaking of elections recaUs the fact that France is about to accept the reform which it rejected when proposed by Gambette. The Deputies to the lower chamber are to be chosen in groups, not individually, as in this country and England. That is to say, in the various departments the voters will express their preference for a number of Deputies instead of for one. It was complained that the Deputies under the past system thought only of their own districts and not at all of France. Hence party organizations lost cohesive power and legislation in a large way was impossible. A similar change would greatly advantage this country. If one-half of our representatives were elected on a general ticket or by states, con¬ gressional legislation would be far more satisfactory than it has been. The interests of Peoria and Podunk in our House of Represen¬ tatives now take precedence of measures to benefit the state and the nation. This should not be. The introduction of a bill granting a franchise for a bridge across Staten Island Sound i i the New Jersey Legislature is a strong