Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 82, no. 2115: September 26, 1908

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6id KECORD AND GUIDE September 26, 1908 daily fishing at polluted points, and no doubt eating thereafter the fish taken from the sewer outlets. If the body be immersed in this polluted water while millions of sudamlna are throwing out the perspiration of the body, the system absorbs and Is fllled with these Impurities, and we have the same condition of absorption of germs as when taken into the system by respiration, by inhalation of impure air, or by digestion, when drinking impure water or infected milk, or by eating oysters which have been whitened and fattened arti¬ ficially in the very water our sewage and drainage has helped to pollute. So that while we have overcome the great difli¬ culties menacing the health of the community by the best of sanitary measures, we have allowed these practices to continue and to contribute many cases of Infectious illness. No one more than a medical man appreciates the advantages of open air exercises, and particularly of tiathing in pure waters, as a healthful recreation for all classes, and no one more than myself regret the fact that the beautiful shores of our locality are no longer safe or proper places for such recre¬ ation. But the time has come when the use of diluted sewage as a medium for such enjoyment must be prohibited, and these bathing places closed, as w-ell as the practice of flshing near sewer outlets. If it be possible to establish some large bathing place supplied with pure water, the attraction of this locality in this respect might be continued, and it is interesting to learn that a project Is in hand for providing a means of solving this problem by the building of a large natatorium at 145th st. The details of the project have much interested me, and as I consider tliat the establishment of such an institution on the Heights would be of general benefit, I have asked Mr. P. M. Blake, who is the author of the project, to describe it fully to the members of the Washington Heights Taxpayers' Asso¬ ciation. PRIVATE SALES MARKET TRANSIT IN EAST BRONX. Taxpayers in the neighborhood of Throgg's Neck express their approval of the petition of the New Tork, Westchester and Boston Railroad Company for a change of route so as to take in a branch Une which will tap that locality. The line as originally granted In 1905 covered a route between the Bronx and Harlem Rivers. The change now under consideration is a result of the opposition to the old lines. It is believed that the construction of the road as originally proposed would re¬ sult in the destruction of so much property tliat the expense of the undertaking would be prohibitive. The new route suggested by the company is said to be through a territory where the right-of-way can be purchased within a short time and at a price consistent with the flgures paid for other vacant property in that section. A projected branch Is also proposed through Throgg's Neck beginning at a point in W^est Parms road, near the southeast corner of Bronx Park, and continuing southward almost to the Bronx River, where it will turn eastward to Clason Point Park. Running northward from that point along the East River the line as proposed will flnally cross Baxters Creek and ends at Fort Schuyler road and East 177th st. If the changes under consideration are carried out property interests in the extreme easterly section of the Bronx will be considerably benefited thereby. HOTEL GOTHAM TO BE AUCTIONED. By order of the Supreme Court the Hotel Gotham, at the southwest corner of 5th av and 55th st, is going to be sold at public auction on Oct. 13 by Joseph P. Day in the Exchange salesroom in Vesey st. The Knickerbocker Trust Co. secured a judgment for $455,000 on a third mortgage. The property is subject to prior liens aggregating $1,950,000, held by the Metro¬ politan Life Insurance Co. The 51st St. Co. is the owner of record of the property. On Aug. 7 Charles Wetherbee and William R. Wood, of the Hotel Buckingham, took active charge of the management of this hotel, and their tenure will remain undisturbed, as pro¬ visions have been made to this end. It will be remembered that this hotel has never been granted a liquor license on ac¬ count of the opposition of the Fifth Av, Presbyterian Church, which is located within the statutory limitation of 200 ft. From a flnancial standpoint the hostlery has always been a failure. The building has a frontage of 100 ft. on the avenue and 125 ft. on 55th st, and is 18-stys in height, of modern flreproof construction. IN AN ELEVATOR APARTMENT HOUSE the elevator boy plays an Important role. Higher prices are paid for apart¬ ments in this class of house compared with a non-elevator structure, and the families that live there naturally demand better and prompter service than could be expected in a cheaper grade house. Aa a rule the elevator boy is not an impressive sight. He is usually more dead than alive, but a boy who will jump up from his seat when a prospective tenant appears, and show some interest in tvhat is happening, greatly increases the chances of the apartment being leased. SOUTH OF BOTH STREET. CITY HALL PL.—Eliza Arnold sold the 4-sty building 19 City Hal ]pl, 24.6x&9.5. The property adjoins the Deutscher Press Club, and is 131 ft. north of Duane st. Block Front Sold. DOVER ST.—The Charles F. Noyes Co. has sold for Mrs. Ida M, Otz the entire block front on the southerly side of Dover st, from Front to South, consisting of 4 buildings, namely, 209 Front, 36 Dover, 3S and 100 South st. The total property has a st frontage of about 144 ft. on Dover st, with direct north light, and the plot contains ahout 4,000 sq ft. The property is purchased by an investor. It has been in the family of the sellers for about 50 years. The purchase is a cash one, though there is a clauSe per¬ mitting a purchase money mortgage to remain, should the purchaser so elect. The date of closing is also elastic. There is some doubt just what will be done with the property, antl, iu fact, until an ac¬ curate survey is made nothing definite can be decided. One of the buildings is a substantial structure. There is a possibility of a new modern 6-sty huilding being erected on the site. OTH ST.~John G. Folsom sold for a client to the Oth Street Co. 233 East Oth st, a 6-sty tenement, 39.6xOS.llx irregular. There waa a mortgage of $37,250 on the property. 15TH ST.—The Duross Co., in conjunction with H. M. Weill and Joseph Burke, sold 330, 332 and 334 West loth st, a G-sty elevator apartment house, 68x100, to Nestine Marks. 26TH ST.—S. B. Goodale & Son sold for Josephine Mullee to a client 241, 243 and 245 West 2t;th st, near 7th av, two 4 and 5-sty stores and tenements, G3x98.9. The present seller bought this prop¬ erty from Jefferson M. Levy on March 26, 1908, subject to a mort¬ gage of $57,000. 27TH ST.—Robert Alexander resold 49 and 47 West 27th st, two 5-sty dwellings, 50x98.9. This property was acquired on Sept. 12, 1908. from Elmer A, Darling in a trade. Last April the building 43 West 27th st was sold to J. B. Thompson. It is a 9-sty fireproof office structure, 25x98.9, and was held at $190,000. It was mort¬ gaged for $105,000, and the gross rentals aggregated $22,000. The Wilmurt Realty Co. sold to Andrew P. Gilsey and the Investors' & Traders' Realty Co. the 5-sty loft and office building 20 West 27th St. across the street from the property just sold, on May 15 last. It has been reported that the Astor Estate acquired this latter property, which abuts their holdings in 26th st. Buys Handsome Dwelling. 4STH ST.—The McVickar-Gaillard Realty Co. sold for a client of Pease & Elliman the 4-sty dwelling wilh elevator at 19 East 48th St. The buyer is Mrs. Frank P. Mitchell, who for the last two years bas occupied Admiral Dewey's house in Washington. 51ST ST.—Col. John H. Wood bought from the Striker Estate for occupancy 337 West 51st st, 3-sty private dwelling, 17.0x100.5. Alexander Wilson was the broker in the transaction. The adjoin¬ ing house, 335 West 51st st, a similar house, was sold at an execu¬ tors sale to Wm. H. Kilgannon in October, 1907, for .flO.OOO. Be¬ fore the city was laid out on the present plan an old road rau through this property. 54TH ST.—Francis B. Robert sold for Daniel Guggenheim to Fred¬ erick W. White, of Peters, White & Co., the 5-sty American base¬ ment dwelling 12 West 54th st, 25x100. This house is on the south side of 54th st. The residence of Alexander Walker adjoining the home of John D. Rockefeller is on the east, and Mrs. Mary B. Blood- good owns the house directly on the west. The University Club Is across the street on the northwest cor of 5th av. This block is one of the choicest residential blocks south of 59th st. 57TH ST.—Henry D. Winans & May sold 113 E'ast 57th st, a 5-sty American basement residence, 20x100.5, for Mr. H. D. Morrison, of 121 East 79th st, on private terms. Tho purchaser, Martin W. Lit¬ tleton, will occupy as his home. The house is 75 ft. deep, with a 3-sty extension. A 12-sty apartment occupies the southeast cor of Madison av, 90x100.5, built 90 Et, deep. 2d av.—j. E. Brando, as attorney, bought for R. Lucatorti 197 2d av, a 4-sty dwelling, 21x9G. 8th av.—The Gem Realty Co. and the Amsterdam Realty Co. sold through Herman Reinheimer the northeast cor of 8th av and 43d st known aa 680 to 686 8th av and 265 to 269 West 43d. st. The size of the plot is 75x100. The asking price for the property has been $275,000. Montgomery Maze is the huyer. This sale is of especial importance, and is the largest transaction since the famous Doherty sale in March, 1907. NORTH OP 59TH STREET. 70TH ST.—Pease & Elliman sold for Monroe & Simon 2G2 West 70th st, a 3-sty brownstone dwelling, 17x100. The buyer will occupy the house. The present sellers took title June 20, 1903. The house is 50 ft. deep. 71ST ST.—Pease & Elliman sold for Charles Maync 274 West 71st st, a 3-sty dwelling, 20x100.5. The new owner will occupy the house. 71ST ST.—Otto Gendau sold 320 West 71st st, a 3-sty and base¬ ment stone front dwelling, 17.6x100.5. 82D ST.—Paul M. Warburg sold through S. Osgood Pell & Co. 3 East S2d st, a 5-sty whitestone and hrk dwelling, 25x102.2. The buyer is Robert Hager, Jr. The house adjoins tbe cor plot owned by the Trask estate, which is vacant. This property at one time was part of the old Abraham Schermerhorn. 92d Street Activity. 92D ST.—Richtmeyer & Irving sold to a client for the estate of Maria T. Waters the 4-sty dwelling 48 West 92d st, lSxlOO.8. 92D ST.^Slawson Se Hobhs sold for W. E. D. Stokes to a client the vacant lot on the north side of 02d st, 200 ft. east of West End av, 25x100.8. 119th ST.-L Kashare sold for Gross & Herbner 28 East 119th st a 4-sty brownstone dwelling, 15.8x100. This completes the resale of the row of houses -n'hich the sellers took in trade from ex-Gov. Levi P. Morton on .4pri 8, 1908. The properties involved in that trade were 97 Crosby st, a 7-sty loft and store buildiag, 25.3xR6- the 4-Ety dwelling 55 West 95th st, 19x100.8, given by Mr. Morton who re¬ ceived 20, 24, 28 and 32 East 119th st, four 3-sty dwellings, 15.8x 100 each. Across the street is a row of 9 flat houses occupying the block front.