New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-11-18
HOUsE.BUILDING.


resentation of the progress of the Human
Race. A model habitatiOn OF the days OF
Enoch, Abraham, Homer, Romulus, Cesar,
Constantine, Charlemagne, Cromwell and Vol
taire respectively, would be most instructive
uay.mark of the course Of Time. We pro-
nose. for the information of that large MAORI
~ Of our readers who live in dwellings far
less costly, TO give some account OF Filth
Avenue mansion of l652-One among many now
in process OF construction in the most eligible
quarter Of our City
The Fifth Avenue, our Country readers may
be interested in knowing, runs Northward
through the center Of the newer part OF our
CITY. commencing at the Washington Parade
Ground and leading thence some seven miles
into the unbuilt or stragglingy built region
stretching from FOrtieth-st TO the Harlem
River. and forming our XIIth and AlAth
Wards Broadway runs nearly parallel with
it. but irreguarly, while the Fifth Avenue
holds direct course throughout. We be-
leye the main reason for the preference ac-
corded it by our wealthy citizens is the I'M
usual depth of the lots (l37 feet and another
is the fact that the property was mainly owned
by afew wealthy prOprietOrs, who have sold it in
lots to suit purchasers instead Of the inexora-
BE TWENTY-FIVE feet front into which nearly all
the surface of our City is divided. Hence man
may here cut his coat according to his cloth,
and build his house twenty, thirty, forty, fifty
or any other number of feet wide, according
10 his needs or means or taste, without bay
ing any more land than he chooses to cover.
The mansion which we have just examined,
ard which we cite as sample of Flfth'Ay-
enue dwellings stands near Twentieth-st., and is
being built for one of our successful and
wealthy merchants, at a cost of some $4,000,
besides the ground, which must have cost
$4,000 more. and would now be valued con-
siderably higher The lot is 32l by 1877 feet
the house is 81 feet deep, of the width of the
lot. and 65 feet high. A Conservatory and a
Carriage-House engross good part Of the re-
sidue of the lot, with the carriage entrance
through another lot on the crOss-street. The
house front is of brown stone, and cost ; 500;
the front windows, oflarge French plate double
glass, costing 5000, swing inward and fold,
with substantial sliding doors inside instead of
shutters; each story is three rooms deep with
stairways front and rear while Gas, CrOtOn
Water, and other conveniences are found on
Tbo Of a
heart, wde strong, substantial, and so var
nished as to bring out the beautiful native
grain of the wood; that leading from the ground
floor to the dining room starts from broad
hall nearly midway of the depth of the house
and ascends toward the front, so that its upper
landing is just over the front entry. A noble
skylight sheds the glare of day on all the stair
ways, landings and main hall
The house contains twenty-three rooms be-
side multitude of closets, bathrooms, ward
robes, reccsses, &c and the hight of the seye-
raj stories is as follows: Basement, q feet
ground floor l43 feet; second story l3i feet
third story l2I feet Attic 81 feet. The Attic
is appropriated to large billiard or play-rOom
and number of servants bedrooms. The
library is of modest size, on the rear of the
ground floor Though the house is thoroughly
heated by a furnace in the basement, it is
fitted up throughout with fre-places and
grates,-the former deliberately wrought in
pure white or in yariegated marble, eyincing
some taste and more affluence.
Let us nov Indicate the defects of this
luxurious mansion, or what seem such in our
eyes:
And first, the arrangements for Ventilation
are exceedingly imperfect and inadequate We
observed no ventilating apparatus in an bed
room; We know there is none in most of the
bedrooms, while some if not most of the par
lors are equally destitute. With the doors
closed, many OF these rooms are nearly air
tight, and TO expect servants to ventilate them
BY opening windows in all weathers is absurd
Every room should have it's ventilat0r, so
placed that ignorance and stupidity shall have
no power TO obstruct its working or defeat its
purpose. Ii ought to be indictabe, in this DAY
If light and knowledge, to build human habi-
tation and not completely ventilate it.
IL Tie basement, the Ranges for Cooking are
commonplace, fimsy affairs, probably costing
less than $50 each, including appurtenances
They should be. but are not, inclOsed in brick
work. so as TO confne the heat TO the meats,
&c, being prepared for food, instead of being
diflused ia about equal measure among food
and cooks. Then house so capacious, in
which some half dozen servants are necessari-
y TO be employed, ought to have one basement
room neatly fitted up for servants sitting
room, with q small but well chosen library. and