The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-04-30
City improvements.

THE OLD ToNTINR BUILDING TO BE DEMoLISHER
One Of the oldest organizations of New York. and
which has drawn the termination of its existence
is the Iontns Association Those who established this
company those whose memory runs back 20 the
trying times of Revolutionary date, when Wall street
filed with horse stables and when st Paus church
and the City Hall out of town. The Tontne frater
nifty sort of Joint stock building association but
something different from the building associations Of
day. There something social in the system upon
which the Tontine Society founded, that recon-
nends 1t to times. It first established in
the year $780, and the groundwork Of its organization
was that all the stockholders during the life of EACH
should receive equal share of the profits of the assoca
cn but upon the death OF each stockhoder his interest
should to the remaining members of the Society
The survivors, from year to year. should continue t,
hold and receive among themselves the profits Of the
till only four remained and then the entire pro-
pery should be divided equally among this four and the
association be forever buried This organization is
thing similar to the play Of "The Last Man, IN which
six stucents agreed to meet year long any
Of them lived, and over glass Of wine and Dutch
pipe the incidents OF the past Upon the death
Of any of the club the survivors, at each returning
anniversary to place the mug of beer and the pipe
at the seat of the departed though he alive and
momentarly expected to join the res and this annual
meeting was to be Observed till the last manv Of the
six expired and according to the play 1t was SO kept
& aA, was to msst for
years and smoke his pipe alone, with those OF his
s. ssSana hI to
continue, and meet from year to year, as long
as four Of them were left Those who organized the
business just as our country recovering from the
struggle of the and who established this So
ciety account of the fraternal feeling which
fostered than for any pecunisry benefit. AS have
sa the society was organized In 1890 and Its roll list
numbered seventy member The subscription of Of each
nal capital of the society something in the neghbor
hood Of $4,000. with this capital lot Of ground
Wall street. purchased and upon it erected, in
1892, the "Tonsns Buildings which have come down
Cd styls but subssantay put up with
the plaster and veneered walls Of our day. but built
stout and stIosg-not for day, but for century i
Upon the spot Of ground where the Tontine buildings
row stand IN the times Of the Revolution building
occupied by Cunningham & Wardrop the 6rst auction
GERS of II cir period The Tontne Buildngs from the
time their ction till now have been rented out for
various purposes and within their walls have been
Ied on almost every branch Of mercantile trade They
now occupied by stores and the upper floors are
divided into lawyers Offices The profts Of tho building
to s Time prots during Last
yeay' e'se e.
p,ssed away but Each In turn. has played his
Most = mot sisas an Of Se have IN their
time became wealthy men, and distinguished in THAR
Those who are left have retired from the
active pursuits. Of life, and, bending under
resoectops OF the past those associated with the
ToDtne Society in which was banded together In broth
their long lie me One by they have followed their
old associates TO the grave till at last zach eclngy
appropriate TO himself tho lines
Ifeel Ike one who treads alone
Some banquet hall deserted
It's honcrs gone, its laurels dead, .
And all but me departed.
tsnow proposed by the survivors OF this Society 70 tear
down tha resent Tontine buildings and TO erect new
ones uron the site II only be few years longer
when fbs "Iast four will divide the entire property
among and the association no longer exist
excer. IN the annaIs OF the city.