The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-11-11
A city nuiIt by one Man.

History affords numerous instances
of the foundation of cities by single
individuals, and the beautifying and
enlargement of portions Of the same
through The munifcence of Others;
but nowhere, as we believe. is il re-
corGed that any one man from his
private fortune has ever attempted
the actual construction Of complete
town. All abe more remarkable,
therefore, is the enterprise which for
some FIVE years past has been quietly
pursued by Mr.. A. 7. Stewart, a gen
tleman of whose immense wealth no
accurate information has ever been
made public. The high rates Of tax
alton and the subsequent exhorbitant
rents incident to ownership and oecu-
patton of dwellings in New York
city, have been the means of virtual
" banishing a large number of per-
sons doing business therein. whose
moderate incomes forbid the neces-
sary expenditure, to the adjacent
suburban districts. Hence arose a
great demand for cheap homes, and
as result, village after village has
sprung into existence in Long Island,
New Jersey, and in fact at every
point within a radius of forty miles
of the metropolis.
Mr.. Stewart, in view Of this con-
slant exodus of the city population,
conceived the unique idea of building
a model suburban city where CON-
Portable homes, provided with all
modern improvements, could be OBJ
tanned at moderate outlay. Aecor-
dinghy, he purchased plot Of land,
ten thousand acres In extent and en-
bracing that portion Of Long Island
known as Hampstead Plains. This
is in a compact tract, of about ten
miles in length by one mile in width,
and nearly perfect parallelogram in
shape. Surveying and stalking out
the new city followed close upon the
acquisition of the ground, aud the
first work taken in hand was the max
ing of the streets and avenues, with
pavements, sewers, culverts and con-
duits, for blocks of buildings yet to
be erected. Simultaneous with lay
ing the foundations Of the houses,
was the commencement of gas and
water works, and Of railroad con-
meeting the city with New York
Unlike the usual course adopted in
projecting new towns in the vicinity
of the metropolis, no lots were adver-
tised; nor has aay attempt been made
to dispose of the property, as it is
the intention to treat the city as
single house, finishing it FIRST, and
selling it subsequently. The New
York Sun sptly describes the enter
prise as new city spring ing up, with
no Mayor or Council, no assessments
for street improvements, no taxes for
water or gas, no entangling alliances
or issuing of bonds to secure railroad.
transportation, no scrambling or grum-
bling to secure immigrants.
An admirably kept hotel, situated
in the middle of a fine garden plot,
together with some forty houses are
thus far complete The latter are To-
Gated in lots of 2O0x20O feet and pro-
vided with outhouses and handsome-
ly laid out grounds They rent from
$3.50 to $500 per year on thIee-year
leases, and contain every convenience
fouEd in the best city dwellings.
Work upon this remarkable town, to
which the name of Garden City has
been given, is rapidly progressing,
and we understand that the adyan-
tages offered are meeting with wide
popular appreciation.