The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-06-11
New Features for Apartment Houses.

system here in New York, some few years
ago, there was disposition among the
rich and wcll-to-do classes, 10 compare II
with the tenement house system. The
elegant and luxurious palace which have
since been erected on our most fashionable
tlioroughfare, for apartment uses, have en-
tirely dspelled this illusion. In fact II has
been found that none but the wealthy can
reside in the Berkeley, the GrOsvenor, the
IIaight House. the stevens House, the new
building on the northeast corner Of Fifth
avenue and Twouty-eighth street, aud
others in the same locality. These enter
prises pay, when well managed. II better
interest than almost any other real estate
Investment. The latest undertaking of
this kind has just been initiated by Mr.
WILLIAM Il. VEIN. who is about to erect
on the northwest corner of Forty-second
street and Fifth avenue, ut cost of
500, 900, a seven story flrst-class apartment
hotel, covering n piece of land seventy
Ave feet wide, and one hundred and
twenty-five feet deep, OF which his present
house will form part.
There is a real want among very large
class Of our citizens, for more modest
style OF apartment house, located I'm choice
neighborhoods further up town, where
land can now be obtained at reasonable
rates, adjacent or near to the Park, say on
Madison, Fourth, or Lexington avenue,
within easy access to the Fourth avenue
underground aud surface railroads. There
are certain localities which seem TO have
become apartment-house quarters; such
a upper Broadway, bet F.ftieth street
and the Park, where we find the Albany,
| the Saratoga, the Newport, and others,
while stll Others are in process Of
erection in the vicinity. On the east
side of the town the wide streets
have been chosen. On Ffty-seventh
street and Fourth avenue we have the Ken
sington in full tide of success. the owner
| being at present engaged in putting up u
large new double building on the Fourth
avenue. Immediately adjoining, which is
an abundant proof that the Kensington Is
paying investment. The next wide
street, Seventy-secoud street, ha' two
apartment houses, the Washington, be-
tween Lexington and Third avenues, and
the Madison, ON the southwest corner of
Third avenue and Seventy-second street,
the latter house not being yet finished.
| As proof OF the success of these UNDER
takings, we may say that the Washington
disposed of three-quarters Of is apart
ments before they were completed. AMI
while wOrkmcn were stll engaged i'll va
rious parts OF the building. We should
advise those contemplating the erection
| Of apartment houses In that neighbor-
hood-and we learn that negotiations are
now on foot for still further improvements
| OF this characterize secure II larger plot
OF ground than has heretofore been
| foaud, to have on the first and second
| floors few roomy suites OF apIrtm nts,
| in lieu of the diminutivc series of rooms
| So generally met with in French fats TO
ornament then court yards with neat gar
den plats aud vases of flowers, which give
a gay. cheerful aspect to the whole estIb-
1 lishment; and above all to rem nmbcr that
small. comfortable brown stoue house, can
now he rented in that locality at about
$500 per aunum. There are very fow fam
| ilie~ in certain walks of life who would not
H.. 1t far more pleasant and less cN2eu-
/ slvc 10 pay say from 500 to Ss1 for "A
| roOmy apartment, in an establishment Of
the kind aud in the locality we have de-
sorIhed. than to hire aud occupy "A waole
house In the first place, they Only pay
for the room actually needed, choos-
ing such sized nNlrtmeut ~ exactly
meets their wants. Conse luen;ly. les fur
| njture il required, and one servant Gun
! certainly be dispensed with, to say nothing
of the great saving in wear and tear of
mud, which VIII immediately suggest it.
self TO those who have tried both plans.
With newly married couples or new be-
ginners IN housekeeping, all these argI-
ments, more especially the economy in
carpets and furniture will carry great
weight.
Those who first seriously address them
selves to the task of supplying apartment
house dwellings 10 the large class living on
moderate fixed incomes, those who stud '
the comfort OF their future tenants in a
liberal manner while planning contem-
plated buildings OF this ch lracter, will be
amply rewarded by steady occupants at
rcmuncrative rents. There are many inn
provements to be made on the present
mode of building French fats, in the way
of space, air, heating, light and in tcrioI
court yards, which viii immedia tely sug-
gest themselves to every practical archi-
tcct. And be it remembered that those of
the apartment houses now contemplated
which shall contain all these improve
ments, will command higher prices than
those Immediately alongside without them
Much of the success of an apartment
house depends on the manner and order III
which il Is kept by those who have charge
of the general interior management
Owners should remember this.
Mormonism, Past, Present, and Fu-
ture.
We print to-day narrative Of circum-
stances which lei to the killing of FARLEY
II. PRATT, one Of the early Mormon apos-
ties. This narrative was written by q
Mormon lady, an intimate friend OF
Mrs. MCLEAN, the wife of the man
who followed up aud slew PRATT near
Fort Smith, Arkansas. The history OF