The New York herald., 1878-12-30
The COURSE Or TRADE.
A. T. Stewart & Go. Abandoning
Their Downtown Store.
JUDGE HlLTONS INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES
All the Business To Be Concentrated IN the
Ninth Street Block

The intended transfer of their wholesale department
by the firm OF A. T. Stewart Co. from tho corner OF
Broadway and Chambers street to the immense en-
porium occupying the block bounded by Broadway,
Fourth avenue Ninth and Tenth streets. and which
has hitherto been devoted exclusively to the retail
trade is suggestive only of the ctys growth. but
of the tendency OF commerce toward the upper por-
tion of the metropolis.
II will be recollected by many that twenty-five
years ago Union square the fashionable part Of
New York. Madison square then regarded al
most in the light Of suburb and where the Fifth
Avenue Hotel stands occupied by what was
then the Hippodrome. About that time it was con-
sidered a rather unsafe investment for Mr.. A. T.
Stewart to build his store where he did. the
fashionable side of Broadway at Chambers
street But it soon became thing of COM
mon occurrence for young and even elderly
ladies to walk from Union square down
TO this store when it opened 1t should also
be remembered that street railroads were not by
any means so numerous in the metropolis then as
they now, stages doing nearly all of the carrying
business More than fifteen years ago the centre
Of fashion located itself around Madison square,
but has been gradually creeping northward until
IL is almost at Central Park. and where it will be
twenty-five years hence IT is hard to tell. If the
Metropolitan Elevated Railroad Company carry out
their intentions the future centre Of fashion will
probably be Washington Heights.
1t was considered rather an injudcious enterprise
when Mr.. Stewart built his uptown store where he
did because fashionable people preferred to go down
town, where they had been accustomed to do their
shopping for many years. 1t was not long. however.
before the shrewdness dry goods king in locating
his retail department at Broadway and Tenth street
manifested itself. The shoppers stopped there. in
stead of ooin firth aft
awhile the small dealers found themselves compelled
10 up to the same neighborhood in order to
retain any part of their former trade.
In view of the change Of business alluded to and
the magnitude Of the work Of moving from Broad
way and Chambers street to Tenth street. HERALD
reporter sought Judge Hilton yesterday and requested
him to give from recollection data connected
with the early history Of both buildings that would
be of public interest. Judge Hilton at first declined
to impart the desired information, saying that he
was already furnishing to the newspapers quite SUI
fcient for public interest without any special effort
on his part After further importantly the part
of the writer however Judge Hilton finally con-
sented to be interviewed and commenced as fol-
lows
HISTORY or A. T. STEWARDS STORES
ION the 4th of July. IS43, the Washington Hall.
the corner of Reade street and Broadway,
burned down. 1t had frontage OF 100 feet Broad
way. and extended Reade street to depth OF 14O
feet. For many years it had been the fashionable
place for operas and balls. intended for and fire.
quented by the more refined people OF the city. At
tnat time Rcade street east and west Of Broadway
was almost entirely built up with private residences
Pearl street also. In Broadway, above Pearl
street. there located the famous Broadway Tab
ernace, which sold and subsequently re-erected
the corner of Thirtyfourth street and Fifth
Above Pearl street on Broadway were all pri-
vate residences, with the exception of few drug
stores and such things on the corners. The Union
Club then situated just below Leonard street. on
the right hand eide of broadway. The Academy Of
Design was on the corner of Anthony street and
Broadway, and there Powers Greek Slave was first
exhibited in New York. The circumstance made quite
stir in fashionable circles ut the time, many people,
especially ladies'. was then said, declining to visit
the Academy, they regarded the exhibition being
agross violation Of the laws of decency A. Stcwarts
store then stood at No. PSI Broadway. piece OF
ground occupied by the Merchants Exchange
bank 1t l40 feet in depth and was the only
store Of that size on Broadway occupying the entire
building"
'.Wnat was the appearance Of Broadway down town
them?
that time the lower part of Broadway was filed
with very handsome residences and the Battery
the home OF the creme de Ia creme. The promenade
par erceIence was on Broadway, from Pearl street
small store on Broadway near Murray street
where he sold paper and fancy articles About
year 1914 the Washington Hail property sold at
auction at the Merchants Exchange and Mr. Stewart
bought 1t for something SG0.OOO. shortly after
wari he matured his plans for erecting the pres
ent store. His foresight was illustrated by making
the facade adaptable to the entire front Of the block
Broadway, doubtless then expecting ultimately to
become the OF it all. That original front has
never been changed but has been added TO and built
upon. SO that to-day II exists in per-
feet store as though it had originally been
conceived in ts present size and extent. The Wash
ington Hall portion completed. and it then
the largest retail store in the city Broadway. 1t
opened for business in September. 1s47. Subse-
quently Mr. Stewart accomplished his original pur-
pose by purchasing the property adjacent on Broad
the erection Of building covering the entire Broad
way front, raising u two stories from the original
design and occupying il in the fall OF 1881
PREDICTIONS NOT VERIFIED.
I'm 1s47 IL was the only store ON the east side Of
Broadway. and at the time Of it's erection IL gen.
orally predicted that it would prove fall
ure-thst no store could live on the .un-
fashionable side of the street, it
then termed He continued adding to the
building ia the Chambers street. and in the
year 1895 opened three lots Reade street and two
tots Chambers street adding those to his store and
deep sanlwiched between. This remained 80 until
about six year, ago. when il finally became
Incorporated in the building as Il now exists"
THE GREAT MERCHANTS PLANS.
"At what time was the property on broadway and
Tenth street secured by the irfn OF A. T. Stewart
I'm the fore part Of 1867 Mr. Stewart, owning five
lots on broadway. corner OF Tenth strcet-three on
the latter aud three in the rear. which were
then used for dwelling house purpo-es-concluded
that the time had come when the ground could prob
ably be- put to better tor store purposes and he
conceived the project OF erecting four stores the
nye lots. He had already commenced the erection Of
these stores when the panic of 1857 admonished him
tnat he a little ahead of the times. While con-
sidering the matter ne came 10 the conclusion that
by the time he would have the contemplated build
" gOOu place IN winch 10
establish his retail business mp town. After fully
considering the matter IN all ts bearings--such
the distance IL was up town, 6c-he with his usual
determination, began tearing down the interior
walls and adapting the plans to his purposes.
Before he had finished he purchased additional prop
erty both Ninth aud Tenth streets, that he
airontage both streets when he opened there on
September :. 1852. He continued enlarging that
store until the whole block covered, with the ex-
ecpton OF two houses, which ut length OBJ
tanned aud incorporated into the building in Novern.
bcr ls6s when the whole square was opened as il
now exists As in the Of the Chambers street
building the architectural design never changed
the facade designed the rst part the structure
being continued all around IL, IL appears to-day.
The northeast OF Ninth street and
Broadway the last piece purchased. This was
the elimination OF which the beginning was an.
nOunccd IN the New York Duuy Advertiser in August,
1~lJ. In regard 10 the announcement to which 1
allude the only portion Of that paper containing IL
known 70 bc existing Is piece now preserved in a
traine hanging behind the superintendents desk at
the Tenth street store You can take copy Of the