New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-06
THE NEW YORK CLUE.
ITS REMARKABLE GROWTH AND AMBI-
TIOJIS PLANS.

ITS REMARKABLE GROWTH AND AMBi-
TIOUS PLANS.
II cclns hardly credible in this day of athletic assoc
oiatious and clubs of all sorts and descriptions, sat
seycD,oon years ago there not amateur athletic
c,ub "a no found Oh this continent There were Gale
do,iau clubs, AS they were called. il is Small
hands Of worthy Scotchmen accustomed TO devote
themselves putting the stone, dancing the festive
sworl-dance soaring the neighborhood with the skrI
bf the bar.ppo and practising various other games and
ceremonies in concert which were dignihed with the
name of Caedonian games. But these bore about the
same resemblance to the athletic club of to-day with its
1one roll of members and gorgeous clubhouse and
grounds the prme7al man to one III the nineteenth
Scentury In the fall of 1865 half dozen individuals
met together and after degloring the SAD state Ti ar
not much means but they had plenty Of enthusiasm
aO1 on Septempber :. 1865. hey formed themselves
;nto the New York Athletic Club. and started out TO
sh. trc bnce giant of public indifference. The fight
vac long and labOrious, but IN the end successful
Ainpng the founders Of this struggling NIUE COMPANY
tHarlr. IT. Roosevelt, Richard Mears and F. 5 Kinney
None of these names now appear on the muSteF-roI.
Curtis and Buomeyer seeded few years ago, thongh
the former for long the president OF the cup;
Charles H. Roosevelt died recently while abroad and
the Others have for one reason or another lett the
H. wa, with some difficulty that the pioneers found
sn;tale quarters hut after much searching loft was
Uncovered at the top Of a building situated where
Woy,s store now stands. Here they erected horizon
sITT noralle bars and fow other primary necessi
~, s y gymnasium as the word was then understood
I Srir loft they worked and toiled sowing the seed
g., "bers 10 reap Little by little the club grew larger
ord finally began TO be talked about Inc ioit IN
iIi~n,tnenti-st was deserted and more convenient
,Vartcrs found at Mares Gymnasium IN 81. Marks
acc where greater cOnvecncos and better apparatus
Iwcre to be had This change was made in Isr0 Inc
W, rcar the first move toward the goal of lasting
anccrs. was made. The club decided 10 ada ROWING 70
,Scjr cymnastc exercises. vigorous push was made
ond enough money collected to build htte penthouse
' tbc Harlem near the Third Avenue Bridge. One
lost was bought and during that summer the single
boat was not allowed to remain IDLE long. me next
80 1871 double move made. Grounds were
iassnd noar the boathOuso at One-hundredand
tSTtieth-st and Thrdave., and the downtown meeting
,Iacp Of the club shifted to Woods Gymnasium at
fwentyeightlst and Fifthayc. More boats were pnr-
chased and rowing became Of the chief features
az the club So matters went on for four years IN the
Climb hal become lusty and rejoced In ts strength
chanre had come over the spirit Of the public as re-
oards athletics and clubs were springing up On all
SJss Still the New-YOrkers held their own and in
1873 leased grounds at Mott Haven One
hundreA ard fteths at the river and from that dav
the Now.YOrk Athletic Club has held the leading
rosition In the country, though its ship has been
stecred through perilons waters.
The new grounds at Mott Haven are perhaps well
arranged and commodous as any IN the world; the
,ne small bOathouse of 1871 has increased to half
dozen large and fully fitted ones, while the solitary
boat has boon multiplied more than hundredfold. In
tbe grounds Is cinder track which the club proudly
ssor4s has equal II on this track that Myers
,nade his wonderful quarter Of a mile IN 40 %
seconds while the hundred yards has here been re-
saeh u
~ G. Wilmer, Myers and others Hero il that II.
S Brooke ir of ale beat Myers last wear and caused
"a oomrnotion in the ranks Of the Manhattan Athletic
Club by doing. Until tho formation Of the Amateur
Athletic Association II was at Mott Haven that the an
nua championship games were held IL l. to the New
York Club almost entirely that the formation Of the
citation with its present constitution Is due II
10 the efforts Of of the NowiOrk members that
the clubs belonging the Association restricted
40 athletic clubs pure and simple and the rowing clubs
canoe clubs and bicycle clubs led to form distinct
Citations Of their ownan operation resulting iavorably
The course Of the club has been all smooth sailing
even IN ator years About three years ago there
long faces among those who had the clubs welfare
most at heart The membership roll had shrunk In an
olarnng fashion; there were debts to he paid, and
bare score Of dollars In the treasury with which TO pay
them. Something must clearly he done and TO A. H.
Curtis the credit is given OF seeing what that some
thing was and doing it, The annual election Of officers
Ir.s M hand and To the surprise of many both in and
ont of the club but TO the qualification Of ALL w r.
Trayors was elected president and consented TO serve
From that day the fortunes OF the club were secure
The members came pouring IN the treasury overlooked
ALI the debts paid and more than handsome
surplu. was left To-day there 800 members
forming the full complement, and more than 400 men
patiently waiting their turn for admission to the
charmed circle at Mott Haven. But the ambitious MS
pratons of the New York Club cannot be content
with Mott Haven. Small children accompanied by !
vhite-aurOned and snowy capped nurses their way
M Sixtave trundle the ininntle hoop IN the Park
inok with awe at q Of skeleton factory chimney be
tween Fifty-ffth and Fiftysixth sts. The more ma
ture mind Knows that this means that an artesan well
e. being sunk. II one seeks further information ns TO
from the ground and of which the well sca0!dng Is
adjunct nc will be told 10y the Hibcuian hOd-carricr
flat Il Is the "Nowyorruk athliickers" who re-
spon sibic for the structure. m
The club f. about spend quarter Of million |
dollars and get in exchange therefor handsome
epncio,is and luxurious gymnasium and cub-hous" A
giapoa over the architects drawings show that the
fuildine will be- four stories high and constructed Of
Colabaiieh brick with terra-c0ita trimmings the ~"
trance porch being of red granite The exterior style
Is free treatment Of Italian Renaissance and will be
,uassig0 and simple in character There VIII bo six !
towling alleys In the basement well a shooting
gallery Tho principal feature Of the first story will
e. FARCE swimming bath, 66 Icy 20 feet which will |
Ic supplied with constant stream of water from the
arte.an well The rest Of this floor will be occupied
}v Turco- Russian BATH Offices and committee
The second story will contain the rcceptonroom,
and restaurant, besides parors and
reading rooms. The next floor will consist Of tho |
rooms and large reception aud sparrng rooms
ct n & ON the fourth floor that the real work ofthe club
will bo done There viii be the magnificent gymna- |
stun. tyonty-twn feet high with sxfoot balcony |
running clear around it about midway between the |
fsoor and ceiling, which will 10 uscd exclusively a.
racing track The gymnasium proper Will be lifted up
with al the improved modern appliances, the cost OF
His item alone amounting to many thousands OF dol
Lara Surmountng the whole will be the kitchen The
rooms will all DO finished IN ash cherry and other hard
woods while the huge swimming bath will bo lined
throughout with pure white glazed tilng george W.
clinton is the architect