New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-10-31
R1vERsIDEs GREAT FUTURE.
avvn CHANGES ALONG THE DRIVE
am LANDMARKS THAT STILL REhAIN-HIoNNA
,rpcHAsEs OF PROPERTY.

PuRCHAsEs PROPERTY.
r<ro vears AGO Riverside Park was comparatively
.u,ro,,, 20 tho average New-YoriSer. That such
: resort existed was understood in general way,
INIT its precise limits and location l's "an>' anu
ANNIE WAYS It's terraces, sunny sores anu seq"eS
Herei dells. its headlands. banks OF no"ers' Pio
Fusion of shrubbery and stately old uees' i.'
many POINTS Of historical AMI romantic m'erts''
and above all its MAGNIFICENT three mile wInhng
49, along the brow of the bluff overlooking the
mark itself the broad Hudson and the picturesque
Palisades beyond were known tc what mlg'i' DC
yair,x termed a limited number Prior to Gcnei al
T,rants burial at Clarcmont one might nave uN-
srxed this superb pleasure ground from seventy
secondst TO the Heights without enc ~
moro people, except rerchance the contractor .
aohorers than would be met on a lonely ROAD in
Ehe Catslills. ~
II was the solemnitcs Of that memorable o'h
nj Ncl,st that first introduced this charming park
10 thousands of people, AMI allowed them 10 see
Tor themselves what had been done In the last
Dozen yeas by the Park Department and pri-
yn,e individuals to develop these natural beau
ties which caused Riverside to be considered one
of the choicest portions of Manhattan Island lons
before the Revolution, when it was dotted WIN
the counry-seats Of New Yori<'s most Etociat
citizens Such an introduction 10 the pubic the
place had long needed. Hal this not been gwen
had some other site than C1arcmC mt been CHOSEN
for the Grant malsoeum doubtless many years
would have passed the natural growth OF the
city northward the sea- h of fashion for nov
city and secuson would have made the rak what
il is today, popular resort, and the thorouglfne
what it is rapidly bee coming, the fashionable drive
Of the metropolis.
ACTIVITY IN RIVERSIDE REAL ESTATE
While it cannot be said that Riverside is
"booming" any more than this can be alleged of
upper Fifth-ave. or any other fashionable street
that the property owners are determined shall be
built up only with tie most costly mansi' rs, yet
property is advancing steadily along the drive an
@ great deal of il has changed hands within the
last few months. Naturally the greatest activity
and the most building have been at the upper en- |
of the park toward the Tomb, but changes arc
going also in nearly all the other sections In
deed there have been many within the last year,
and many more still greater changes are in con-
temptation that they had better not postpone
visiting Riverside too long who wish to it in
vested with that charm Of seclusicn which so
long peculiar to the pace but which is fast being
dispeed by the rising tide of public favor and
the city's growing population. Everything seems
TO Indicate that tile day is coming ami is l)t far
distant when the acres of vacant land along the
drive will be occupied with line of villas when
the broad thoroughfare will sur ass even those of
Central Park in the elegance of its equipaces, and
The now quiet dels will echo with the talk and
laughter of multitudes of happy people
great many seem to think that to see the
park it is necessary to have or to hire horse and
carriage. This is a mistake. leisurely stroll
through it on any of these splendid Indian sum
mer afternoons will give much IL not more
pleasure than any other method Of examination
Entering the drive at Seventy secOndSt., where q
few Of the plants in the vases which adOn the
semcircle are still in bloom, one naturally follows
the gently sloping walk that leads down into the
lark. There have been so few chances recently
the other side Of the roadway at this POINT that
little is missed in examining the many by-ways
and bits of scenery of the banks about here. The
old Orphan Asylum building. near Seventy fourth
st. almost opposite of the prettiest little hooks
in the park, still overoolls the river and pre-
sents much the same appearance that it did nearly
three quarters Of century ago, when the venerable
1eletiah le1it was its strong sup Orter and Mrs
Alexander Hamilton presided as directIess over the
institution. Above Seventy siXth-st., where the
walk rises to level with the roadway. it win be
worth while to notice the number of fashionable
as well as family carriages that out almost
any fine afternoon Occasionally is the IA
miiar face and dashing turnout of some veteran
Iuad-diyer like General Dunn Colonel Kipp or
Frank Work. who has been tempted by the gor-
peous views of the woodcrowned heights and the
bright waterway 10 foIsalle the crowded boulevard
and the hosptable Gabe Case S road house.
ONE OF TIE FINEST SITES ON THE DRIVE
One of the finest sites near Seventy-sXthst.
is shortly TO be occupied by handsome structure.
A son Of John Thompson. president Of the Chase
National Bank, who is now in college, is the heir
10 some five million dollars, left him, ii is said,
by his grandfather. II Is his intention, as soon
as he is graduated, TO build house that in general
vol
far been put up ON the West side. AT Seventy
ninth-st which is the first Of the two wide
thorouah faIcs that int sect the park and run
down to the river force from the Park Depart
mcnt is busy films H. sIadnS and raising cloud
of dust that almost obscuIys the pictures lue fea-
lures Of the slOunas. that become more pronounced
the park narIOws i'll width above this Joint
Mount Tom the rocky emnencc adorned with
few stuned honey -locusts. nearly opposite Eighty
thirdst.. where IT Is proposed To erect colossal
statue of Robert Fulton, las been left in all It's
natural iuggedncss by the contractors.
Property along here is advancing steadily in
value though lots can still be had at prices which
comraed with those asked for Fiftha'e, sites.
known people have bought in this part recently.
Among them are Theodore S Woolsey, William B.
Isham leather merchant; Christopher B.
Roberts. Harvey Kennedy. the banker. who secured
line site on the southeast corner of Eighty -rst-st.
few weeks ago for $4,000 James 4. Brewster,
Of Planield Cyrus Clark, George I. Johnston,
Joseph As,eIhaute and Benjamin Altman, the dry
goods merchant of Sixth-ave., who lately invested
house OF that enthusiastic believer in the future
of the drive, Congressman Niele. than whom no
single individual has done more to make Riv ersite
what it is. General Viee's handsome villa the
first brick house erected on the drive, by the way,
stands on salient angle of the riveI bank, where,
legends have IL, one of his ancestors landed about
two hundred years ago. while being rowed by two
Indians down from Albany to tell Governor Dongan
about the efforts that we're making by the French
TO draw away the Six Nations from their allegiance
10 the Dutch and English Since this house was
built, less than ten years new houses valued
OF over 100000 900 have been put up the West
Side.
PECULIAR FLORA OF THE PARK
The fora OF Riverside deserves notice II is ex-
tremely diversified in character owing to peculiar
circumstance The freight cars of the New-York
la.,.ral y. .Mra.d IN Ill ~