New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-29
COVETING THE BIG MANSION.
THE AMBITIOUS MANHATTAN CLUB.
A COMMITTEE WELL PLEASED WITH THE STEWART
A1.s

THE AMBITIOUS MANHATTAN CLUB.
A COMMITTEE WELL PLEASED WITH THE STEWART
gOUsE-wHAT MR.. CoUDERT SAYS.
Ever since the funeral of Mrs. Cornelia M.
Stewart on an afternoon when rain and mist COM
bined to make the surroundings doubly gloomy
over those that generally hold good on funeral
occasions, and the coffin taken to the cathedral
at Garden City, there to be placed in the silent
crypt side by side with that of A. T. Stewart,
the Stewart mansion at Fifth-ave and Thirty
fourth-st has stood silent and alone unoccupied
save by the Waterman who day and night has
kept vigilant eye upon all possible lntruders'
The paintings, which formed one of the glories
of the Stewart house, have been put up at auction
and knocked down to the highest bidder; the
statuary remains it stood when Mrs. Stewart
drew her last breath Paintings have value in
the auction market, because Of the caprice OF
fashion, perchancc, and again because they may
appeal more warmly to the artistic sense than
does cold statuary, whose beauty hinges on mere
outline.
| Silent and alone the Stewart mansion has
remained since Mrs Stewards death, yesterday
it was the scene of barbaric invasion. The clock
on Trinity tower pointed to noon and other clocks
in the city were probably busily occupied in
doing the same thing, when party of five gentle
men passed through Thirty fourth.st on its north
erly side and paused in front of the marble house.
| The gentlemen could not well be characterized as
| jolly; nor yet did they look respondent or hope
less. They seemed sedate and earnest, having in
some respects the air OF the Crusaders Of old, who
had mission to perform, yet did not regard
| it so seriously that there room left for
worldly things.
| GAINING ACCESS TO THE HOUSE.
The five gentlemen after Slight pause, marched
boldly up the steps of the Stewart mansion.
They-or rather, one of thcm-ran the bell A
solcmn-visagcd sentinel appeared and to him
one of the five, plainly endowed with authority,
displayed bit of paper on which were the words ::
Please let tho bearer and the gentlemen with him
have access to the stewart house. Horace Russell
The live gentlemen got into the house. Then
they began looking about the spacious rooms.
/ The blizzard that comes from Dakota and makes
New York an Arctic zone on occasions like the
present had no cheer to impart to the rooms. They
were cherries; they silent, they were
gloomy. Yet the five gentlemen had gcniaty
enough in their composition to send the thermomc-
ter up several degrees above zero, if not wholly
beyond the freezing point. They passed from
room to room, they gazed on the splendid dccora-
tons, on portieres and rich upholstery, upon
frcscoed ceilings and walls and held their breath
at Tho riches spread out before them
PLEASED WITH THE HOUSE.
This would indeed be desirablc' mumured
one of the five
This would be a splendid retreat for pure
Democracy" sighed one gentleman who appeared
to be the head and front Of the occasion.
And such quarters would discount the Union
League Club NIGHTLY purred third.
We ought to have this statuary thrown in"
went on the fourth man, willie the fifth was lost
in contemplation of his surroundings.
In the art gallery all paused before Powers's
Greek Slave and each and all forgot their
mission and the cunning of dollars and sense in
admiration of the truth, poetry, tenderness and
strength embodied In the mute marble. After o
time the committee-the five gentlemen-lnoved
on The sculpture which had not been sold
because it would not fetch cx-Judge Hilton's
upset price, passed from the vision of the five.
They moved on upstairs, in and out from room to
room, and contemplated all the eXpanse and the
attractions of the huge house.
SATISFIED WITH THEIR VISIT
They were there an hour and when they
emerged from the solemn house of white marble
they said to themselves: This would be good
spot, but afford to buy ftp VIII ltiga-
ton stand in our wayP Perhaps we would not
better high. Perhaps we would better
buy some bare ground somewhere and build from
the foundations. At all events, we have seen the
/ house. Grand solemn, silent structGre!'
The five gentlemen walked away together
Then they separated, each going his own way
The gentlemen were Nlanton Marble, Frederic K
COudert, Leicester Ilolme, j. Sergeant Cram and
Robert s. Hone. They constituted the commit
tee of five representing the Manhattan Club in
its endeavors to find a new home on scale with
its pride When the club decided over a week
ago that 1t was its sense that it ought to move
uptown the resolution to that effect, presented
by Leicester liolme, provided that a committee
of five should be appointed to select site ana
supcrintend the finances Of the great undertaking.
The committee began It's house-huntng yesterday.
1t had its eye directly on the Stewart mansion
that it could GO nowhere else rs " starter"
Frederic K Coudert was seen at his Office later
in the day lie did rot attempt to evade the
fact that the committee had gone and done it. !"
Yes said Mr.. Coudert, the committee visited
the Stewart house to-day IL is a splendid build
ing. What beautiful piece OF sculpture Pow
ers's Greek Slave is Do we expect to take the
statuary with the house, o, no 1t is an open
! question of course, whether the club will take
/ the house There is litigation involving the mat
ter, and there is question whether the parties
IN interest could agree regarding sale OF the
| house.
1t appears clear that the mansion can never
be used for private residence II was built to
suit the taste OF Mr.. and Mrs Stewart Now
people who can afford to build or own such u
/ house have ideas Of their own which they viii
carry out in building. Probably no person can
be found who will take the Stewart mansion for
private residence, for he would have different
/ views as TO the sort Of residence he wanted Inc
house must therefore be torn down or be used Tor
club or similar purposes L douot IL II Is Wor'i
more than the lot would be without the house.
/ II NAV be that the Manhattan Club Will deter
mine to brild from the foundations; There Is
nothing certain about our taking the stewart
| house We have simply looked IL over, ana WE
shall report views
FEW ALTERATIONS NECESSARY.
Mr. Coudcrt was asked if he thought that the
house would require much alteration for CLUB pur-
poses and he replied: Some changes would be
necessary of course but not extensive ones. we
should need elevators and some minor alterations
would be essential But no great trans ormation
would be needed. The house is certainly a mag
niiicent one and it would afford fine lodging
| place for triumphant Democracy" were Mr.. COu,
| dert,s words as he smiled the memory OF
Andrew jackson. adding, with his eye on Jefferson
ian simplicity ,. ,oo A.,
The splendid decorations OF TINS mousse une
| rich unbolstry the fine specimens of statuary
afforded the committee great pleasure in viewing
The paintings it is true, have been sold ano
taken away, bus there is much now IN the mouse
| to ford pleasure to the eye and taste" .
Mr. Coudert was asked If any proposition mac
vet been made to eX-Judge Hilton touching th'
| value Of the property and the answer was; no
That will be question for the future. Inc III