New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-05
An ILLF1TED BUILDING.
DEATHS, FAILURES AND LOSSES PERsIsTENTLY
FOLLOW ITS OCCUPANTS.

FOLLOW ITS OCCUPANTS
On one of the downtown streets few doors from
broadway stands substantial building, one OF the
hest of the class Of business structures erected from
ff.oon 70 Twenty-Five years ago. 1t is five stories
high and Ia, a frontage Of fifty feet and a depth
of nearly 900 Its builder and owner is wealthy
merchant who has long lived abroad leaving 10 MS
Junior partners the management of the business IN
which he had previously ama,8ed the fortune 'na'
enabled him to put up the building In question. Inc
history of this building during the last twelve or
fifteen years is a story Of the msfortunes OF all who
have been connected with IT, not oly as lessces and
occupants but also employees Of the occupants
Death financial failure, business reverseS ana loss
of employ men after many year, Of faithful service are
chief in the train Of ills that 10y some strange iataIN
has attended this building up TO the present ume'
] -obaby no other business structure IN New-1OrA can
show such record Of death and disaster
MANY wears ago a young man Of energy and ability,
ambitious to enlarge the manufacturing business lie
had inherited from his father. came 20 New1 ork from
a small Connecticut village and established himself
here He brought with him as assistants TWO otlef
Young men from the village. These three
sbrewd Yankees soon raised their firm 10 the first
rank among the mercantile houses Of the country
and TO the leading place in their branch OF trauc'
They ran four factories. employ four or I'VE hhueu
men, and received the highest atainable rating ny 'he
mercantile agencies dozen years ago there was NOT
in the United states prosperous firm III us
particular line.
The increase in the volume Of trade Of the concern
necessitated the taking OF larger salesroom anu
part of the building which has since proved 80 ul
fortunate taken the rest OF IL Deihs o''uP'o"
by the firm Of the and by small mdhuId''uV''
The small manufacturer the first victim o"Hs
TO some trouble with his landlord or with Tue IN
surance companies. Then mi,fortmcs began 10 beiaH
the family and business connections OF the wealthy
manufacturer who had just moved in First MS sol-h
law died then the deaths Of his grahuohIurch
from whom he caught disease which IN 10" Jay
terminated fatally. Thus, from family OF SIX per
sons four were suddenly removed and the great man
sion OF the rich manufacturer was closed, anu SUI
seouently sold to a well known railroad maghate'
- In the meantime the oldest and most valuable
employees Of the firm resigned their places ana started
clerks Su fine salc,room one Two, three four, In sue
cession Both Of the two remaining members OF me
period. a relative Of the founder Of the business thc
took its management, but no sooner had ne uohe 80
Than death invaded his home, rohbns IL Oh Two Oh us
members. The brohc rin-law of one OF me deaa
partners became insane and numerous Gea'hS, an l
Inisfortunes occurred i'm collateral branches OF ms
family Then money losses began 10 come TO ule
frm, in one year $4,000 being lost. II is said Ihes
ana the decrease in business which cnsued ncceSsatco
the closing up OF Of the foar factories the as
charge several hundred men ana reductions i Py
beginning OF the end this once great estabIshne, -
forced 70 take much smaller ana less ue'"a"o ''''
But these are but part Of the evils which have G,
HING like black cloud over this building Inc mTih
- lie owner II is said IS about to retire from busi
ness or at least from its present quarters. sec
III t6e store had been rented 70 large nanuiactuhe
company. This company failed. 1T was ,hcn
rented 10 another large manufacturing company "on
also failed recently, earring down WIN IL 9c nm
with liabilities Of several million dollars The father
in-law ~ an officer Of one OF these dcfunc con,
deaT r nv waikn@ into train What is quite
curious as ms aggtgaloh % ~, % Whose three
members were cut OFF by death was connected either
by blood marriage or by 9Ia n t firms
which have recently failed.