New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-10
LIFE IN CLUB-HOJSES.
THE RIDING AND DRIVING Clubs NEW
RTILDING CRESCENT ATHLETIC CUPS.

sis. Just opposite the main en'ranc" 70 Prospect
Park is rapidly progressing. The original mchI-
too,, If tho buildiuc were McKm, Mead Il White
hrt. since The plans were drawn they have turncl
,r ,,orl, over 70 Stratton & EllineWood the last
,oo,oJ ~ which firm was in thcr employ at the
Time the house was started. StrattOn ~ Filing
wood have Just begun The drawing OF plans for
thc interior woodwork and the carvings III the
clubhouse proper This clubhouse includes the
front of tho building in Nonderhilt-ovc. It's
,ridtb * about loo feet, and its depth about
80 feet This part of the building IS three stories
HIGH. with the ends carried up a story higher
into two Italian towers, with tiled roofs, contain
inc outdoor pavilions. III the basement are the
bath and dining-r9oms foI men ana large plohs'
and swimming bath.
The middle of the first floor is occupied by the
main club-room The Butlcr-st end contains It
ladies room" and the other end is given UP
IN the club-ohce There are two entrances, one
toward each end of the front. The details OF
tEc pillars and archwayS Of these openings are
purely Tuscan. harmonizing well with the Italian
villa style in which the whole Is built. On
the second floor arc the billiard and card rooms
and the ladies' dining room. The third hoof
has a committee room, two large private dining
rooms. and tie kitchen and pantrics. Then comes
the roof in the middle and the two towers at
the ends
All this is but a veneering in front of the larger
thop.h lower building in the rear This IS the
riding hall which has a clear unpillarcd space oi
III feet l-2 inches ny % feet This great hall IS
on the levc with the first floor and has gallery
extending around il, connecting with the second
door OF tie clubhouse. From tic thiTd-slory
level spring tie iron trusscs which span the
ninety five feet between the walls and carry 20
roof which has a lantern Skyl!ght running IN"
whole length OF the riding-tloor Inc nan also
has plenty of sidc-ght from the many windows
Tie saddny paddocl; Is a large triangular room
az the side and toward the rear of the halI
Adjoining it is laTlc room connecting WIN '"c
stables These form another four-sicry veneer
at the rear end of the rdng-hoor. u Is u.o
same width as the clubhouse III front hut OF rather
Greater depth. The whole building IS devoted 10
the horses, with stalls on each hoor' ana easy
runway, by which the horses can reach the sad
Fdlin- paddock
The brudinc material throughout is brick and
,tcIra-cotta The walls Of the stables have been
completed and the roof is now being put on The
ridng-hall walls arc Ear enough along so that the
Euildinp Committee expects 10 begin the raising
nj the iron trusscs this week The clubhouse Is
rati.r behind thc TEST OF tho building, owing TO
the DELAY in getting tie terra-cotta for tie front
calls That is expected TO be on hand this week.
however. ana the part Of the work that has
dragged longer than any other viii be rushed
along
The committee thinks that the stables and rid
inp-haU will be finished 10y October. The club
house will hardly be done so soon. but II IS
hoped that by that time it may be in condition
70 be used. even though the finishing touches have
not been put Oh.
The Riding and Driving Club was incorporated
June -. 1859, and now after years existence
IFS membership roll contains 800 names Albert
II. Smith is president Of tie club.
There Is danger that when this clubhouse i-
finished the region about The entrance t. Prospect
Tark with the passing throng Of flatbnsh Hah'i'
rlav look more thaA ever like sunny II'1J.
First the blue skies aud charming vlslas l"i
Which the PARK is famed, Tie fountain al vac
Plaza. where Illdas doves might battle, Win us
railing which would lie just complete "l'h 'Ae
Eomon beggars leaning and gazing III the wafer
and then besile the Plaza Tie Italian VA" oil
the Riding Club, with IFS Tied towers, "h'Ie
Bilda herself might well live and tim her FlI-h
LAMP and feed her doves and look oul on the quiet
city below .,,,. Co., v,,.;.c ,Ic.o
r,.nv ,r,Is has been OF Italy. Across the Gree,
overlooking all the Plaza and the PARK as wen 40
thc Roman towers and fountains s,3hHa inc -'i"h
tauk which has nucn more thaJ ID NcIcI"h "''''
IL than Venetian blinds ,
The tiles are nov being PUT upon l''I IoJi , o
the Nontauk clubhouse. Inc hlhiHk mas Wv"
nearly done on the ilst floor, ana p( '-c i"1t''
mari of thc week tlc piastclln9 VIII bcelh' ne
r,,ildinc committeeman say THAI the f0oiciH sun"
delayed the work on the ho"sc li'ly n'o'''''
Wa, ,hcv are now making r4pld progress. Ihct
T,nc IN get INTO the house 40 Was "TIPIii"'S
.liinnod Nv The list Of September The iuIllAII"b
mmmittee will begin 10 do active WORK. r,..
The members OF the crescent A'H '5.,o g.,
lo',. formally accepted the prIze cup oI'Icd I"'
H. .,,,,,Ir. in tine tennis tournament Whl'h ~
."olru of in The Tribune two weeks 40. ihc
oT,nuncrlucnt is now maze tHal u'c ""'"' ~
TNf Rail the president ol Inc cIH" ~ -
S,,eot,n las come forward with another cup "Il,h
he o0cl., 10 tie winners OF the dounf3 i've G%ca
Of the tournament has nov e'" frn" ,toa ne
80 vct but il Will proboh!y w. Piao' i ., '''
a. 49, nort If Scntcmbcr. The committee IL
II, '', consists Of Henry I9marchr, aaron d.
post Grant hoffman ana J"IlH i"''i,uI' H., d.
"'e, n't will not be an open ono. put inc
touI H1I'i'" If The club hope that before
i.' they will have a cup 1hnl Wy
r9,, o0cr Tor the competition OF al cpI't',
hosrbnil game that was = nave pccn ply 2ttI,ic
P"e . the OoycraOro Of the Crescent y liriI
~ a." |lnL was indefinitely postponed, because
A'HIc.. islond men sent wor,l that "a MAJORITY
Ve '"'' ,.',rnors we're ont Of town. Inc OIcs,"h'
,ncn wore rather disappointed rs nl1HA " ,'
lad made arrangements u stay Iol NV t%n,r
TIn, nloycd a game with tl" rscI mn va a.
IHcS XIX instead 4 good many oth'f "a ~
G%m g been playcd with the reserve nirc dnIi3
&c scson rhe Old ip[ [grn, ArRcS Gab, and
WI Tlc house Of the Marine ana fcd cur "' br%
is dcd with odecr, iEG a'RE Sw TI seems seems
car;ic ch f,[hritc sport just now. The so,c1ll"d
T." Tr tto thr srTvonts has been amIcapiy eel
tied, and everything goes sm "a. There Is little or
oir 80 iio'' 'cnr ON. TIE l,roolyn CHb pursue,
the p. even tenor Of lis way ana rcsalaZ mas so%l
dlnrrrs while many Of rs mos, c"' .r' ar.
| ,crdan,s have cone away, however, M 81.
al,yays a number 10 De seen there nj AFTERNOON q"
| evening. t; ,.,h Iool, cooI Int
Han CInb anpcars almost as though SHUT up, even
| n dinncr.tiinr Al noon. However, ana later u