Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-12
PIERCING THE SKY.
New York Finds it is Folly to do it
With Buildings.
OYER-SUPPLY OF OFFICE ROOMS.
Solicitors for Tenants Are Now Doing 3
Thriving Business.
INVESTORS SEE THEIR MISTAKES.
IoORRrsroNDrNcr OF THE D1srArcH.,

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DIsPArcH.I
NEW YORK. January 11.-Mr. Ferdinand
Fish made rather interesting statement
the other day. "It is curious thing" said
he, 'that nearly the whole of New York, as
1t existed 50 years ago, has been turned irto
business Offices" And it is true. Where
once the gay equipages Of the aristocrats
rolled, and where was held the fashionable
soiree of the period, is now silent and de-
serted at the very hours when it was wont
TO assume its former liveliness. To pass up
Lower Broadway at night, Nassau, Wall,
William, Broad, Fulton, Vesey or any of
the adjacent thoroughfares, is like journey
ing through a cemetery. Here are these
thousands of rooms and apartments during
the day 50 full of life, dark, silent and de-
serted.
This is the result of the Office system. In
no other country in the world has it made
such progress as in America. London went
for centuries without offices, and is yet far
behind New York in this regard. Paris is
but little better, and Vienna and Berlin
will never, perhaps, catch up. The tall
building movement is with US only an ex-
pertinent, and has not yet been proven an
UNQUALIFIED success. But it has done one
thing, it has given us glut of small Offices
When a gentleman desires to practice law
in London he doesn't hire a room
in a ten-story structure, next door
to an insurance agent or an architect
he goes to the Temple, where he also lodges
and dimes If he cares about living that way,
and ten to one he generally does. A large
percentage OF the Office departments are thus
made to serve as houses On the other hand,
q New Yorker would as soon think of living
on Wall street as of living in the moon. A
true GothamIte would be as astonished at
the idea as the members of the intelligent
COrean Embassy were when they were told
that all that vast portion of Gotham below
the City Hall Park was only inhabited seven
or eight hours day. And yet it was state
ment literally correct
TIME SPENT IN OFFICES.
Speaking of Office hours, it is curious to
note how some men gauge time with their
pecuniary interests. General Buffers Office
Is in Nassau street. where he can be found
two hours a day when he is in town. Ex-
Governor Hosdley's is in the Equitable
building, where he sits through from five TO
seven hours a day. So is Daniel Dougher-
ty's, who is very easy man to find at all
hours. There is Senator Evarts' den on Wall
street, where he spends lew hours month,
and Grover Cleveland's on William street,
where even the janitor stares when he sees
him approaching.
Do tall buildings pay?
1t is only lately that this rather startling
question was put to the big real estate in
vestors, and it tonches many of them in
rather a sore spot. Mr.. Potter the owner OF
the immense "Potter building" at the cor
ner of Park Row and Beekman street, an
gered vIsibly when the question was put to
him by the writer. The other owners of the
'-sky-scrapers" also refused information.
But the query can easily be settled. The |
tail Office building scheme is worked to |
death in New York-the supply is more |
than the demand. If it keeps on, in the |
near future every bootblack and match ped |
dler will not only have one Office, but can |
reTel In a suite. Vacant rooms are to be |
found everywhere, especially on the top |
floors of these altitudinous edifces. There !
seems besides to be repugnance among
professional and business men to live at such |