New-York tribune., 1891-05-18
MIR. CARR MAKES A REPLY.
OFFENDING THE MANHATTAN ATHLETIC
CLUB
vr SAYS THE MEMBERS ARE HARMONIOUS AND


c,-o " Carr president of the Manhattan Athletic
,s, has sent out statement TO the press in reply
N attacks which have been made upon the club. Mr.,
Csrrss letter in full is as follows
tn the press: The attacks which have recently
hs.n made in The New-York sun" on the Manhattan
Athletic Club induce me to trespass your time and
mace By asking you 70 publish the following reply
II is not true that there is any serious dssenson
N the ranks of the club. The discomfort or dssats-
action of half dozen members cannot be called .
prous dssension, and from all the information that
an gather l do not know OF more than half Dozen
persons who pretend to be in any way seriously
disturbed by the management Of the club or its fnan-
rial position. and do not believe they are really dis
turbed except from personal considerations.
II is not true that shortly before the NJ. ~ T. tOoh
possession Of its clubhouse, al any other ume an
offer made to the y. Y. A C. to have It purchase
or lease the building and that the n. y. A. C. declined
the offer. The VI. A. C.. the owner of the property
ras the only person who could make such an Offer
md the club not only did not make such an oner out
iever entertained nor considered the making OF such
IN offer The sun in its article OF the l4th hst
states that the offer made by the people VINO iur
nished the money to erect the building They nad
no right 10 make such an offer as they were OILY
MORTGAGES and could not have made any such oner
effective but that they did not make such an offer Is
clearly shown TO be false by the following CORE
SpOndence: ~
No SO Wall-st New York City.
Gentlemen liz this mornings sun there appears
he statement To the effect during the progress OF
the building of the Manhattan Athletic Club House
construct the offered TO lease it TO the NewloFk
Athletic Club. You were the gentlemen who We're
furnishing the money. OF course, mortgages YOU
could not make any lease of H. az that power rested
u the club itself. ! do not for moment believe that
you made such offer but of course IL Is possible
That you may have at some time entertained doubts
the Of the enterprise and 50 have thrown
out some tintS or Suggestions as 20 such an Onel Ol
possibly have made nch an ofer IN anticipation
of your acquiring the property @ by foreclosure re- This
statement according 70 the fact that YOU VIII kindly
SehaT drectly or indirectly made any such offer to
the Nev-York Athletic Club. or made entertained
any yours % 1S GEoRGE @ " V cAER PeideDt eDtS
New York. MAY IA. 1901.
George W. Carr, esq, President Manhattan Athletic
Dear Sir We are in receipt of your favor Of this
~ mortgage the Manhattan Athletic Club property.
never had any doubts as to lbs being perfectly
suggested to any other club or person tie possibility
Of our being able 70 lease sell the property. We
have never been approached on the subject. and are
al loss to imagine how The report originated that
the parties furnishing the money on first mortgage
A. ISELIN.
1t therefore clearly appears that this statement,
made on the alleged authority Of one Of the y. \.
A. C's highest officials, is absolutely and unqualifedy
alse. do not myself believe that any " Y. a. c.
official made the statement attributed 10 him but If
he did, it Is the less false The articles in
question seek 10 create the belief not only among club
members, but on the part of the public generally,
that there large number Of members who are dis
satisfied with the financial showing made by the club.
have knowledge information that there is any
such large number Of socaled kckers." do not be
leve that there is If there IS they have certainly not
yet had sufficient courage to come forward and make
their complaints in the only way customary among
loyal club men, and that is TO the club itself, or TO
ss board of governors At the special meeting re
.erred there about $50 members present, and
here could be mstaking the warm and enthusiastic
praise, and entire satisfaction, which was expressed
At the reports respecting the finances of the club,
and hence with the present management The resou-
ton for the issuance of certificates was then and
there unanimously adopted.
II is not easy 10 why any member should be
dissatisfied with the financial standing Of the club or
With the amount of profitable business the club has
aoDe since 1t took POSSESSION Of its new clubhouse
II is perhaps to be expected that all successful en-
terprse will occasion criticism and some Jealousy, and
here may be always found among any large number
Of men one or more who Would be dissatisfied with
any result however great thinking that II should be
greater. but I doubt if any club in the country can
show the acquisition in a few years of so large
property and of so large an equity in 1t as the
VI. A. c. shows.
I did not think I would make any answer 10 what
are called "errors" I'm the circular and statements
pointed out by The SUM-" because considered, and
consider, that all matters relating TO the finances
pf the club and It's internal workings Of interest
Dnly TO members. proposed members, and creditors ;
and have received request for explanations from
them But as the clubs nonresident membership
numbers 500, and as not many OF them were present
At the meeting where these reports and statements
we're explained and as is the desire Of some Of the
governors that an TO some of these socalled
criticisms be made and they can be easily over
come will answer them.
The claim Of S135 900 equity IN the property Is
not absurd The club has paid out Of the treasury
toward the cost Of the property more than that
amount Of money and besides there was large equity
in the land itself before the club began building.
ones equity in a property is usually regarded as
what the property Is worth over and above the liens
on IT, The value Of the club property is not one cent
less than a million dollars. and upon any proper
appraisement would be appraised al that sum- THIS
was proven BY the fact that 100000 al IL per
cent was offered on the place; hence the clubs real
equity is not only S135,OOO but the difference be-
tween s7G5, 900 and II 100000. or S235.O00.
II is not true that the Furnishings were paid for
entirely In second mortgage bonds. IL Is true tIal
portion Of their paid, but doubt II the
estimate Of the work increased materially on
account OF the payment being made III part Dy 'e0Oiu
mortgage bonds.
As regarts the account of L. a. Burke & Co ad-
hitting Of a gigantic profit, I have only to say THAI
tha. firm received will receive, when fully settled
With the profit which under their contract they were
entitled 10 receive and no more. That contract was
authorized 70 be made by the club itself at meeting
Of its members Their bills have been audited by
Mr. Lauritzen the architect, a. is customary In such
Eases Their contract required them 10 build the
clubhouse for the exact cost of the material and
labor With 10 per additional TO cover their ser
vices ANY large builder acquainted with the cir
cumstances existing when the contract was made VIII
sav that 10 per cent was very reasonable. The
anod3t charged against them in the statement in
cudes the 10 per cent. But the 10 per cent was not
al profit because in management Of their business
and Of such large enterprise they were re-
Qured 10 and did furnish great many appliances
ard apparatus. clerks, etc. for The purpose OF carrying
On their business in executing the contract
II is true that a year ago Charles o. Perry was de-
ieaed for election by few votes, on the alleged ground
that t.,,rr contract with the club. he should not