The record-union., 1893-02-18
A. 7. STEWARDS DREAM.
Expected Realization of His Garden
City Idea,
Plans for Carrying Out the scheme of
Its Development - Hfndrances
in the Past.

a town, which, in the beginning was
an idea conceived in the active brain of
one able business man, which first ac-
quired objective being from the executive
energy OF that man, and which was long
sustained by the aliectionate heart of q
woman, only to be checke ed in its growth
by the quarrels of self-seeking heirs,
may now become all that as an idea it was
intended to be-a beautiful, model Gar
den City nationally laid out and built
with forethought. When y. T. Stewart
founded Garden City he acted from mo-
tlves at least partially altruistic; when
his widow brokenly continued his
work she was actuated by no more ego
ustic motive than the care for her hus-
bands memory; but not till the growth
OF the town was made dependent on in
dlvlduaI enterprise was its development
assured and the realization of the plans
OF It's originator made probable.
HempStead Plains OF Long Island was
tract of waste land when a. Il. Stewart
bought 1t more than twenty years ago.
Other adjacent land was purchased by
hlm at the same time, nine thousand
acres IN all. The purchase was made with
the purpose of laying out town. the first
OF his business houses. Three classes OF
houses were built 10 be rented on easy
terms, which, moreover, made possible
the ultimate possession of the house
through the regular payment OF rent
There were conditions imposed, but priv
negeS and benefits were granted which
were expected more than 10 comp mpensaIe
The roadways, streets and grounds were
to be kept III order by The Stewart mana
gers, and coal and other necessaries We're
TO be supplied at Il reduced rate. But the
clerks OF the Stewart establishments
with some few exceptions, refused TO
avail themselves OF the offered homes and
unusual privileges, and the little town
became inhabited by other people.
Among them, however, were a great
many clerks from other business houses.
But the class which seized most eagerly
the opportunity held out TO them was
that OF well-to-do people of leisure.
When Stewart died III 1876 Garden City
had, besides the dwellings, a hotel, gas
and Water-works, all constructed by Mr..
Stewart, and several well-ordered parks
and excellent driveways. A church was
begun, but only the foundation was COM
pleled. Mrs. Stewart wished to carry
out the plans Of her husband, but she
was aged and incapable Of continuous
euort. and, it is said, she was otherwise
hindereG, so that her purpose was frus-
trated III great part. She completed the
church, however, and extended its plans
so that when finished 1t was the cathe-
dral, now called the Cathedral of the In
carnation. Her modification of the plan
OF the church was made when the Work.
ing w Noman's Home, which was to be a
memorial to Mr.. Stewart, proved fail
ure, and was changed into what is now
the Park Avenue Hotel. After this dis
appointment she determined to make the
far II dral ont -
the resting-place of her husbands body,
and she spent 100000 on it before her
death. In her will she left 500, 900 to
be used to complete the structure. The
sum OF $500, 200 more was added later by
Judge Hilton; and, besides the cost OF
erection, the memorial building received
by the will of Mrs. Stewart an endow-
ment Of $l,025,000. This property has
been placed in the hands OF the corpora
ton of the Cathedral of the Incarnation,
and with it go the Bishops Home, which
cost Sl,000,0O0; the Boys School, which
cost Mr.. Stewart $500, ,0O0, and the new
girls School, on which 500, 900 was spent.
After the death of Mrs. Stewart in 1856
came the protracted period of litigation
over her will, the outcome Of which for
Garden City was that all this Long Island
property was assigned to her heirs as
tenants in common. But the admins
tration of the estate, which included a
small town, was found to be not so eff
cient as it might me, and another change
was made. This was completed when
the Garden City Company was incorpor-
ated on the lst of January, with a capital
Of S2,5C0,0U0. This capital is divided into
-, 600 shares of the par value of $l00 each,
and S500,000 are paid in. The President
OF the company is Prescott Hall Butler,
Allen w. Evarts is the Secretary, and
Judge Horace Russell is Treasurer. The
objects OF the corporation, as set forth in
the articles, are to acquire and dispose OF
real estate in Queens County, to construct
dwelling houses, casinos, stables and 9TH
er buildings, and lay out parks, roads,
etc The company is composed chiefly
OF the Stewart heirs, but the title has been
transferred to the corporation. 1t is the
plans now being put in operation by the
directors of the company, which prom
ises that the ideas of a. f. Stewart and
his wife. concerning the development
and identifying of Garden City, will at last
be carried out, after the interruption of SO
many years.
The execution of these plans has al
ready been begun. The land west OF
Clinton Avenue, from Hampstead to the
junction OF the Old Glen Cove Road,
through to Floral Park, is being laid out
cost from $4,000 TO 10000 are soon to be
built for rent or for sale. The lake near
st. PauPs School is to be made deeper
and then enlarged so as afford means for
boating, sailing and skating. Near this
lake a clubhouse is to be built and to-
boggan slide is being planned.
Up TO this time none OF the property has
| been sold. The only titles in other possess
sion than that of the heirs, now the COM
pany, are those of the Cathedral Corpora
ton. The dwellings already built, and
those to be constructed, are now to be sold
as we'll as rented.
With many OF the original plans several
of the old conditions are to be observed
~ land Will be sold except to purchasers
who will agree te build. Liberal space
must be lett between dwellings, and 100
feet front is the smallest according to the
present intention OF the directors. In or
der TO prevent the introduction OF objec-
tonable lines of business, the company