New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-15
Mr.. BRADY EXPLAINS.
C. p. HUNTINGTON'S WINDOW AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS.
TIE SUPERINTENDENT SAYS TIE LAW MUST
BE ENroRCED-vIEws or MR. HUNT


Worlmen were busy I'm and about Coils =. Hunt
lngtons new granite dwelling, at Fnhave. and Fifty
sevcnth.st Yesterday, and the bay window, which Is
causing so much trouble gazed peacefully ont from
the avenue side. For having the bay wihdo" coh
struccd, Thomas J. Brady. the superintendent Oh
buildings. saws that the southern Pacific mngnate Is
In contempt Of tho supreme Court and III" TriDuhe
told yesterday how proceeding, to punish him therefor
had been begun. The great granite structure has
been moro than four years In building. and the worst
Of II all Is that II, owner may not occupy IT,
since he awarded the contracts for his New YORK
mansion Mr. Huntington has purchased villa III
California and Will spend his winters there.
My house In Fify-scvcnth.st. Is by no means
completed yet said Mr.. Huntington yesterday. 4
shall complete II. but don't scc where snail get
much time to occupy IT,"
There are thing, o. Interest about these con
tampt procccilngs besides the fact that they affect
ON. Of the most splcndl, ~ tho structures near the
T1nh-ave. entrance to Contra. Park II Is the hTNt
time IN the history OF the Department OF bWidlhSN
that such an action has been brought. There have
been many injunctionS against the hniidi'g OF Day
windows projecting over tho property lnc bu'' Mt
Brady SAYS, they have always before been ob'y'd.
In a number Of cases the result has been to c"apci
the tearing down Of partially completed Windows
MIR Brady is careful 10 insist that the department Is
not pushing this merely because II Affects MI
Huntington. or because the property in question Is
a prominent Fiith.ave. house.
We are not trying to make victim Of Mr. Hun
ungrors said he yesterday afternoon. "bnt We don't
pr,po,e that De- shall override this department,
However. the Insult 1, not t. u. bat to tn" court
Io Won ,uprD.. TIA; We w1uH ask tac supreme
Court of tie state %. NcV-Norh lor Cd Injunction g
prevent ihc building q I'll, by window. and then SIT
ea.mly ly and the order d'obeyed''
Tie reporter supposed not and Mr.. Brady looked
gratlnci.
There has evidently been deal Of mlsunderstani-
Ing about that window. which now rests 50 proudly
an a solid stone foundation and grcets pasScriy with
a cold stare from the griffin heads on its capstones
The varying versions Of the complication are here
set forth.
somebody served some papers about something or
other on N, lat evening said Mr.. Huntingdon IN
Do. Office IN The NH. building. Il turned THEM over
10 my LAWYER and hardly knew what they were untii
| read The Tribune this morning The lawyer toll
mo- two years or ago. that the thing was all
,irni,hi and could g. ahead and build the window.
That +, all / know about IT,
The matter Will BE- adjusted 70 th" satisfaction OF
the Department Of Buldlne7 added Mr. Hunting
ton but do mol wis The public should be In
t.rc,t'd In IT.
Charles H. Tweed IS The counsel FOR the southern
Pacific system. and j. also MIR. liuntlncton's lawyer
The case I, simply this" said Mr.. Tweed. 9TH"
ciiv claim, ownership up to what Is called III"
property line, including the strip between TIA" hous"
ana the pavement linz. Irquc'uonabN Mr. iiuhuhS
ton would have had tie right t. have iiith-avr
entrance his h6usc. and 10 build a stoop out To
IA. .liewalk line. lie chose to have no entrance on
that side Of IN" house. and the question Is. whether
he shall be- kept from Building bay window. which
projects "a lltl. .yond the property line. merely
because H. rlcct. 10 build clear ont to that Inc.
Tie window Is certainty much less Of an obstruction
than siOop would b."
"suppo-ins that Mr.. Huntington convicted OF
contempt al court. what would the penalty be
was asked.
"Oh. that would be for the court 10 saw was the
reply THE window is built. and the court would
crime. / guess there viii be serious trouble but
II the l. pressed In court IT Will BE- an inter
csiing on. and there will Is music In the air.
Mr.. Brady was fornd at the offices Of the Depart
mont OF buildings at so. IL Union Place which IS
another name for that portion OF Fourth ave extend
ing from >cventccnih-st. to Nlncteenthst. dozen
visitors were waiting 10 him.
Il never IA with many persons as
wanted 10 talk to him. said the guardian Of the
gate as he took the reporters card. ITS wonder
he stand IT. him being such "A little man Hike"
Mr.. Grady is small, In, he Is also energetic.
We published article about you this morning.
Mr.. Brady said the reporter.
81 have just had the pleasure Of reading It,
he replied. with II broad smile. Then he plunged
into explanation of the position Of the Department
Of Buildings regarding the bay window.
"Stcops are authorized by city ordnance he
said "nnd n city ordinance Is law. Now the city
owns clear up To the property line, and nothing has
u right 70 be there which III" ordinance dos
have bull, stoop there had he wished 10. and II Is
true that sioop would be- n greater obstruction
than u bay window. lu the ordinance says that
SirJp may be- built. aud does not say that bay
window may he built. ana n bay vdnd ~ Is not
.tDop any more Than n cat Is dog. although both
nr" fourlceged animals. and bay win low ana n
sppp both distractions. After We obtained the
Injunction against Mr. Huntington. work stopped
Tor time on that portion OF the hons" Infected
By II: ard the construction oi the r"ihnllcr went
on with no change In tn" plans. Then they went
to work again on the bay window on the Fifth.ave
side while the Injunction was being argued. ana
completed n without regard To what the conrt had
IN say The laws must be enforced. and the fact
that G. T. Huntington owns this particular house
makes difference whatever In our action In regard
to IT.
The architects and builders Of tho house are also
made parties TO the suit, for technical purposes.