Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1894-11-22
HOUSE Will A ouEeR HIsroRY.
Cost a Million to Build ana Has Never Ye
Had AN Occupant.

IlOOSG WI " QUEEN HIS TORY.
Cost a Million to Build ana Has Never Ye
Had AN Occupant.
Up on Fifth avenue, New York,
facing Central Park, in one OF the
most desirable residence regions OF
the city, stands very large and Gle.
CANT house, which for Ave years has
been of no earthly use to any living
being except the tax gatherer and
the solitary Waterman to whom IL
furnishes employment, says the sun.
1t is an architectural failure on a
magnificent sca'c. From the outside
IT looks like house that would
meet the requirments Of the most
eXactlng. 1t is a four story, brown
stone building, with u frontage of so
feet on Fifth avenue, and a side ex-
tent of $50 feet on Seventy Fourth
street. on the southeast corner Of
which 1t stands. The stone of the
house Is all cut cross gain, instead
of straight, as brown stone is usually
cut, and will not split or crumble.
1t was Quarrled to order for the
building. A fine front entrance,
large windows Of the finest plate
glass and many exterior ornamental
tions make the building one of the
most noticeable houses on the ave.
nue., There is probably no other
house in the city so strongly built,
as the walls are from three to three
and halt feeJ thick throughout.
Inside the house is completed, except
the frescoing. Baths and closets are
all complete, sideb0ards are built in,
the canvas for mural decorations
stands in rolls on the floor, all the
fine work In panelng, stalrcases and
mosaic floors is there, and all that is
required TO make the house perfectly
habitable is the furnishing There
is cellar and u subcellar, fitted out
in the most approved way and even
an artesian well to furnish power for
an organ, for which niche has been
built. The organ, the biggest and
finest chamber organ ever made in
this country, is in storage ware.
house, where it has been for years,
All this elegance belongs to Wilhelm
Pickhardt a wealthy dealer in dyes
at % Liberty street, who for the past
five years, that Is, since the building
of the house, has lived abroad, travel.
ing about Europe from capital to
capital.
Mr.. Pickhardt bought the land on
which his house stands about twelve
years ago, and in 1889 he had plans
submitted to him for the building of
a house His architect, who be-
longed to prominent firm, had
carte blanche as regards expense, be-
ing instructed to have everything Of
the very best. There were certain
things, however, in regard to the
building, that Mr. Pickhardt insisted
upon, despite the objections urged by
the architect, When the house was
well advanced the owner went to the
architect one day and said to him:
"There are some things about the
arrangement of the house that / don t
like" at the same time mentioning
some Of them. 81 want them
changed"
"But, Mr., Pickhardt," demonstrate
ed the architect aghast, "those
changes can't be made without build
ing the house over again. have
followed your instructions closely"
"If the changes can't be made
without rebuilding then III pull
down the house and have it built
over, returned the owner "Im 60
ing to have this done as want it If
it takes every cent I've got.
The result Of the matter was that
the architect Withdrew, and Mr..
Pickhardt replaced him with a Ger.
man named Knaut, whom he brought
over from Germany for the work.
Knaut drew up elaborate plans, I'M
did much of the work that his prede.
cessor had done, returned to Ger
many for q vacation and died.
Two years have already been con-
sumed, and third went by before
an architect was found to suit Mr..
Plckhardt, Then the building was
resumed, but it proceeded slowly be-
cause of the frequent and important
alterations insisted on by the owner
Finally, In 1889, when the architects
work was completed and all that re-
mainel to be done was the frescolng
and some minor decorations, Mr..
Pickhardt experienced another re-
yulsOn Of feeling.
"rhe house isn't us l want il at
all, he declared. at isn't what
intend it should lie, and III never
live In it-neVer! I've thrown away
81 900, 600 on IT,.
lie went abroad and has spent the
major part Of his time since then in
Europe. The house has never been
occupied, for the owner would not
rent it, and the price demanded for
tits so high that it has found no pur-
chaser Large taxes are paid on it,
and Waterman Is hired to guard it.
1t seems likely that it will remain as
it Is until the owners death.
PROPOSED TO QUEEN VICTORIA.