New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-07
THE CHURCH NAY BE SOLD.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH DR. PARKHuRSTS
CONGREGATION.

THE wEII~KNowN MADISON SQUARE
HOUSE OF woRsHIP-A HIdH OFFICE
BUILDING MAY TAKE ITS
rLACE-TIIE GROWTH OF
THESE STRUCTURES
vegotia.Ions are said TO pending for the sale OF
the Madison Square Presbyterian Church OF "hicn
the Rev Dr. Charles H. Parkhurst Is pastor. II -
declared that a lofty office building may DE P"
up on the site Since The Tribune Buii1hg was
completed about twenty years ago. the lower poT-
lion of New-York City has been practically reco"
s,r,ctea This was the pioneer in the direction oi
high buildings: and for several years IL to"eIe'
above all others adapted to orice OF meioa"''
purposes on Manhattan Island. II used 10 De sa'u
that the clock in the tower OF the IrDuEe buic''s
was the first light which se2men observed eo'i's
nm the harbor after nightfall, and. by the use Vi
strong glasses. the hour indicated on the dai p''e
could be distinguished away down by the Na'io"a
A few years before this Chicago had been purhcu
The work of rebuilding there began at once bu' the
higher buildings for Office purposes were HH!'eu
to four and five stories. Il was not "n.n di'e'
New-York following the example of The tribune
furnished the hint that the so-caiied sky-sc'dPe'"
began TO grow upon the banks Of Lake Mlch'san'
South from Printing House Square in lS'i win d
few exceptions the buildings did not exceed four OF
five stories in height; and from the upper noors vi
The Tribune Building a view OF the Harbor from
Eackwelrs Island southwark along the East river
around the Battery and up the Hudson River was
oba.nabe. broken only b. the elevations OF TRINITY
Church steeple, the tower ON the Western Union
Telegraph Building and the steep,c ON ST. fauis
Church Changes came as the demand for larger
Office in the lower part of the city ihcreaSeu
Land values increased enormously 1t was Demon
strated that profit could be derived from
piece of ground 5OxlOo feet. with a building on II
eight. nine stories high. than from lo'
lGDxlco feet on which building of only four or
five stories could rest Everybody recognized the
fact that the great central point of commercial ana
banking activity for the city in its contact with the
rest of the world had been forever established on
the water front. around the ncse of the Island ana
ON the land embraced within the boundaries OF the
East and Hudson Rivers below Ca"al-st' IL ire
quently happened that all the Offices in some OF the
highest buildings were engaged long before the
structure was ready for occupancy. With such
demand capital ready TO AFFORD supply.
OLD BUILDINGS SUPERSEDED.
Thus as tine advanced ground increased IN VaIue
inch by inch AMI foot by foot Late in the seven
ties the work of rebuilding Wall-st. began until
now few Of the old-iime buildings remain between
Broadway and the East River front Millions Oh
dollars were invested in these years in the conSiruC
ton OF bank. trust company AMI Office buLa!hss.
Meanwhile the old buildings in bIoaaway Wetf tSa
thoroughfare presented an entirely different aspsCo
from that of twenty years ago ne co.,S' Wi,n
haii-st was followed shorty afterward by the
erection OF a Cotton Exchange buiidlAe. Ed.ts
SOCK tsxchanse from the corner Of Wall and
Broad sts to the neishborhOod OF Madison square
pan that the proposition mad few supporters l.,
the adOg Of SsT betos exoetansy
popular and the higher man can gel ms
stories ne has purer air than down the street
and with the elevator he is only moment from Inc
Untl recently the higher buildings have been con,
fined to the lower portion Of the city IL was were
fSma spTp WITH ise vcn Of Madison square
watched the I h nsfsnc e Company
at Madison-ave. and Twenty third-st 1t has noi
Once oee buidns th.re would have provoked
whe;ming hostility. when the movement to con- con.
6Tst undertaken there was much adverse criticism
and at one time the officers Of the company wsre
to apartments for families, believing, on account OF
its location i would be gopp War pace for Sucn
This plan was. however. abandoned
FOR BIG ARRAY OF OFFICES.
There are many indications that high ofice-buAd-
ings in the central part OF the city viii b'come
more and more popular. AID that property thefe
will be more sought after. 1t Is said that the Metro
poltan Company have |already secured seveny-nve
feet in Twenty-fourth-st. and hfty-four IN twenty
third-st And /; IS further reported that 1t has Sc
cured options other portions Of the block between
souare Presbyterian Church. OF which the Rev. pr.
Charles II. Parkhurs Is pastor me PURPOSE nedms
to secure the land and create upon II an enormous
IT is admitted by William H. Ross, one OF the
church trustees. that an anxiety TO purcnase 'n 9
church property had been expressed but tna' Tor a.
purposes the proposition had beeA uec'heI, a. AZ
added: 81 have ne doubt could get bona nae
offer of $4,000 should determine 10 sell We 90
mot mo w wish to sell se SaG has Our
home And are fearful that we night run ah VA
risk of losing members II our CONGREGATION shouid
attempt to move into new location.
VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.
Notwithstanding this apparent indsposon not to
sell as expressed by Of the trustees. II Is under
stood by we-informed persons that the company
has an option upon the church property subject 70
approval by the congregation. The property at NO.
~ Madison-ave which is between Twenty-hfth and
Twenty-sxth SITS. and which adoJhs the oi1 O"oh
League Clubhouse, was originally purchased by the
late James Stokes about thlrty-fve years ago at
n 600 for each lot fronting in Madison-ave ana the
rear lots adjoining about 500 each AS evidence
of the increase OF property In the centre OF me
city it may De added that bid at the rate OF
500 600 for each OF these ots-in other words >0-
go was recently offered for all Of this property by
some people who desired TO establish new theatre
on that site and the offer was declined .
This same property eight years ago was SOFA TOT
s2s7 900 to the present owners-Miss DIVA II.
Phelps Stokes and her sister MISS Caroi.he fhe'pS
In Madison Square stands drinking fountain.
Miss Stokes was day sitting at front WINDOW
OF her house when she saw drayman on me otner
side OF the street brutally whipping MS morse,
whose tongue hanging out OF his mouth, ono
directed water to be given to the animal am WAS
fountain 10 be built for the use OF man ana Deas,
Several attempts were made to destroy the ioun-
tain, said 10 have been incited ny S =,
the neighborhood who coveted the money wh!ccn
the drivers would otherwise sps Tor drihHs d. .e
bar while the horses were drinking unclean water
from the coarse trougAs which in those DAYS were
frequently seen on the euBes Oh tiie pa'ene"'o ''
that part OF town.