The evening world., 1894-01-23
AN ASTOR MEMORIAL.
To Be the Most Magnificent
Chapel in This Country.
But the Acquisition OF a Synagogue
Property Is Necessary.
Therefore II Was Said n Stable Was
to BE Built.

1t was learned by ITne Evening
World' to-day that MIR. John Jacob AS
tor Is cndeavoring through his real-estate
broker, George r. Read of . Pins street,
To acquire the property owned by the
Hnai Jcsh run Synagogue. adjoining the
southwest corner of Six.y-hfth street
ana Madison avenue, for the purpose Of
erecting on the site a magnificent chapel
to perpctuate the memory of his father,
Young Mr.. Aston has, 1t Is known,
been working towards that end for
months. He recently purchased the lot
on the corner, which has a frontage Of
- feet on Madison avenue and a depth
OF 100 feet on East Sixty-hfth street.
This was the first step towards the
acquisition OF the coveted sire for the
memorial chapel.
The Evening World's'' informant II
Il gentleman whose close relations with
the Aston family in particular and his
wide knowledge OF real estate matters
In general, places him in a position to
speak authoritativcly. He said this
morning:
1T has long been known among Mr..
Astor's close personal friends that he
contemplated the erection of a memo
rial chapel which would surpass any,
thing of the kind In point OF costliness
In this country. All that stood In the
way was the acquiring OF a suitable
site.
" Mr.. Aston has bought property In the
immediate vicinity, but has not been
able to secure a sufficiently large plot of
ground for the chapel.
He finally decided to buy, IL possible.
the property on the southwest corner of
Madison avenue and East Sixty-ffth
street. which has an area OF lbs by 100
feet, and includes the site Of the syna-
Eogue.
after purchasing the corner lot he
found that he would have some diff
Guilty in getting hold of the ~nagog
property.
Ills next move was one which is con-
sidered by the adjoining property-owners
ns savoring more of sharp practice than
the straightforward tactics which a man
Of his wealth would naturally be ex-
pected TO pursue. +
HE had II announced that he intendep
to, build a stable on his corner lot. This
had the desired effect of alarming the
prorerty-holders in the neighborhood. A
stable on that location would seriously
deprcciate the value OF n%eighboring prop
erty. ia
"A committee OF adjoining property
owners met Mr.. Aston and asked his
price for the lot he had bought for s5l. 900.
He said he would sell for 5000. The
price was so far above the value Of tho
lot that II was not entertained for Q
moment.
"Air Aston continued to have II &
that the stable was going up. II IL
object Is to scare his neighbors into
selling out cheap. he is in a fair way to
be successful in several cases.
at looks very much as IL Mr.. Aston
would soon become the owner of the
coveted site"
Charles SchlesinGer. the importer Of
liquors, at % Liberty street, who lives
next door to the corner-at 20 East Sixty
NTH street-said to an Evening World''
reporter to-day:
81 am surprised that Mr.. Aston should
contemplate building a stable in that
locality. He certainly knows that he
would incur the enmity of all his
nciShbors. He should not use his i'm
mense wealth to force out his less for
tunate neighbors and to attain selfish
cnda.
Il am so opposed to having Il stable
built neX to my property that / will
sell NV house, which cost me $ll5 200,
for $75, 900. or about the value of the
lot"
1t is evident that Mr.. Astor's tactics
will work in Mr.. Schlesinger's case,
Other residents of the block. who
would be affected should Mr.. Aston build
the stable. are: A. NJ. Palmer, Daniel T.
Warden. r. G. Lyman. T. b. Meigs. ex-
Judge Charles Donohue. Louis Wormser
and J. i. browning.
Mr.. William Cruickshank, one of the
trustees of the Aston estate, was much
surprised to learn that the news of Mr..
Astor's intention to build the chapel
had got out.
lie refused to give any further details
than the reporters already knew.