New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-26
THE UNION CLUBS FUTURE.
TO MOVE OR NOT TO MOVE?
TWO SITES THAT MAY STILL BE CONSIDERED
MANY MEMBERS THINK THEY WOULD BET
TER STAY WHERE THEY ARE.


TER STAY WHERE THEY ARE.
The members OF the Union Club have not suffi-
GENTLY recovered from their astonishment at the
result Of the vote against accepting the 81. Luxe
HospltaI site at the meeting held Wednesday night
really to understand exactly where they are at
That the result Of the vote vas surprise 10 al
most every member OF the club goes without say
ing. The younger element was sure that the 81.
Iuke's Hospital site would be determined upon. and
even the conservative element. which had strenu-
ousy opposed the removal Of the clubs home to
such an expensive property, had given up and
were hoping that they might be able to make even
a respectable showing in their opposition
A member Of the club said to Tribune reporter
Yesterday: THE result Of the vote wednesday
night was one Of the most astonishing Things
have ever experienced In my long connection with
New-York club life. Everybody supposed that the
St Luke's Hospital SITE in spite Of the vast ex-
pense its purchase would entail. would be selected
by an overwhelming vote. The Site Committee
were so sure that this would be done that they
did not clinch the bargain with the Hospital
officials although they had been fully en-
powered by the club to make purchase OF any
site in Ffth-ave to the extent of 100000 Yet the
price asked for the ST. Lukes Hospital site was
only $4,000"
Another member of the club said: "rhe result
Of Wednesday nights vote has completely upset
al the plans of the club. All OF us had made up
orr minds that we were to have a new home on
the ST, Luke's Hospital site. but the extraordinary
vote of the club Wednesday night has set us all at
sea again. 1t took the Site Committee nearly FOUR
years to get TO the point Of settling on oenhHe
location for the clubhouse and am not so
sure that It will not take quite as long to get 10
the determining point in reference to another SITE
PROSPECTS OF MOVING.
"Vha, are the prospects of the club moving from
its present home?'
well tho situation is just this. You viii notice
in the report of the Site Committee. which was
published in full in Wednesdays Tribune. that the
Site must be in Fifh-ave, and that three sites mad
been considered by the committee. namely, the
southeast corner OF Thirty seventh-st.. the south
cas-, corner OF Forty-fourth-st. and the northeast
corner of Fifty fourth-st The last-named was elm
mated from the problem Wednesday night. This
leaves only the first two. and you will notice tha'
a very important parenthesis was thrown IN by 'he
Site Committee In reference to these two sites.
The report reads: The legal conditions surround
ing the first two rendered II useless until very
lately) to make an effort to acquire either one.
You will observe that the parenthess until very
lately places these sites in the possible ist II not
the probable list, The committee on a new site
went over the ground thoroughly and 1t is gem
crafty conceded that the possible sites for the new
home of the Union Club are limited to these two
corners. The significant parenthesis OF Inc ste
Committee that until very lately the legal condi-
tions surrounding the first two made Il useless 10
49,
prospect that one OF these sites VIII be select
ed-f the club moves at all
Another member of the club said: The fact OF
the matter Is the majority OF the members OF the
club do not want to move. Just look at the situa-
alton. Here we have been having mad scram-
bling of churches and clubs uptown for the last
ten years each anxious to get into the spot which
1t hoped would be the promised land OF wealth ana
fashion. Well. now this thing strikes me as hav-
ing been pretty much oyerdone. People are NOV
Ayg uptown. to be sure but not so rapidly as some
folks would have US believe. The churches ana
clubs have gone ahead little too fast There Is
an immense amount of wealth and fashion repre-
seated in the just or Fif;h-ave. below
Twenty-third-st.. and around Gramercy Park and
Washington Square still. and yet nearly all the
representative clubs have moved far above Madi-
son Square. What advantage would the Union
Club gain by moving TO Fifty-fourth-st ana rlith.
ave? Some of members seem 10 thlnk tndt
our membership would Immediately increase; but
] don't. Just what attractive Guns we wou!i
be in competition with $50 TO speak, If we moved
to Ffty-fourthst and Fifih-ave. There are the
Metropolitan Club and the Union League LOT m,
stance 1t Is my personal belief that II we mover
UP there would have falling on OF desrap4e
membership instead Of an increase KNOW as a
fact that many men continue their membership
In this club simply because it is far down me ave,
nue.. They use Ii sort OF halfway house
uptown where they drop In and have chdt
with friends they could not expect 10 meet III ,ie
uptown clubs Mark my words. the Union CiuD
will not uptown for many years TO come