New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19

RIDING CLUB. FIFTH-ElG
II Broad-st.. who has been the president for
many years. and who one of the FOUNDERS
speaking Of the beginning of the club and It's
history the other day. said: THE undertaking
was an experiment. but it was soon demon
strated that New-York wanted just such CLUB
The membership increased rapidly, and by 100"
had reached 100 with many on the waiting list
But the limit Of the accommodations Of the club
house had been reached. In fact. were over
crowded. The underlying purpose Of the CLUB
sas to supply a place where those desiring to
ride and TO have equestrianism taught to the
members of their families also could have all
the comforts which any other social club could
eupply and al the same time have the use OF
stables and the ring Outside Of the riding feat
ure the bylaws Of the club were largely taken
from those Of the Union Club
FINE SITE BOUGHT
When the old place war outgrown. in 1883, No
East Fifty-eighth-st.. which had been used for
riding school. was for sale and this wac bought
BY the club. Four lots adjoining. and belonging
TO the Aston estate. lying east Of No. Z. were
leased and the buildings were enlarged. The
lots extend through to Fifty-ninth-st, and give
the club a frontage in both Fifty-eghth and
Frfty-nnth SITS. Of 12j feet.
The club has been successful from the start
1t now numbers $50 members, the limit being
800 Even the bicycle craze, which has affected
the ordinary riding-scho. has had no influence
upon the prosperity Of the club The combna-
ton of the club feature with the riding facilities
accounts largely for this.
Now that the club has decided not to move
and has taken a lease for twenty years with
right Of two renewals for the same term, the
bohi hat do Of will
be spent in rearraneing the property 50 TO
afford accommodate for bicy cles also, since
many members of the club not Only ride horses,
but also wheels"
The clubhouse is a three-story and basement
brick structure. with what may be called an
attic en- the Fifty-eighth-st. side. where the
kitchen is situated. Tho whole interior has been
admiralty arranged for convenience and COM
fort On the first floor the offices and a
parlor and reception room. The second floor Is
used for the cafe. billiard-room and a women g
dressing-roo On tie third floor are the gen.
eral dining room, private dining rooms. pantry
and a servants room. On the floor above, be-
sides the kitchen. servants dining-room
and the laundry-room There well-appoint-
ed bathrooms in the basement. with lockers and
accessories.
SPACIOUS RIDING RING.
The distinctive feature OF the clubhouse is. Of
course. the ring This is overlooked from all the
floors. There balconies on the second and
third floors. From the lower Of these an orches-
ira supplies music during drills and entertain
ments The ring is 100 by III feet. thus taking
up half the block in depth and all Of the east
and west space. except the fourteen feet wide
runway leading TO the stables on the Fifty
ninth-st side Of the building
distinct feature of this form Of club life is
the riding drill. which takes place each week
day from 10 6 p m. and in which members
and their families join. The riding master is
Emil Antony while Mrs. Grace c. Squire is the
riding mistress. she is called. All the evou-
tions In riding taught at these drills The
number Of riders varies from twenty to sixty.
The latter number gives a crowded ring and yet
makes a picturesque sight
Another feature Of this club life is found In
the afternoon teas which held from : D. m.
TO $50 p. m. Members and their guests may
quar- tea while watching the evolutions Of the
equestrians, and listening the orchestra led
by Martin J. Schligg
Special entertainments are given in the even
Ing from time to time. These consist Of riding
tandem drivirg, jumping bars and hurdles, ani
IN short, all the exercises Of the art Of riding
The management Of the club takes a deep in
terest in the stables. which occupy the three
floors in Fiftyeighth-st. with a depth Of some
here for some three hundred horses. The num-
Der kept at the height of the season Is between
% and 30. The stalls are models both as to
cleanliness and ventilation The system Of VEN
tilation is in fact. complete has ever been
devised There is an Ella borate system Of pipes
running up as high as two feet in diameter,
through which the impure and infected air is
drawn into air shafts and carried high up above
the roof. This Is accomplished by means OF huge
fans on the roof, run by steam engine on the
third floor
The general sanitary conditions are such tina:
only rare of the hospital on the top floor
Is required. There only Of pneu-
mona last year, and the animal had the attack
when taken to the stables according to the
superintendent.
WELL~CARED-FOR HORSES.
The sadde-room, with accommodations FOE
900 saddles. is on the third floor and is com
pete in all respects. Here also the clippin z
and the feed rooms The bOx-stas for sick
horses are arranged with a model ventilation and
water-supply system. The season of the greatest
amount Of sickness among the horses Is the
spring, when influenza is likely to lay few Of
them up for repairs Yet so carefully have
veterinary arrangements been made that only
one death has been recorded among the horses
OF the club and that was due to accident
There is elaborate outfit of fire extinguish-
ers, hand grenades waterpails and hose attach.