The sun., 1897-06-09

property in Eighty-second stree; west OF and ad-
joining the strip owned by Mrs. Richardson. in
tending 10 erect there OF apartment
houses. SO "a TO assure his tenants plenty OF
light. Sarner went around TO see Richardson
and offered him ~ 900 for the land his wife
owned. Acting FOR his wife, Richardson de-
clined to sell for less than 5000. Sarner re.
fused TO giSe that much, and went on with his
building. He finally offered to give the
5000 asked for the corner and WAS consider.
ably taken back when Richardson informed
him that he never gave man more than one
opportunity to buy anyt hing from him. and that
the strip was no longer for sale. Sarners flats
went UP. but the tenants OF the east rooms
never had much use for their side windows as
Richardson almost Immediately began work on
his spite" house. As II stands to-day the
house is without doubt the Gueercst building in
New York. So clcverly was II constructed that
II was easily habitable when finished. and 1t has
been occupied by Mr.. and Mrs. Richardson ever
since. description OF the building. which was
printed in THE Sun shortly after it built.
and the accompanying picture, give an excel
lent idea OF what It is like
There are really two houses. each built upon
length OF the catre lot runs along Lexington
avenue ou the west side. from Eighty-second
street north. and extends the length OF half the
block. The houses are Of pressed brick, with
ratiyc tiles run up the front The longitudinal
walls are inches thick. and the cross walls
which sustain the girJers are l. inches thick.
fully one-half OF their length is increased TO
width OF 10 feet by bays, which projc.! from the
are three in number the central bay being di-
rided and aifording an entrance 10 either house.
The front doors Of the houses are, thereforv.
close together. They are very marrow doors.
and lead 10 interior hall : Zee: 6 inches long
byS feet inches deep. one-halt OF this hall Is
runs TO the top floor. From the hall a passage
way, Il feet long and feet . inches wide leads
about Is feet long by feet inches wide. is
formed by the expansion OF the second bay.
Beyond the room another apartment. 3 feet
inches wide and feet long is used on the iirst
floor as a bathroom, and on each ot tho three
upper floors rs closet. Thus there are in each
hye passaGcways. and hye halls. Tho passages
and stairways occupy rather more than half the
Windows each house has in plenty. There are
thirty IT. each on the Lexington avenue side,
second street. From Lexington avenue the
building has rather an imposing front: 1t is
when YOU get around the corner that you dis
cover how deceiving appearances may BE-.
Within, the houses are handsomely finished.
and the furniture that has been put into them
is cunningly devised TO occupy the least space
possible. The dining room Is on the first floor,
aud in IL there Is table, sofa, a sdebOard. and
side Is an ornate inantcipiccc. The rooms on
the upper roors are bedrooms, and each con
tains folding bed. besides other furniture. II
Is this adaptation OF the furnishing 10 the CON
titions that changes the appearance of things.
You DO not notice anything very odd once you
get into the rooms. There is perhaps sense OF
being cramped, but that is principally because
You know what box-kc structure You are in.
reporter year after the house was built de-
clared II was as comfortable as any she had ever
lived In. and that there was more room In it
than she and her husband needed The only
drawback. she said. WAS the absence OF pack
yards but then. she declared, one couldn't have
everything OH hvefoot lot
MI. Richardson was born in England. hut came
10 this country when a very young man.. lie
foundation OF HI. fortune when he built the
wat"rworks al bridgeport. Conn. He owned a
controlling interest in Inc works at the time of
ms death, and his son Edward Is now the super
ntendent Of hem.
Mr. Richardson made large investments IN
railroads and built several small ones. On be-
coming associated with jay Gould twenty five
years aeo he constructed part OF the Union Pa
cthc Railroad and built large sections OF the
Iron Mountain and Mexican Central roads He
held large Interests in all o. these roads at tho
time Of his death; He also had large holdings in
York. New Haven and Hartford Railroad. and
owned line OF steamboats, running from this
4 venture which Mr. Richardson wen, into
sono ycars ago and in which he made a
on trains and sicsmbosss just s beioro 70 his his III IL
ness ho began negotiations with the Govern
% ment 70 undertake the lighting of the harbor and
that nc could store enough material on the
bqoys to keep them lighted for months, ~
| ardson sold a short railroad running out OF
| santa Cruz Mexico, for $500. 900. Bits OF work
! OF which he was particularly proud were the re-
| building OF the car stables OF the Madison ave
MUG line in tiyc days. after they had been burned.
and The building OF the annex TO the Grand Cen
1t ia said that Mr. Richardson held stock In
nearly all OF the railroads OF this country, and
that he possessed passes ON every road In this
country and Canada and on all steamship lines
leaving this port.
Mr.. Richardson's fortune was estimated sew.
eTal years ago at $4,000 600. II was impos-
| sible 10 tind out yesterday what disposition he
made OF It in his will. but 1t said that, out
side or some charitable bequess, he left il all 10
his wife and children. lie will be buried from
the Central Park Baptist Church on Friday
morning.