The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-22


though her lease ran only three years,
went to great expense in having three
rooms remodeled into a perfectly appoint
ed theeter. A millionaire who occupies
twenty rooms on the eleventh floor is now
having alterations made principally to his
dining room, invoking an outlay of $lO,-
600. He has lived there seven years, and
has just signed a lease of ten years.
The Central Park Apartment building
at F'ifty-ninth street and Seventh avenue,
are the largest in the world, their esti-
mated cost being over 100000. There
are eight distinct buildings, connected
with arcades, all under one roof, and to
ali appearances forming but one gigantic
house. There are 1874 apartments, renting
from $4,000 to 5000 year. More million
aires live there than were ever before or
elsewhere gathered under one home roof.
The Bolkenhayn Is without doubt the
most luxurious apartment house in the
country. 1t occupies four city lots, is
six stories high and hos only two apart
ments on a floor When IL is considered
that the building cost over $500. 900 and
that 1t takes many thousands annually to
maintain it, 1t is easy to see that its
twelve tenants must have princely Ia
comes in order to pay the rents demand
ed; and yet the waiting list is always
the owners old home in the little town OF
Bolkenhayn, Silesia. and, instead of be-
ing numbered, each apartment is named
after one of the illustrous HohenZollerns
from the electoral prince down to the
present emperor, or after such prominent
men as Bismarck, Won Moltke and others
who have been closely identified with the
dynasty. Each of the apartments is equa
in size to an ordinary four-story city
home.
A novel feature of the New Century
apartment house, which is now being bull
at Seventy-ninth street and West Enc
avenue, shows how builders keep abreas
of the times, and how considerable they
are of the needs of their wealthy ten.
ants. This feature is large room for the
storage of automobiles. There will BE-
space for twelve and arrangements are
made for charging them with electricity
on the premises.
A feature of a $1,0O0,oOo house nearing
completion at Ninety-second street and
Central Park west will be a bali room
seventy-five feet long on the first floor
for the exclusive use of the tenants
Another house a little further uptown,
has a theater seating about 200 for the
amusement of the modern luxury loving
apartment dweller.
Next to New York. Chicago has made
the most progress in apartment house
building. Their private dwellings are
also being rapidly deserted for the new
and often more expensive, style of domi-
cile. Throughout the best residence por-
tons of the city great apartment houses
have been and are being built, particu-
larly around Lincoln Park and along the
lake front on the north side. Though
generally not so high as in New York
rents indicate that the millionaire class
are occupying apartments there.
In Minneapolis and St. Paul, in Buff
falo, Boston, Washington and other large
cities the movement toward luxurious
apartments is well under way. In Wash
ington the Cochran and the Cairo, filled
with wealthy tenants, are among the
sights of the city.
Philadelphia, too, with its Gladstone
Flanders and other very high class apart
ment houses, has made rapid strides in
this respect. The Flanders is one of the
highest priced apartment houses in the
country. Among those who occupy suites
there are the most prominent leaders in
Quaker City society. The combined for
tunes of twelve of its tenants are said
90 represent over $154.O00, 900.
One of the most beautifully furnished
apartments is that of Mr.. William L.
Elkins. To look at IL one would moi
think that ne regards IL only as
camping out place during the severe win
ter months, when his country home is
not so desirable" but that is the way he
speaks of 1t. His suite consists of eight
rooms for which he pays a yearly rental
of 5000. There is quiet air Of luxury
about the rooms, the most charming OF
which is the drawing room, or 'rec
room" as ii is called. Mr.. Elkins has
spent over 5000 in beautifying this one
room.
Although he has a house in the suburbs
in which there are 1913 sleeping rooms and
numerous drawing rooms, libraries, art
gallery, etc, Mr.. p. A. b. Widener has
an apartment similar 90 that of Mr.. Ell
kins in the Flanders. In It the drawing
room has received the accent. II is fitted
in colonial style. the effect is striking
and was obtained at a cost Of 5000. The
widener and Elkins apartments occupy
an entire floor and are maintained at 9
cost of fully $4,000 a year. though they
are occupied only a few months. These
two gentlemen use the ball room of the
house so much for great banquets that
II has come to be regarded as a part oil
their apartments. It's design is Louis XVI
and It is considered one of the most ar.
tistic rooms In America.
William Wesley Young.