New-York tribune., 1901-02-05
MANHATTAN HASN'T LAND YET.
TO ST. JOHNS COLLEGE NOT YET
POSSIBLE

The Manhattan Railway Company has not
yet purchased or obtained a lease TO any part
OF the grounds Of ST. Johns College Fordham
for the purpose OF extending it's suburban
branch 1t reported last week that the
company would extend this branch through
the college property. and that it had obtained
the right to do so for the sum Of $1,000. Over
lures were made many years ago by the COM
pany looking to the purchase of part OF the
property the securing of the right TO the
use OF a strip of the college grounds, that it's
suburban line could run between the New-York
Central station at FOrdham and the main build
ing of the college. Since then the company has
been slowly building it's suburban branch. until
now the bases for iron pillars for part of its
proposed extension stand directly opposite the
main entrance to the college. While it has con-
tinued the work of extending the branch. it is
no nearer TO the requirement by purchase or
lease of the right to push its road through the
college property than when it began.
This properly Is considered by many real
estate dealers to be one Of the largest parcels
Of realty and one OF the most valuable in the
Fordham section. 1t was owned in Revolu-
tionary times by a lord, who called the place
Rosehill Manor In the forties it was purchased
by Bishop Hughes. and a seminary for educat-
Ing young men for the priesthood was erected
there. Later the property came under the con-
troll OF the Jesuit fathers. and since then they
have owned 1t and conducted there prepara-
tory school for boys, known as st. Johns Hall.
and an institution of learning for young men
called St. Johns College
The Manhattan Railway Company has sought
TO purchase from the college authorities strip
of land about n half mile long by about fifty
feet wide. From what can be learned it offered
what was considered TO be a ridiculously low
figure by the college authorities. Whether or
not the company will ever succeed in obtain
ing the right to the Of n part Of the prop
erty for the extension without taking the mat
ter to the courts is n subject which has aroused
the interest OF nearly every person living in the
section OF the city where the college is situated.
The college authorities of the opinion that
the running Of elevated trains through the
premises would greatly depreciate the value
Of the entire property, and they hope that they
will be justly compensated for this shrinkaSe
in the value OF the property If the railway gets
the right TO go through the grounds
Father OConnOr. treasurer Of st. Johns Col
leGe. said TO a Tribune reporter yesterday: The
Manhattan railway has neither leased nor pur-
chased a strip of the college property in order
TO extend its branch" a Tribune reporter called
yesterday afternoon at the Office of Alfred SBitt,
vice-president and general manager of the rail-
road Mr. Skitt said to be out. His secre-
tary said that he did not know if the reports
printed last week about the extending OF the
suburban branch beyond st. Johns College were
true. The authorities of St Johns College"
he added. could probably tell you II the re-
ports were accurate"