The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-06


this circle, and the departure Of social
bellwethers from a district is likely TO
be the signal for many Others TO follow.
The preponderance of the region to the
east Of Fifth avenue as the seat Of fash
ionable residence, now for the first time
Indicated in this publication, may be
regarded as surprising in view of the
remarkable growth Of the upper west
side Of the town az district of residence
occupied by people Of handsome fort
unes or who are at least well-to-do.
This new and very beautiful residential
region has teen developed within recent
years, and It offers many advantages
over any other part of the town. 1t also
gets distinction from Columbia Uni
versity and he BODYBUILDING Cathedral
of st. John the Divine. and also by
reason Of tie notable architecture Of
many Of the private residences erected
| there or now going up al rapid rate.
1t must be remembered, however.
that residents of very large district
to the west of Fifth avenue have been
| driven thence BY the encroachments Of
business and that the tendency Of these
TO increase Is now obvious. Generally,
TO the east of that avenue as far as Fourth
avenue such encroachment is far less,
| and even to Lexington avenue residences
of the sort Of people included in this d.
rectory are extended, of those, more
especially, whose means necessitate econ
omy in their living. Meantime. as is
well known, the district which has be-
come the centre of the most costly and
most palatal of the residences OF this
town lies to the east of Central Park,
narrow strip not vet extending TO the
northward beyond about Ninetleth street.
Naturally, il is in this district. the Mil
| lionaires' Row. socalled, that very
considerable part OF the families noted
in such "A directory would be found.
This region is of an extent too limited
to contain the residences Of all the " mil
lionaircs Of New York. those already
here and a great number steadily tend
ing hther from all parts of the Union
This Social Register has shown for
years past, and in the present number
more particularly, it shows that very
large minority. if not an actual ma ority
OF the people included in it are of ante
Cedents not of New York. Very many
of them are only recent or compare
lively recent residents of the town.
Names of families associated with the
history of New York, of the Dutch and
English stock, may be numerous actu-
ally. but relatively they are few. The
Western and Southern contingent il
very great; and. as we have minated.
probably the ma jorlty are names which
were unknown to the New York of two
generations or even one generation ago,
in any such category of social discrimi-
nation as the directory would make OF
course, this is because of the great in
crease in the volume and in the dstri-
button of wealth in New York itself and
in this country generally. A new and
vastly enlarged society," or, rather,
various circles asserting social supe-
rority has been built up
With this development there has come
demand for stately and luxurious
residences which overtaXes the com
parativcly limited area for which fashion
has preference. Accordingly, during
the last few years there has been an
unprecedented development of the apart
ment house on an imposing scale 10 sat-
! isfv this eager demand Great and
luxurious hotels, too, have been put w
, or are now in process Of erection at
, n rate unparalleled. 1t seems evident
that the Murray Hill district, as it is
, loosely defined and perhaps t. the east
ward of Fifth avenue more especially
because there the present or threatened
. intrusion of business is less must con.
time to accommodate great number
of those people. This will be. first, by
Z the erection there Of still more great no.
tells and apartment houses, and, second
, by rcmodellinS the prevailing brown,
: stone structures. which generation
, ago were sufficient for the accommoda
|, ton and to satisfy the social needs anC
, the tastes of the very rich. or tearing
them down to give place to the grandel
, household establishments now required
by wealth and for the present larger anc
d moro elaborate scale of social enter
e tanment.
I This district at Fifth avenue and west
$ ward to Broadway is obviously losnl
its desirability for private residences
" Fifth avenue from its beginning far W
toward Central Park is becoming NOR,
, and more a street for hotels and for 70
n tail trade. Ii plans which are under
1 stood to have been formed for tho cree
E ton of vast hotel on the block be
o. tween Twcnty-sixth and Twenty seventh
4 streets, the old site of the Brunswick
q Hotel. and for building great depart
r ment store between Thirtieth and Thirty
q first streets, shall be carried out AZ pro
: posed, the transformation in Fifth ave
' nue. will be even more rapid and decided
q and tho destiny Of at least the western
Q half of the Murray Hill district to be
region of trade will be made even NOR
obvious. 1t is probable, however, tina
for considerable period the eastern
. half is likely to remain residential, iron
|, the force Of necessity. Where else shal
a be accommodated the increasing wealtl
and fashion for which the restricte,