New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-25


the experts of title guarantee companies
or this vast amount OF property. MANY mill
tons are now being contested for in the courts
and the cloud is dark enough to make the pres
ent holders OF the property decidedly nervous
IS 70 their chances Of retaining their landed
possessions. In more instances the cloud is lust
e tiny speck In the faraway horizon. so lightly
regarded that the rate for guaranteeing titles
IS nor increased. but TO those who hope to
possess these properties some day these clouds
are Of vast Importance.
For dreams Of sudden wealth are as universal
IS dreams themselves. but the method or means
h which this wealth is to be conferred differs
With the dreaulers. The Arizona miner dreams
o. discovering q mine which win be virgin gold
rom the grass roots down: the Kansas farne-
dreams OF corn at $40 n bushel: the Southern
--s-.er q al endless crop Of cotton: the New
Enclander Of unCovering pots of gold in corners
a. ~ocI-tbbed farms. and the descendant Of an
original Nev-Yorker dreams Of contesting title
- e few acres Of Manhattan or Bronx or Brook
rv- real estate
of al the dreams Of wealth, this one Of con-
testing tide IS most aIluring. II II can be SUP
----eE ry the slightest tangible proof It be
--ae- t-to court. and the possibility OF the
dream becoming a reality is held before the
ewes Of The contestant for years. Once in q
--rie The courts hold the claim to be valid. and
he dream OF WeaiLL comes true 4HS AIA8OIl2
miner is IS likely TO find his gold mine however,
o- The New zlarder TO stumble over his pot
Of geld
Tie number Of tiJle contesting wealth dream
ers is larger than one would think. In a single
r-,,--nat Of the heirs OF the town Of New
Harlem for the tideways about the upper por-
NON Of AIanhattan-rest the hopes Of some
u |s4 persons. There are dozens Of actions
--rz.nE which involve old roadways, strips and
blocks and parcels Of old estates. a portion Of
-se city park system. and the sites Of several
prominent churches. These actions are based on
al sorts Of flaws in title, and some Of them on
-.o flaws al all Much property has been in
vo-red 10y the appearance OF 2 widow after the
death Of q large property owner. AS she had not
signed the deed Of transfer, she or her heirs at
sack lis validity. Several Of the old estates are
involved because Of carelessness in getting the
signatures OF all The heirs to deeds drawn q
century or more ago.
Then there are claims made BY people who are
evidently insane Not long since a young man
began q lis pendens suit against St. Patrick's
Cathedral. on upper Ftfth-ave. His father de-
cla-ed mat the son was insane and that the suit
vas g~oundless. It was never brought 10 trial.
\ Binghamton man about three years ago
brought suit for the site OF Grace Church and
--e surrounding property, but the case was
dropped.
The case which has been most recently before
.he courts IS that OF the heirs OF Ma thias Hop
Fer. who many years ago owned and operated a
farm just south of the present Central Park
They want 70 recover interests in about S.
0G0OCU worth OF land on Broadway, and the
latest decision OF the Appellate Division con-
fr1ned the report OF the referee which was in
their favor. The strip Of property in question is
on The east side Of Broadway. Il begins at
Forty z3nrh-st and becomes wider as il runs
ID town until al Fifty-second-st. IL includes
the front Of lots for seventy feet back It ex-
tends as far as Fifty-ffth-st This property
was formerly a portion OF the Boomingdele
Road.
The contestants for this property are the heirs
Of Matthias Hopper, who IN 1714, bought
farm including the area now bounded by Forty
ninth and Fifry-ffth SITS, Slxth-ave. and the
Hudson River. In 1903 the road commissioners
C. The settlement laid out the Bloomingdale
Read 70 Harlem Of q width Of four rods
By an act Of 1S47 # was widened 10 seventy
feet and commissioners Of appraisal estimated
The value OF the additional property needed.
From The tine OF this widening the road Jas
been known as Broadway. In 1863 commission
ers empowered 70 straighten Broadway from
T-.--v-tourth TO Fifty-ninrh st. laid out prac-
ricaIy a new road. This left a considerable
portion Of the old road on the east side Of the
new street.
The act under which this done provided
thar The owners Of adjoining property might &C
orl-e absolute ttle 70 such parts Of the old road
as la- fl front Of their property by paying the
CRY for The benefit Of the reversiOnary owners
whatever award the commissioners might make.
Amos r Emo paid the City Chamberlain 81
which ne declared was the award Of the COM
uissoners and took possession OF the dlscoh-
t.rued portions Of the old road
TIE referee in this case was two years taking
testimony and finally rendered q decision that
rhe heirs Of the old farmer were entitled TO an
undivided half interest in the property. The
Ar-er7a-A Division q few days ago sustained the
referee. and The case will now be taken 10 the
Court Of Appeals by the defendant
Perhaps he best known contest for valuable
New-Yo-k real estate is the Anneke Jams case.
which has been in and out Of the courts for
years and never seems 70 get anywhere The
estate COMPRISED sixry-uwo acres, beginning q
little south Of the present Warren-sr. and eX-
tending along Broadway as FAR as Duane-st~
thence uorthwesterly a mile and half 10 Des-
brozses-st forming a sort Of triangle with its
base OF the North River. All Of the title diff
Guilty has been due to the fact that in trans
ferrtug the property more than two centuries
ago one Of the heirs failed TO Join in the con-
Eeyance.
During the term Of Governor Cornbury, 4 &c
vout Episcopalian. who believed that the only
Esy q guard against Popery in the colony was
10 build u the church Of his belief. the Queen
of England was persuaded to assist Trinity
Church II 1908 among other property she
turned over the Anneke Jams estate. described
n the foregoing and gave the church formal
deed ratert The estate had been granted by