The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-18
STOPS SPREAD or ST. REGIS.
VIM. ROCKEFELLER BUYS HOUSE
or JOHN n. PLATT.
No Way Visible Now for Col. Astor's Hotel
to Break Out Into SAth st.-Man VINO Is
Suing Hannah Elias Believed to Have
Got Over eIO8,OOO for Property.

The four story brownstone dwelling at
East Fifty-fourth street belonging to
John r. Plat Of Hannah Elias fame was
bought yesterday by William Rockefeller.
The house has been occupied by Mr.. Platt
and his daughter, Mrs. William j. Cassard,
and is not included among the numerous
gifts Of realty which he is trying to recover
from the Elias woman. The Farmers
Loan and Trust Company acted as trustees
for Mr.. Plat ip the sale, and Mrs. Cassard
joined in the transaction as part owner.
The deal was put through by William
A. White d Sons. The price is not known.
but the property is valued on the tax books
at Sl03,Oo0. Mr.. Rockefeller is believed
to have paid great deal more than that,
as the site is Of strategic importance In his
fight to prevent John Jacob Aston from
making further additions to the St. Regis
Hotel at the southeast corner Of Fifth
avenue and Ffty-ffth street.
Mr.. Rockefeller's residence Is at the
northeast corner Of Fifth avenue and Fifty
fourth street. He also owns the adjoin-
ing house on the avenue, as we'll as those at
and East Fifty-fourth street. The
purchase Of the Plat house, coupled with
the attitude Of adjacent property owners,
ssems to efectually shut out any chance Of
Mr. Astor's securing FRty-fourth street
entrance to the st. Regis. Mr.. Rockefeller's
holdings in that street now extend along
the entire rear Of the Fifty-ffth street
end OF the hotel, including the greater
part OF the annex under construction at
8. 8 and 10 East Fifty-fifth street.
Work on this annex was suspended about
a month ago by order Of the Building Com
missioner, on the ground that the structure.
although 1t conformed to the plans Of the
architects as passed by the Building De-
partment occupied larger percentage Of
the site than the law permits An interpre-
tation OF the point in dispute is now being
sought in the courts.
The site, too. has been involved in litiga-
ton. The easterly twenty-three feet. at 10
East Fifty-fifth street. was bought by firm
OF builders from Joseph Pulitzer in 1902.
This piece formed part Of the site Of the
old Pulitzer residence, at 10 and ~ East
Fifty-f1fth street The firm received
bonus OF $17,50O from Mr.. Rockefeller and
other adjacent owners upon condition
that the plot should be restricted to private
residences. The firm then sold No. 10 to
Mr.. Astor. who promptly incorporated it
in the site Of his projected annex The
property owners who had paid for the
restriction Of No. 10 brought suit for an
injunction to restrain Mr.. Aston from build
ing anything but private house on 1t.
The injunction wss denied BY the court.
The next GsnGNwhioh Mr.. Astor had On
his hands was to secure q bar license. the
granting Of which was opposed by his
neighbors on the ground that the hotel
entrance was within 200 feet Of the Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian Church. This OBJ
lection was removed by purchasing the
Everard residence at 697 Fifth avenue,
and putting the wine cellars and bar there.