New-York tribune., 1907-11-15

annual dividends. United States Realty stock
which Is listed on the Stock Exchange. has sold
as high as 50.
Mr. Barney up to eight months ago was d.
rector OF the Hudson Mortgage Company. incor-
porated February % 1896. to deal in first class mort
cages. He resigned eight months ago, because
he could not find time to attend to meetings. and
his son. A H. Barney, was chosen to succeed him.
This company has already paid two dividends OF
per cent and has large undivided profits.
Mr.. Barney's first serious setback was the Bruins
wick Construction Company fasco. This company
was organized several years ago TO build hotel to
run from 18th to 9th street. just east Of Fifth ave-
nue.. The site was acquired at cost OF s., 10000
but instead of twenty story hotel TO cost S41Oooo
the whole scheme dropped through Then the
Brunswick Sites Company was organized two years
ago to build a ten story Office building where the
first OF string of Brunswick hotels through the
country was TO have stood.
The charge has been made that when the pros
pectus Of the Brunswick Hotel Company, which
stated that the stock was divided into s5O00o pre-
ferred and S15O0,Oo0 common stock was sent out
the total amount OF the preferred stock, together
with bonus for the common stock had been sub
scribed for by a man who had been declared
bankrupt the year before.
With this exception Mr. BaTuey's realty invest
ments and speculations have been uniformly sue
cessful that he was known the real estate
prophet and wherever he was known to be buying
others followed with rush. In his twenty years
as realty operator only one other failure was
scored against him.
Between 1901 and 1904 Mr. Barney headed syn
d!cate which bought hundreds OF parcels In the
Washington Heights and the Dyckman sections. At
ono time It estimated that the total market
yaluo Of the property In those sections controlled
by the syndicate was about $l5.0d00o0 In fact Mr..
barney practically the first OF the big realty
leaders TO foresee the wonderful development Of
the Washington Heights and Dyckman sections as
soon as they should be brought nearer TO the City
Hall By better means OF rapid transit IL is said
that the Barney syndicate obtained about S5OC0000
for builders with which to perfect building projects
between 1872 and 1895. NIr. Barney owned property
valued several millions One OF the largest par
GELS is the westerly block front in Broadway from
S6th 20 S7th street.
The last big block ot his personal holdings In the
Washington Heights district which Mr. Barney
sold the fall of 1884, when he disposed OF the
old Donnelly property. about I3d and 1S6th streets
and broadway and Ilth avenue for sl.2l9,Oco
The Barney home. with its art treasures.
one OF the handsomest in the city. Stanford White
one of the closest friends and associates of Mr..
Rarney imported some fine old Italian furnishings.
including tapestries and furniture. for the house
when the Barneys moved into II. four years ago.
More than $4,000 spent the other furnish
ings. The ballroom. opened last fall taken
bodily from old Roman palace and brought
here. When the house was opened Mr.. and Mrs.
Barney gave costume ball which occasioned much
comment and was only the first of many elaborate
and costly entertainments
one Of the largest entertainments in the house
that which marked the marriage OF MT. Bar
ncy's eldest daughter Helen T, to Archibald s
Alexander two years ago. Ills other daughter.
katherine L., married on April 10 OF this year
to Courtlandt d. Barnes. There are also two sons.
James w. and Ashbel II. Barney.
Mr.. Barney at time a great lover Of
dogs. and frequent visitor to the Kennel
Club, of which organization he had been men,
ber for many years.
In 1899. while out with u number OF his friends
a hunting expedition. there u premature
explosion OF his gun Some OF the powder got into
his eyes. and IL feared that he would loose
his eyesghL For nearly six months Mr.. Barney
was kept In q dark room.
Mr.. Barneys clubs included the Metropolitan.
Grolier. Players Union. University. City, Colonial
Meadow Brook Hunt, Whist. Downtown, Riding.
New York Athletic. New York Yacht, and the Cen
tury Association and Westminster Kennel. He
was active in the alumni affairs OF Williams Col
lego and member OF Kappa Alpha there. He
recently went to Wiliamstown to purchase
chapter house for his fraternity.