New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-11-19
HOST AFTER $4,000 FEE
FOR SELLING THE GARDEN
MAJOR Mcclellan Wants building
SaUed If Possible.

torture awaits the person who can una
buyer for Madison Square Garden 1t matters ho'
whether the buyer is the city, syndicate OF pun
lie spirited men. realty corporation or an ihdi-
yidual a commission Of go 500 will DE earned pro-
vded 50 25GOOo the asking price of the property Is
obtained by the Madison Square Garden Co'h-
pany, the owner OF the famous landmark
The Manhattan brokerage fee for the SAFE OF
property per cent. unless different agreement
to fees is made between the owner ana the
sales agent This s32 prize is the magnet which
has drawn scores of big realty brokers toward the
matter OF getting buyer for the Garden ana mas
resulted in a myriad OF plans for successfully Ell
fecting a change in the ownership of the property
The number of well known brokers and otner
persons who are seeking sell the property is
growing larger each day. and this activity is re-
nected in marked increase In the inquiries ABOUT
the property. With large numbers OF persons
working with this aim, IT is not likely that the
Garden long remain ursod-
Many officials OF the city deeply Interested
the proposition of preserving the Garden lor the
holding of big political and other public gatheFnsS
and also as permanent home for the entertain
ments which have been held there since II was
opened. II was learned yesterday that about Two
years ago the property offered to the city as
site for the proposed courthouse, and also 10 me
government as a site. for the proposed postoff1ce
It was also said that it had been offered NUMBER
of times to the New York & New Haven railroad
as site for tunnel terminal station
Mayor Mcclellan placed hmsel on record yester-
day as being greatly interested IN me 1uture VI
the Garden He said that he would he glad to con-
slider carefully any concrete proposition for he
preservation Of the building Il don't know
whether the city has power said the Mayor 10
purchase the place without special legislation al
though ! suppose it might be acquired for educa-
tional purposes. usirg the term in its broader
sense In Paris the Coincide FRANCHISE Is suosl-
died and the Opera House also. for the purposes
Of education or course, the administration is not
favorable al this time the expenditure of any
money but some sort OF arrangement might De
made.
The Mayor added that the city needed hall OF
the size Of the Garden. He also declared that the
suggestion had been made that the city remit the
taxes on the property in return for option to
purchase the property within ten years ct the as
sessed valuation. but the suggestion he said, did
come from the owners.
At the Office of George r. Read Co, the, agents
for the owners Of the property. 1t was said yester-
day that buyer would probably be found for the
property the near future.
William F. King. former president of the Mer-
chants. Association. said yesterday that building
Of its could exist in this city unless supported
By the real estate. hotel theatre and commercial
interests There are sometimes hundred thousand
strangers the city every day. staying ut the ex-
pensive hotels With full purses" he said. 1T is
from the patronage of these people that the hotels,
theatres restaurants and retail stores obtain a
good part their income. To be attracted here
these people must be amused It is for this reason
we can't afford to lose the Garden particularly at
this time, when the recent panic has diverted so
much of trade to other centres