The Washington herald., 1908-03-08
AIR CONTROLLED BY TRUST
Light Also Is Sold in New York for
High Prices.
SlyscraPers DevetOp New Industry.
Breathing supply Scarce and
MOnOpOlies Do Big Business.

New York. ia. Air is being
bought. sold and rented as a regular
business in New York. and a few men
are making small fortunes at this
queerest OF metropolitan activities.
Sunlight, OF course, long has Deen a
commodity OF price In the crowded dis
tricts, as those who have sought apart
ments facing south know 10 the sor-
row of their pocketbooks. The air
business-and, by the way, It has its
trusts-is however, OF more recent
development. as II IS a direct out
growth of the towering skyscraper,
which requires more than its share OF
oxygen And because OF this fact far
seeing New York spectators have not
merely entered the air business. but
in many cases have obtained such a
monopoly of the breathing supply that
many Of owners Of buildings cannot
obtain their air in the open market, but
are forced TO pay fancy prices 10 air
;Cbbers
The air bought and sold Is not piped
in from great tanks. Ike gas. nor Is II
furnished in condensed form. like
oxygen in little e-extinguisher-I like
cylinders. II is simply the open air be-
tween roof and high heaven, which
New York operators. having already
possessed themselves OF the earth. have
learned 10 control and put a heavy
price mark on.
This oldest of traficking. which has
been going on quietly for several years.
was brought 10 light recently by a
significant question asked by a student
IN the course on the law OF architec-
tural. engineering. and construction
contracts given at the West Side
Young Mems Christian Association for
the benefit OF those in the building and
real estate trcde- The student. who
is part owner OF a new twelve-story
Office building. asked the instructor,
Gilbert H Montague legal secretary
20 Supreme Court Justice Blanchard.
what he could do 20 protect the air that
came in the side window OF his build
ing lie added that he had already
heard rumOTs that the owners OF. the
four story dwelling houses on either
side OF his building propose 70 erect
four-story building right up 20 his
party line and block of the air and
light from all but his street and rear
windows
You might almost call Il a case of
dealers in light and air" answered the
instructor. Have you had any round
about offers 10 sell the adjoining
properties
NO. but a real estate dealer told me I
might be able for a heavy cOnsidera-
ton 70 get my neighbors to agree not
70 build higher than six stories in the
HeNt twenty-five years"
"Oh. that's II. They want 10 rent
you, so 10 speak. the light. and that.
Of course. means air. between their
roofs and the sky at so much for a
period OF years Well. about all you can
do is to buy or lease the adjoining land.
or else covenant with them that they
shall nor build higher. so as to prevent
your use OF light and afr over that
property. There is no other way out.
for the American law, unlike the
Enklish law. gives no right 20 any ease
ment for light and air along the party
line Of lot. Your neighbor can build
right Up and close every side window
you have. The only light and air
righ-s you have are ca the street.