New-York tribune., 1909-02-28
OLD HOE HOME GONE
Land Spectator Lays Lo7c Another
Rronr Mansion.

rrha ,s,6 snecaIlator has laid his hano upon an
other oldtirae mansion in The Bronx 4he ~ 80
victim of the march Of improvement = t.ie a..
r,tcbsrd NJ. Hoe home which lies mass OF runs
otter an existence of more than nan ceH'ui'' a.
xTras+cbaster avenue and Southern Boulevard
For almost generation there was no more So
c1uded or more beautiful section thah Ine Ni0i1y
- .sp,o1- Corners" To the north was the huge
o,,ara homestead of the Fox family; on the west
Js1s-ard we're the twin gray houses OF the Slmp-
sore and smuggling behind the dense 1ohaee on
the east were half dozen picturesque houses Vi
which the most artistic was flchdiu NJ
F3riehtside with its striking porter iouse a. 80
entrance 10 the winding driveway which led 10 the
house. por
The scene changed when the subway came
hans in no other section Of the city mas sue" a
Transformation come about rms rurh se0li0ii %
the borough was changed from woodland scenes 10
the modern city hustle anu d''e nv
apartnent houses.
Next the gridiron system OF streets was puSHo
through the Hoe estate, almost sllcing OH d ooii1
from the great home, which was left on a crest
surrounded by Immediately neat stohe "o
t,o- soma time an immense mountain or brlcks
looued I'D as an oInnous warning OF the approach
ing end of the old building, and to-day tiete 70
notbing but a pile of laths and countess Dlls Vi
sser to besr witness to the last brave pattle OF
fsrAd hy the old homestead. A small army ot
latorers can now be seen wrestling with pick ana
shovel Railroad tracks wind ike serpshts' o'ei
the once velvety lawns, and contractors wagons
swarm like bees, WnlIe NAN q hNAuiON
tree strnps form a silent little group OF Witnesses
in themselves.
Randall Comfort told something OF the carry HE
tory of this region in reference to the changes
colonel Richard NJ Hoe was certainly one OF 'te
best known residents OF this secton-a man whose
reputation was worldwide he said over h4ty
wears ago he purchased this immense estate
erected his handsome home, and upon his great
farm were raised some of the finest blooded cattle
in the whole OF Westchester County.
From Colonel Hoes wonderful ingenuity we owe
the great strides in the art of printing lie mace
almost a human machine out of the formerly
rather crude presses. The celebrated rotary or
lightning presses which completely reVou-
tionzed the art of printing and made possible the
modern low priced newspaper, are the result or
the genius Of the former resident OF Brightsde-
Although the Colonel has been dead for nearly
quarter of a century, his name and fame are by
forgotten.
Perhaps a dozen years ago. when We wished
to drive through what seemed the prettiest bit or
country woodland in the neighborhood, we would
select the old Southern Boulevard below West
chester avenue Now just look at IT. 1t seems
to vie with the Hunts Point section in trying to
see which can lay, low the greater number Of old
rnent out of what was once suburban paradise:
Judging from the speed with which they tore
down the old Hoe mansion, 1 should not be sur
prised 20 learn that whole block Of houses, ee-
vators and all, were ready for occupancy on the
Hoe estate even before the next issue OF your
paper reaches the hands of its readers"