The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-28
Ispeciai to The Times pispa tch.

Especial to The Times Dispa tch.l
New York. May 27.-Is the mansion
which former Senator William A. Clark
caused to BIO built at tho cost OF NIL
lions. corner of Seventy-seventh street
and Fifth Avenue the only one of Its
KIND in the world? Here are the an
swers which were laid before Justice
Lehman in the Supreme Court o-day,
and upon which he is asked to sustain
or reject the city's assessment upon
ms stupendous pile OF frozen rag
time:
The clty-The Clark residence is
UNIQUE. There is not a palace in the
! world OF any King or Emperor that
can match 1t. Therefore, It should be
taxed for its .S"uniqueness' and no
upon the basis of assessment of ad
tacentt property
Fix Senator Clark-"ATy residence on
Firth Avenue should be taxed in the
same proportion as other property. IL
| assessment is concerned. II may be
unique. but Its uniqueness should not
be made the basis for taxation"
Claims Taxes Too High.
The certiorari proceeding 10 review
the assessment OF the city takers was
brought before Justice Lehman because
former Senator Clark maintains that
the assessors have put too high a val
uatton upon his property. 1T is agreed
by the owner and the city that the plot
of land. 200 feet By II feet. on which
the house stands, is worth at least ST.
100000. The dispute is over tho value
of the building. The city assessed the
property while in course of construo-
ton as follows: XII
isOs .......-........... SO, 00O.0 0o
1909 3o5O O0o
1910 3........ observation-disclosures. 100000
These assessments are protested by
the owner. He declares that the actual
value of the improved property is not
over s2.l00,0o0. and that the assessment
should be not over s1.6So.00o.
The city assessors contend that the
! money which 1t would cost to replace
such mansion should be made the
basis of taxation. and that this Clark
residence is an extra ordinary structure
and would, IL sold. be put upon the
market upon the basis OF its unique
ness.
To justify this contention the city
produced In court many of The skilled
artisans and experts who worked for
years upon the unique material TINT
went into the mansion.
Chief among the experts Yves Austin
Sergeant, of the Pittsburg Plato Glass
Company. He testified that men IN
his charge worked for five years to
produce the unique" glass that adorns
the bathrooms OF the Clark home. And
Senator Clark paid for it," he con-
cluded a
Sergeant said that the Carrarr,
glass in the Turkish bathrooms ia ike
marble. and cost s14.75o The glass In
the other bathrooms cost $4,000.
Senator Clark had the house planned
the court was told 80 that every room
has secret entrance in addition to
the patent ono. From his own mines
in Montana he brought copper for the
building, but wherever copper IS used
in other buildings no had bronze
placed in his own structure. Within
the house. concealed from View. is a
completely equipped garage.
On one part of the roof is sun
parlor and on another part an OBJ
servatory. One OF the rooms in the
unique" is SO arranged that 1t can
he completely penned Oft for quaran-
tine purposes.
Some Costly Items.
The heating plant cost $4,000, the
plumbing. $4,000; the bronze work
on the roof, 100000; a single frieze
is valued at $4,000. a mantcl design,
$4,000: uncut marble, $4,000. The
library contains treasures of the
printing press. and the art gallery
contains copies of the old masters.
such as an art lover with an annual
income OF $12.ooo.ooo can purchase.
Tho quarries OF the world were
searched for the finest marble for use
In this mansion. The staircase OF
Iotrian rnarh1a onpSo{pn b1a,aaa 49,.
from almost every known marble
quarry. The breakfast room on the
third floor is constructed OF English
ont. It Is built OF cabinet OF ITO
panels. No two OF the panels contain
the same heavily. carved design. There
is q conservatory, n sculpture rnec,
and gymnasium In the loft isione