The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

 ANGUS FIFTH
 AVENUE INVADED Business Houses in Resi-
 dence District TO CLOSE NAVY YARD Secretary Meyer Trying to Close Up Whora
TO CLOSE NAVY YARD
Secretary Meyer Trying to Close. Up Old Brooklyn Yards Where Many Relics and Souye-
 nirs Are Deposited
py ROBERT LEE CARTER

New York December 30. (Special) l)-The recent sale of the old Kip house on Fifth tvenue practically completes the chang ns of Fifth avenue below Forty second .tieet from the finest residence section of me city to one of the finest retail busi- ness sections. The encroachment of bust- ness is steadily advancing northward and t will not be many years probably be- lore a residence in the avenue south of Central park will be as great a rarity as ,ne is below Forty-second street.
 The price paid for the Kip home is not definitely known, but at the lowest price suggested it makes a record of S176 square foot.
 The transformation of Fifth avenue IS ,ne of the most remarkable phases in the development of the city It has been transformed from Twenty-third street to Forty eighth street from an exclusive res ience section to one of business in the last 15 years, and during that time some values have doubled and quadrupled in { many instances.
 From Thirty-fourth to Forty-second street there remain but four of the for ner dwellings-the Kip, Wendell. Wander bilt and Hoyt homes. The former has E now been eliminated; the second can also be so considered. as it is not for sale at any price, and the Vanderbilt property, at the southeast corner of Fortieth Fl street. was recently enlarged, presumably In preparation for a business change The old residence of the Furnss family, on
 
 street, was abandoned as such a few years ago, although still standing unoc- cupied, so that practically leaves the Hoyt residence at the northwest corner of rhrty-sixth street as the sole dwelling. The existence of that is undoubtedly linn tied.
 In many directions the Kip property has remarkable points aside from bring Ing record price, which exceeds pay. ments made for many corners sold prior to 1905. The new owners regard it so highly as a business location that they feel confident they will be enabled to rent it so as to return rental based on a valuation of $1,000,000. It also holds in- terest in that it adjoins the Wendell property, a plot 9S.9x1S5, encountered with an antique dwelling and a stable such as one would expect to find in a suburban place, but not in the most valuable sec ton of the city outside of the financial district. The Wendell property is conser- vativey estimated to be worth at least s2.50e,OcO if the Kipp and other previous sales are of any use as basic principles for determining values.
 The Wendell plot might as well be con- sidered vacant, and there is every req son to believe that it will remain in that shape for. many years. unless il be taken by common carrier or by the city. unde, the law of eminent domain. The Wendels have no price for this property or any other of the possessions which have been held intact for three generations. They have never permitted 8 property to pass from their hands In all those years, ex- cept on one occasion when the Hudson and Manhattan railroad had a parcel on Dey street condemned and incorporated in the site of one of the terminal build ings. Still it's loss was not voluntarily accepted, for the check of $75.000 given in payment for the lot still remains to be collected, although that sum was award cd by referee several years ago.
 Another transportation which it is like ly will be deeply regretted by those who Ike old time reminders. Secretary of the Navy Meyer is trying to close up the Brooklyn Navy yard.
 This is one of the old time landmarks of the city and Is very closely related 10 the history of the country.
 Lieutenant Thorn, the first command ant, took charge June 1, 1896. He incloseh the yard with a fence in 1927. He was killed by Indians with knives and clubs while commanding the merchant shin Tonauin. owned by John Jacob Astor, off the coast of British Columbia
 The names of the commandants who have served in the Brooklyn yard take In many celebrated officers from 1so6 down