New-York tribune., 1912-02-07
NEW QUARTERS CHOSEN
BY THE LAWYERS CLUB
To Move Into United States
Realty Company Building
About July !.
LOST ALL IN RECENT FIRE
Seven Hundred Members Stand
Ready to Give Assistance
Governing Board Busy Since
Equitable Blaze.


Trndaunted by the loss Of its fine IL
brarv and beautiful rooms the Lawyers
Club within month since the Equitable
Building fire that destroyed Its home
has selected it's new domicile and ar
ranged for its equipment. BY July the
club hopes TO move into the 10Th and
21st floors Of the United States Realty
Company Building at No. 115 Broadway.
A meeting OF the board Of governors was
held yesterday.
All the details for the new home have
not vet been decided. but the top moor
will contain the dining rooms, and the
kitchen will be on the roof. The law IL
brary will be on the Goth floor. George
p. Wilson, secretary Of the club, said
last night:
I'VE expect to have a fine new home.
The floors we have taken will be re-
modelled to suit our uses, and while we
can not reproduce some Of the treasures
we lost, we Will have a club that In its
eouipnent and membership will main
tain the tradition and prestige Of the
club on the same high standard as be-
fore. Already over 700 Of the members
have signifed their intention Of con-
tinuing."
The governing body set to work immc-
diately after the fire Of January 8. All
the books and records had been burned.
They were at a loss. Eight downtown
clubs and two law libraries were immedi-
ately put at the disposal Of the mem
bers The board of governors worked
diligently holding meetings as often as
practicable, and yesterday took the step
indicated.
The members of the board are as be-
fore: William Allen Butler, president,
George T. Wilson, secretary; r A. c.
Smith, Alton B, Parker, William B.
Hornblower Frederic R. Coudert. Ernest
Hail. Job E. Hedges, George Austin Nor
rson and William Butler Duncan.
The 20,000-volume library destroyed in
the fire was the pride Of the club. This
library was really the property Of the
Equitable Life Assurance Society. In
1887, when Henry B. Hyde proposed 70
extend the building over a block, in or
der to reflect the society's strength, 1t
was said it could not be proftably main
tanned, that it would not be an income
producer. The renting agent reported
after the building was constructed that
he could not let some of the floors be-
cause they had not good light.
"I'll tell you what We'll do," said Mr..
Hyde: well found a lawyers club and
an insurance club, and We'll let the floors
TO them. Well put in Libraries TO tempt
them, and weHl make an arrangement
whereby the dues from the members can
be paid to the society in lieu Of rent"
The libraries were installed, the clubs
were founded and the floors were let.
The Insurance Club was not success,
and was soon merged with that Of the
lawyers.
Among the volumes destroyed were a
complete set of textbooks for all
branches Of criminal and civil law, files
Of the law reports of all states since
1889, and law reports from Canadian
courts and from those Of some Of the
territories Of Great Britain. In addition
there were some very valuable old books,
dating back in some instances to 1900
4. D. There was an original file re-
port Of the great FIRE in London in 1868
which was OF intense interest to the IN
suranoe world; ono OF the first treatises
on insurance, dated 1910. and set Of
Wofford's Insurance Encyclopedia, of
which few are In existence. There was
a rare report Of the affairs Of the Old
Widow and Orphan Fund. one Of the
first insurance societies founded in this
country.
The furnishings Of the Lawyers Club
and the law library were magnificent,
both being show places In the building.
From the library a corridor led 70 the
smoking room. This corridor was lined
with black-veined white marble, with
bronze trimmings. In the club were
three big dining rooms. One had a glass
vault overhead. There was a dining
room for women furnished in pink and
white, with rich brocade on the walls.
Among the many fine decorations We're
several fine mural panels. One was by
Edwin Rowland Blashfield, and was
painted several years ago, when the in
terror Of the club was remodelled in part
by George b. Post the architect The
panel had as its central subject Jus
tice' On either side of her knelt two
youthful figures profferlng food.
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