The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-24

Riverview Manor. the charming home
community which covers the high
wooded hills that rise from the Hudson's
edge at Hastings was intended when
first taken over by It's present owner
TO be built up with cheap workingmen's
cottages. When that plan was changed
workingmen were deprived of an I'M
eQualled opportunity to obtain homes in
one OF tho most attractive sections in
this part of the world. but. on the
other hand. those who can afford TO
buy or build suburban houses OF mod
crate cost gained distinct advantage.
The history of Rlyerview Manor is so
unusual as to be quite interesting.
Years ago. how many does not matter,
the National Conduit and Cable Com
pany, which Is now one Of the very
large Industries In this part OF the coun-
try, established It's pant on the river
front a. Hastings, where It would have
the advantage of direct water transport
tation. water supply and the Ike. In
Il few years the industry grew TO such
proportions that as many as 1000 hands
were employed at one time and the off,
GERS Of the company found some diff
Guilty In obtaining a sufficient supply of
labor. Practically ali Of their employees
came from sections below Hastings as
far down as Yonkers. and the cost OF
their transportation to and from work
WAS no small item to those whose In
comes were very modest To relieve
their employees OF this burden and TO
better their living conditions the COM
pany worked out plan OF housing them
in comfortable homes in some section so
conveniently near the plant - to permit
WALKING to and from work. The scheme
was most comprehensive, including ideas
for the physical and social bettermen,
Of tho people, and a great sum OF money
was made available for the work.
But the employees OF tho conduit
company did not take kindly 20 the
plan. They had been accustomed to
living IN communities populated by their
nationals, OF renting where they wanted
and OF living according TO their own
desires, and they resented any attempt
TO change those conditions. They heard
reports that they were to be compelled
to live In the company's houses. pay the
company rent and probably DO compelled
TO turn al their earnings into a company
store. and such a hubbub was created
that the conduit company. TO stop any
tIlhl HaNc Itctn Cdu5tu,
abandoned the plan entirely. 1t was
then that the employees OF the company
lost the opportunity to live cheaply In
q district whose beauties and attrac-
tons are world known, district In
which some Of the wealth est men IN
this country have built magnifcen,
estates for themselves.
When the attitude OF the workers
upset the calculations OF the conduit
company the officers Of the company
were at q loss what to do with the
land they had purchased for the work
insInens' colony. They had gone 70
considerable expense in acquiring abou,
40 acres Of land. embracing the Hen
Gersr and Richmond estates. and not
being real estate dealers there was
nothing for which they could use the
property. II lay up on the wooded hills
that line the east bank OF the Hudson
probably a mile from their plant. and
waS entirely unavailable for factor,
purposes. In fact, with fine estate:
and high class residences 10 the north
east and south and a splendid outlook
across the Hudson to the Palisades or
the other side, II was an ideal settins
20 them for a suburban home com
mun!ty, and they decided to make 4
such. There being nobody in thei,
company who had had experience II