The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-17

',,y He sold II In 1892 to DR.. qorham
,,SAbbott. uncle of DIR. Lyman Abbott
., mo outlook, and here DR.. Gorham u.
Abbott. who had been principal of the
Snineler Institute on Union square, con-
src,ed a school until the site was sold
90 a r stewart. the famous merchant.
IN, he died In 1876 he left an estate
.or,h I 10000, 900. The estate included
,he italian marble palace which he had
Su,l, AT the corner OF T%hirty-fourth street
y, a cost Of SO. 200. 900. His widow oc-
.nnlcd il until her death in 1855, after
.,irh The Manhattan Club leased the
nrop,rty. 1t was later torn down to
~, room for the building OF the
Columb!i Trust Company.
Tine hlD,s from Thirty-seventh to
r,iti,.cgh'h street between Fifth and
s,r avenues was the country seat of
" coventry H. Waddell. "A close friend
~ president Andrew jackson. Wad-
Ans fortune sprang from the services
\. rendered as financial representative
A. Jackson = Administration. His villa
.,ood on the site of the Brick Presby-
,,,an Church. at the northwest corner
:, Thirty seventh street. In 1915. when
NJ Waddell went Into the wilderness"
"a build. Fifth avenu above Madison
ccusr, was u country road lined with
,,-ms. and while Mr.. Waddell was bar
.alnlug for the land his wife sat under
a, ample tree in "A ~neighboring orchard.
u. p,id S,,I5O for the tract. which was
sol3 Ten years later for $4,000 and for
"a o, which In 1856 the Brick Church
pad $4,000
.,st- and Fifth avenue. in 1854. stood
. snail country tavern known AS the
eaton cottage, which o. its name
ann the Croton Reservoir, located d.
,sonally opposite on the ven II
,s built OF wood, painted yellow and
r,rrounded by trees and shrubbery and
Ne ice cream and refreshments were
s-yed 10 those who came to view the
tsy from the top OF the reservoir walls.
me cottage was burned down during the
i-ar riots In 1853. and on this site later
rcd william H.. Vanderbilt. who bought
= IN 1866 for $4,000. Mr.. Vanderbilt
IN the house to his son. Frederick W.
Vanderbilt. and II was only recently
demolished TO make room for the new
Arnold. Constable & Co. Building.
The land between Fortieth and Forty
scond streets. Fifth and Sixth avenues.
ny covered by Bryant Park and the
library. was used as a Potter's Field
rom iS2. TO 1921. Later on the eastern
c,r, OF this ground was erected the
distributing reservoir of the Croton
water system, which was opened with
impressive ceremonies October ~. 1872.
The reservoir. which occupied more than
four acres. was divided into two basins
b. a partition wall. In appearance Its
exterior was like an Egyptian temple.
TIE enclosing walls had an average
hsgh, Of a., feet and were constructed
O., granite. II was thirty feet deep and
cr,s.n.d ?0.0OO,o0 gallons OF water.
The land on the east side OF Fifth
,venue. from Forty-second almost to
| rorty-fourth street. about 1925 was the
uoper,y of Isaac Burr. whose estate
extended along the Middle road which
| here conceded with Fifth avenue. on
81, Burr property. al the northeast cor
,sr Of Forty-second street, in 1889. was
the Hamilton Hotel, later the site of
u.Gov. Levi +. Morton's home and now
BE seymour Building.
The block between Forty-third and
Porty-fourth streets. on the west side Of
Fifth avenue. was the scene on July
H. 1864. Of the burning of the Colored
Orphan Asylum during the draft riots.
At the time OF the riot there stood
,sa. the southeast corner of Fifth ave-
rue and Forty fourth street a little
frame cottage. named from the willow
tire which stood In front Of II. the
Willow Tree Inn. At one time this was
run by Tom Hyer. the noted pugilist.
he stockyards were between Fifth ave-
NIge and Fourth avenue from Forty
Fourth TO Forty-sixth street, and Madi-
y son avenue was not then cut through.
TIA WILLOW Traa Inn norman ilttIs ct ra fRS
he appreciation Of Fifth avenue real
s,aie, In 1853 this corner was the
extreme southwest angle OF the Fair
i,d Lockwood farm and was sold for
$500. Here. in 1906. a twelve story
oace building was erected, replacing
Tyson's meat market and the old Willow
Tree I'm. The corner was then held
Al s., OOO, o00. The property was bought
IN 1893 for 100000 by the American
Rsa| Estate Company.
At the northeast corner Of Forty
fourth street, where Delmonico's now
rands. was located. from 1916 to 1865,
he Washington Hotel, also called AL
l%rton's." a low white frame building
grounded by a plot of grass. The rest
q The block was a drove yard. In
1896 Thomas Darling bought the entire
Mock for $4,000 and leased II to George
" Archibald. VI. and David Allerton.
Tie latter ran the tavern during the civil
VAR After the cattle yards were removed
10 Fortieth street and Eleventh ave-
me Allerton's was discontinued. John
II Sherwood bought the site after the
var and erected the Sherwood House.
4 well known family hotel. Mr.. Sher-
sooi was "A prominent builder who was
a pioneer in the erection OF high class
residences north Of Forty-second street
Il WAS in the basement OF this build
Ng that the business Of the Fifth Ave-
ILL., Bank was started.
The story Of the Elgin Botanical Gar
Gems which occupied the tract from For
H~'seventh 80 Fifty-trst street between
NTH and sixth venue begins in 1898
IN the garden of Prof. Hamilton near
Edinburgh, where Or. David Hosack. a
young American who was studying with
te Professor. Wcs much mortified by his
Rt0raEce Of botany. with which subject
NE other guests were familiar. Hosaci
boE up the study of botany so diligently
nat IN 1875 he was made professor of
Ntany at Columbia College. and in 1871
hein the chal' upt materia medica. While
Professor of botany at Columbia he EN-
oeavofed TO interest the State In estab-
Ishlng a botanical! exhibit for students
o medicine. hut failing to accomplish
Ms he acquired from the city in 1901
me plot mentioned above, for the pur-
pose Of establishing a botanical garden,
M 1904 the Elgin Botanical Gardens
were opened BY 1906 1000 species OF
p'dNls with one spacious greenhouse and
TWO ho:nouses, having a frontage OF $50
i'et' occupied what to-day Is one OF the
most valuable real estate sites in New
III. the tract being now valued with
sut buildings AT over $40, 000, 900.