Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-05
C. K. G. BILLINGS SELLS
FAMOUS TRYON HALL
Prominent New Yorker, Whose Nnuie
- Withheld, Buys Riverside
Drive Estate.

NEW YORK. January i.-"rryon
Han" OF upper riverside Drive and
Fort Washington Avenue. one OF tic
finest houses IN the United S,atcs. has
been sold ~ its owner. Z. Is. q. Bin
'nss. capitalist and sportsman. to a
prominent New Yorker. Frederick
Johnson. a realty man associated with
Mr.. Hillings in several large building
enterprises. who represented him in the
transaction, refused to disclose the
name OF the buyer last evening.
Built on the site of Fort Tryon. OF
hcSo.utionary fame, at a cost of about
F2'ooo.vVo. the Billings house has for
years been one Of the show places on
Manhattan Island. II is virtually .
country estate In the city. being SUR
rounded by spacious grounds. beauti-
fuzzy laid out. and commanding I'M
usually vide views Of river and hill
scenery The site Of old Fort Tryon.
which is the highest point o.! land on
manhattan Island. WAS originally pu:-
chased by NJ. i;i!ings AS Il site for "A
large stable for his famous trotting
horses. The site overlooked the Speed
way. where Mr.. billings drove the ia
I nous trotter Lou Dillon and many
other noted horses
At the opening Of the tables. which
was celebrated with "A dinner attended
D? prominent road drivers and horse
men. Mr.. Billings announced his in
tention of erecting tower 10 mark
,hc SITE OF ia" old fort and small
iGfSe. rs tho work advanced the
! owner saw the possibilities of a home
there. and made several additional pur-
chases of land When the lodge was
completed the mansion known as
Tryon Hall wa. startled The house.
which Is IN Louis XIV style OF archi-
lecture. was several years in building
ana has had several additions made
to II.
One Of the features Of the house is
large central court running IN
through w" stories and surrounded by
'oiohnaucd passage on the second
ioor Another building. erected later.
| III the same style of architecture CON
'aih* laree swimming pool. squash
court and bowling alleys
The approach to tho place was
originally from For, Washington
Avenue Mr.. Billings also wanted AN
entrance ny way ri Riverside Drive.
az he frequently drove IN behind ;,
iour-in hand. Al this point which Is
Al about One Hundred and Fifty-nintb
street. the Drive is about 100 feet
below the house and separated from,
I u ny slope zoe feet broad. To permit
zlgzas drive up this steep incline
y was found necessary Ia build q
/ bridge over part OF tho clin.
An interesting story is told how tho
enact location Of this road WAS de-
/ ,rrmined Mr. Billings asked the ad-
I wee OF inc owner of the adjoining
estate. who suggested that Mr. Billing.
place ono Of his cows on tho lower
/ icNcl ana that she would soon trace
4 ont the easiest and hest WAY To the
4 TOP OF tho hill, whore tho barn was
/ situated The advice was fo,loued
and the road built, at a large cost on
INC path the COW followed
To protect his urop.rty AIr I,iI;,,
increased his holdings Along River
sidc Drive he holds title 10 NOR. than
| 200 feet while on For, Washington
Afenue ne controls a frontage Of near
| y i."oo feet on each side. His place
! extends over Broadway where he
owns 600 feet. The estate across
IN" Two blocks is approximately 900
\ ie"i wide. Nh. Billings also owns "A
/ large property at the foot of, pvck-
man Street on tho Hudson. which he
uses az Landing for his yacht He
has an extensive estate known AZ
farns"orth. near oyster Ray and. pip
/ ing Rock. comprising about forty-tive
/ acres. all fully developed He also
/ owns tho Curles Neck farm OF several
| hundred acres on the James River. in
! Virginia. where all OF his breeding
| horses are kept. lie has another sum-
\ NOR HON" at Lake Geneva. Wis. ard
! a place AZ Colorado Springs
II is understood that the property.
! AT least large portion OF il. will be
! held intact 10y the buyer. There Was
| report current last night which
| could not b" verified. that tho property
| was 10 be used as - fashionable restau.
rant and road house. especially fo-
| automobile parties.
| MIR. Billings now occupies a TWEEN
| ty-seven room apartment on the eighth
! floor OF $50 Fifth Avenue which he
/ leased last year al an annual rental OF
/ about $4,000.