davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22

first John Jacob Astor. He loaned
John Cosine money, taking a mortgage
on the farm. When the loan was not
paid he foreclosed, getting the prop
erty for $4,000. The Cosine farm ex-
tended from the north line of the
Eden farm up along Broadway from
Fifty-third to Fifty-seventh Street
westward to the Hudson River.
Physical division of the property
among the claimants under the trrst
agreement would not be equitable be-
cause of the wide difference in the
value of the various parcels. The
question Of partition was brought TO
the court and Judge Charles F. Brown
was named referee. He has recon-
mended that the property be put up az
public auction and for public bidding
and the proceeds of the sale divided
among the heirs.
The belief is general that some OF
the property will be bought in by the
heirs. Many of them are well provided
with real estate and cash might be pre-
ferred to property. But the Astors are
strong for real estate; it has been tne
source of their wealth and the value OF
realty has been driven home by ob]ec'
lessons since they were old enough 10
reason things out. The auction SAFE
at any rate will be the largest ana
most important and interesting eha'
has been brought to the auction room
since there has been such a place.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22

back his claim. His house is really at
tractive. 1t is Colonial, of that style
that always charms by its simplicity
and harmonious lines.
Georgian Gardens is practically his.
, He laid it out with the idea of provid-
ing a setting for his houses, as he holds
that house must have setting, Just
like painting. A painting, no matter
how much a masterpiece, does not look
half so we'll as when in a fine frame.
Mr.. Kellogg thought this way of a
home. 1T should have a frame, so he
made the frame and then set his house
IN it. Now that he has completed it he
is sure that he has solved the mystery
o. making suburban life attractive and
congenial.
His house is set on a plot rs feet
wide and 1870 feet deep 1t faces
across the site, being built practically
in the centre of the properly In front
of the house and on each side of it is
ample space, which has been laid out in
fine lawn At the outer edge of the
site is hedge, which brings privacy
to the property and the house.
The arrangement of the interior of
the house has received as much atten-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
William H. Sheehy Sells
Property in 9th Street
Disposes of House on the West
Side; Buyers for East
Side DWELLINGS

w. The Houghton Company has sold for
William H. Sheehy, president of Arnold
constable & Co., the three story dwell
ing at 1l6 West Ninety-fourth Street
on lot 17xl13.
Buys in Nineteenth Street
Douglas L. Gilman G. Co. have sold
for Walter H. Knapp 2l7 East Nine.
teenth Street, four story dwelling, on
. lot lo.9x92, to Moses Herzog.
Operators Buy in 18th Street
Ennis & Sinnott have purchased from
the estate Of Sophie c. Sneckner 1l6
west Seventy-scventh Street. four
story high stoop dwelling, on a lot 19x
1922. Frederick Zittel & Sons and Ed.
ward c. II. Vogler were the brokers.
Sale in l26th Street
Shaw & Co have sold for the Sands
estate al East 10th Street. three
story building, on lot 2Ox42x99.ll.
Sale in Jumei Place
, William S. Baker has sold for
Theresa Kleindienst to the Jules
Realty Company, Samuel Wacht. IT,
president, 10 and 81 Jumel Place. ON
q plot 50x90 VII
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
THE HoME1uM DERs ART MOST A77RAcHKeZy EXPRESSED

home making, has built at Morristown a
dwelling which combines both archi-
t. cture and setting and which he is
sure is the finest home of it's size and
cost in the suburbs. 1t cost about
s16,500.
Mr.. Kellogg is in the steamship
business. This has been his vocation,
his business for years, so also for
years his avocation has been house
Planning.
A lover of the country, it was natural
that his mind should lead into such
channels. The homes erected in the sub
urbs years ago were displeasing to him
and it was to change this and enhance
the natural beauty of the countryside
that he took to the study of home
building and sites and the other things
which go to make a home a place
worth while.
He has made wonderful progress anil
when he says that his dwelling in
Georgian Gardens, at Morristown, N. j.,
is the finest house of its size and cost
in the metropolitan district he also
expresses the opinion of many who
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22

property to John Jacob Astor, William
Aston and Charles +. Southmayd as
trustees. They were obligated by the
trust to maintain the properties anc
collect rents and profits and to apply
the money to the use of Henry Aston
himself during his life. In case he
should leave no issue, upon his death
they were charged to convey the CAPT
tai of the trust estate subject to the
dover right of the widow in equal
shares and proportions to the brothers
and sisters of Henry Astor other than
John Jacob Astor, those who survive
him and their issue.
Henry Aston married later on. and
as he had no children the provisions
which he set forth in his trust, half q
century ago this year, are to be car
ried out. He died last year.
Family Disapproved Marriage
Henry Aston was the son of William
3. Astor. The parental country place
was at Annandale, near Rhinebeck in
the hills of Duchess County. Had
Henry's father established a home in
another section Henry probably would
have been very much richer man
when he died and would not have
given his relatives cause for avoiding
him. But at Annandale lived Miss NAL
vlna Dinehart, pretty country girl.
the daughter of a farmer who occa-
slonally worked on the Aston estate.
One day Mr.. Aston saw the girl PASS
his fathers house carrying a basket
OF Strawberries which she was taking
into town to sell. The Dineharts
were poor people. The family was so
large that the father could not get
enough out of his farm to make all
ends meet. 1t was necessary. there
fore, that Miss Malvina should helm
a little
Like the hero of Dora Thorne. Mr..
Astor became interested in this prettv
farmer girl. His interest developed
and they were married at the house
of John Ashe, which was one of Will
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
Trinity Sells Old
Corner Buildings
In n. Moore St.
Purchase Gives B. Fischer
& Co. Control of Block
Front in Greenwich ST.;
Improvement Planned

B. Fischer & Co. have purchased
from the Trinity Church Corporation
the plot, with old buildings, 10Ox100,
at the southeast corner of Greenwich
and North Moore Streets, in the whole
sale grocery district, and its adjoining
the eight-story building at the corner
Of Franklin Street, occupied by the
purchaser.
This purchase gives the Fischer Com
pany the entire block front on Green
witch Street, between Franklin and
North Moore Streets, combined plot
175x10O. The buyers contemplate the
erection of a building in the near
future to conform to their present
structure, to provide 10000 additional
square feet of uoor space needed tc
accommodate the increased business OF
the Fisher Company.
The plot, which is one of the very
few available large plots in this dis
trict, was held at $4,000. John H
Day and William D. Fitzpatrick were
the brokers.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22

lam B. Astor's farms near Red Hook
NY.
Another yarn says that Mr.. Asto,
met the girl while she was EMPLOYED
as waitress at the Catskill Mountain
House. At any rate Henry and Melvina
married. The news shocked the social
world and greatly upset the Asto,
household. Henry's father and his rela-
tlves questioned his mentality, but he
told them all that he was very we'll
pleased with his choice of wife and
that the social world held no particular
attractions for him. This irritated his
father beyond reconciliation. Henry
was banished from the household and
ordered to remain away. He obeyed.
Apparently it was no hardship for him
to be away from the social life of New
York OF those days, and he went up to
Copake, to the birthplace of his wife.
and established a home there.
His father had cut him off with a
dollar, but the income from the prop
erty intrusted to him by his grand
father placed him beyond want. He
forgot his family and they forgot him.
HIS life was that of the farmer He
loved the hills and the green of the
country, and was never so happy as
when roaming in the Hoosic hills, in a
pocket OF which he had his farm.
Became Farmer
Mr. Aston was we'll pleased with the
change. He liked farming, and from
afar watched his family and society
at play. His farm is the largest and
the finest in Northern New York.
Around his house are 200 acres, and ad-
joining it to the north and east and
south are wide stretches of land under
cultivation. He helped his people-in-
law and in doing so took great pleas
ure. He was instrumental in the cleo
ton of his brother-in -law as Sheriff
of Columbia County and he was not
unkind to his neighbours
For many years Copake folks did
not know Neighbor Astor was a men,
Der of the we'll known Aston family of
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22

rosco, adjoining the Astor, cover another
valuable property. These three parcels
have value close to 100000, in the
opinion of real estate men. The west
end of this block is also Henry Astor
property. In fact, most of the realty
between Broadway and Ninth Avenue,
Forty-fifth and Forty sixth streets, was
his. In these two blocks Mr. Astor
held close to 100 parcels, chiefly dwell
ings now used as boarding places for
theatrical folks. With the exception of
l2O feet covered by an apartment
house, the entire south side of Forty
sixth Street from Eighth to Ninth Ave-
nue., is Henry Astor property. His
street frontage on this side of the
block is more than 700 feet, and with
100 feet on each avenue, was assessed
in 1913 at $S24,5OO.
Owned Most of Block
On the north side of this block there
is another large parcel, 10O5x150 fee.
in size, covered with three and four
story dwellings,, which is valued by the
city at $1O6,5O0
The largest Of the Henry Aston trust
holdings are in these blocks. He had
several other large properties, corners
all of them, on Eighth, Ninth, Tenth,
Eleventh and Twelfth avenues. Value
in these holdings is chiefly represented
in the land, as the buildings have been
long in service and have naturally lost
much value.
Henry Astor died leaving no unpaid
bills. He was scrupulous man in this
respect SO he leaves his trust unincum-
bered, and full benefit will come to
those he desired to have his property
under the trust arrangement made on
February Is, 1869.
In establishing this trust he was fol-
lowing custom originated by the first
Astor. that Astors should never be in
want.
Mr. Astor was about thirty-eiqht
years old and unmarried at the time
he assigned, granted and conveyed this
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22

to $50 room without trouble. The
less desirable property-that on Tenth,
Eleventh and Twelfth avenues-could
be utilized as sites for commercial
structures, as the land is close to the
new piers which the city is building
purposely for the accommodation Of
the new giants of the sea-
1t is understood that ground leases
on most of the Aston property will
expire shortly, so that development
will not be delayed If the Astors
buy they will be soon able to enjoy
incomes based on present conditions
and not those of ten or fifteen Years
back
The effect Of the passing of the
property out Of the hands of the AS
tors would be similar to that of open
ing the floodgate of reservoir. Build
ers would invade and overrun the sec
ton, replacing the old with modern
structures. This section is perhaps
one o. the most backward in point Of
cuClro
Borough Of Manhattan.
Worth S5,0OO,0OO
The assessed value of the propertv.
the only tangible estimate possible,
shows Henry Astor's estate to be worth
more than $5,0OO,0O0. The Tax DEPART
ment figured the value of the property
for taxation in 1918 at $5,O12,5 500. Real
estate men familiar with property val
ues in the sections in which the hold
lngs are figure conservatively at ST.
100000, while the less conservative saw
the property is easily worth S1O,OOO,-
600, especially in a market such as is
now prevailing.
The Astor, Bijou and Morosco theatres,
IN Forty-fifth Street and Broadway, are
on Henry Aston property, and the
GaIety, in the rear Of these and 'front.'
ing on Forty-sixth Street, is said to be
partly on his land
The Aston Theatre, with its site, is
assessed at s1,oOO,0O0. The land alone
is worth $780, 900. The Bijou and Mo-
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
United Odd Fellows
Home AT Tuckahoe Sold

A deal pending for some time has
been consummated by the United Odd
Fellows Home and Orphanage Associa
ton in the sale of it's property at Tuck
ahoe, N. Y, comprising nineteen acres
Of land, on which are several modern
buildings, including a four story ad
mlnlstration building, dormitories and
several other buildings, to the Hebrew
National Orphan House.
The purchase price is said to be
about 100000. The Hebrew National
Orphan House is now at 81 St. Marks
faace. IN acquiring the Tuckahoe prop
housing over four hundred orphans.
Greenfield & Baffin and O'Hara
Brothers were the brokers.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
First Big Break in Aston Ownership Fores1adowed
by Action to Partition Isl West Side Pronert;o

After more than 100 years of amass--
ing New York real estate the Astor
family, the city's largest landlord, has
taken steps that foretell the dis
posal of 157 parcels, practically in the
heart of Manhattan. 1t is the most
radical departure in the history and
policy of this widely known estate,
which has been built up on the
theory of steady accumulation of real
estate. Astor and real estate have
been synonymous.
Way back in the days when the
United States was still young, the
founder of the Astor estate estab-
lished the policy Of steady annexation
OF land, policy which every succeed
ing head of the family has followed
rehgiously as the golden rule Of the
family. 1t has brought fabulous
wealth and international fame to the
Astors. That a decision should be
reached contrary to the golden rule
has attracted wide attention and
brought about considerable specula-
ton as to the reason for the change
in policy which has worked so sue
| cessfully for 100 years or more.
Many to Share in Sale
Forty members of the family have
decided to partition the realty HOLDING
Of the late Henry Aston, their uncle or
granduncle, and some time next fall
probably in October, his real estate.
containing 157 pieces, grouped into fif-
teen parcels, will be put up for the
public to bid for. The sale will be held
IN the Vesey Street auction room, and
as IN all proceedings Of this charac-
ter will be advertised in the newspa-
pers and an autioneer will be commits
stoned to sell the properties 1t will
be the first time that the name of an
Astor will have appeared in such an
announcement, because never has the
Astor family had a partition sale or
showed any willingness to part with
real estate. They have sold OCCASION
ally, but never more than one or two
parcels at time. This happened so
seldom that much was made of the
transfer of interest in a property by
an Aston.
1T the realty to be offered at auction
is not protected by the heirs, as some
think 1t will be, the sale will be one
OF the greatest events in the history
OF the section west from Broadway to
the Hudson River, from Forty-fifth
Street north to Fiftieth Street. The
Astors are not builders From the
outset they have been satisfied to be.
land owners, leasing their holdings to
others who put up buildings. Owner
ship Of this kind is not good for any
section. 1t is detriment usually,
because large inactive control stiles
incentive ON the part of others and
development will be neither general
nor harmonious, due to the lack of in
terest on the part Of the largest owner.
Careless Ownership
Henry ABtor had no particular in
tcrest in the physical side of his real
cstate. 1t paid him sufficient to
satisfy his wants, therefore he was not
forced to take. steps that would i'm
prove the income from his property
ny better development. If the prop
.ersy passes to new interests it will
mean the rejuycnation Of the entire
section. Most Of the property is ideally
located for development with apart
ment houses that would rent for SIS
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
Bowman Read yto Build
Hotels i'm East and West

John NICE. Bowman has started work
on his country club at Rye, n Y. 1t is
to be ready by next summer Addi-
tional property is to be acquired.
Mr. Bowman has plans for giving the
West another big hotel. In announcing
early construction of the club at Rive
Mr.. Bowman also announced that he is
preparing to build a $1,000 900 hote,
at Detroit. 1t will be on Madison Ave-
nue., witherell Street and Adams Ave
nue., overlooking Grand Circus Park
1T will have twenty-four stories and
Will contain 1000 rooms. The ground
to be covered contains $1,000 square
feet.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
One of the Most At.
tractive Sections Of
Morristown, N. J.,
His WOrk-House
Entered i'm Tribune
Prize Contest Cost
3l6,50O

200.10x200 IRREGULAR, by Justice Hem
drick in the Special Term of the ST.
preme Court, in the suit brought bv
the Equitable Trust Company of New
York as trustee under a deed of trust
dated February /. 1909, against the
New Theatre and others to foreclose
mortgage OF s1.750.o0O, made by The
New Theatre on February /, 1909. to
obtain the payment OF series of ten
year Az per cent gold bonds.
Justice Hendrick fixed the bond of
the receiver at $1,000. The received
was appointed on the application of
Murray, Prentice & Rowland of 81
Wall Street. attorneys for the n.aintif.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
Corporation to Take Over
Glen Islands for Homes
Plans TO Erect Houses on Scien.
title Bases and to Build Bridge
Across 10 Mainland

A corporation is now being formed
ny several we'll known operators to &C.
qnire Glen Islands from the present
owners, with the purpose of immedi.
.tely developing the property into real
Dental plots, in an effort to meet the
unprecedented demand for this type of
property.
TAs new owners plan the erection ~
- artistic bridge across from the
mainland to the Islands, and arrange
ments are being made for the erection
q houses on scientific plan. The
ownsrs have been holding the prop.
rfsy AZ 100000, but 1t is understood
tnat the new corporation is 10 take
" OYER at $4,000. Clos Islands is OPP
sposite the Trayerg Island clubhouse Of
the New York Athletic Club
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
Flagler Buyer of Park
Avenue Dwelling Houses

Henry Hardness Flagler is the pur-
chaser of the two three story dwellings
at "a and SO Park Avenue, sold recently
by the Douglas Robinson. Charles o.
Brown Company for the Sturgess a.,
tate. Mr.. Flagler owns and occupies
the adjoining house at 80 Park Aven ~
and now controls a frontage OF w.
feet, adjoining the southwest corner
of Thirty sixth Street.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22

New York, and New York soon forgct
that lar to the north lived an Aston
the husband of farmers daughter
lie sold hay at one-third what othe,
folks were getting, but many are the
stories of sacrifices made in the sale
of crops and cattle and horses. MANY
wondered at this and thought il
strange, not knowing the wonderful,
source of his wealth.
About three years ago his namc
came into court through litigation over
parcel of property on the West Side.
New York began to ask questions about
this Aston. Folks at Copake also
prlcked up their ears and opened their
eyes in surprise when they read that
their neighbor was really the head of
the Astor family. Old timers then re-
called the story of the romance of the
young Aston of the early '7Os who mar
ried against the wishes of his father.
There is no way of even estimating
what this romance cost Henry in
wealth. He was the son of one of
the most successful and shrewdest of
the Astors, and Henry would have
shared heavily in the large fortune
left when his father died in 1875. It
was estimated that his father left
$20O,OOO,000. BY investments in real
estate and other transactions he had
\ .,L
600.
Marriage Cost Fortune
Henry was the favorite until he
married Miss Dinehart 1t is said
that he lost s25,0OoOOO by this act.
The Eden farm property which has
provided the wherewithal that has kent
the wolf from the door of the man
forgotten by his family for nearly half
a century was bought by John Jacob
Astor back in 1897 for 5000 Medref
Eden was an Englishman. The defeat
OF the Kings soldiers here had taken
away lot of the pleasures of his life
in New York. A farm running in a
northwesterly direction, starting at
Forty-second Street and Broadway and
ending at Fiftieth Street and the Hud-
son River, had been inherited by the
young man. He needed money often.
and as security gave pledges on this
farm. Mr.. Aston bought third inter
est in mortgage against the property
and later foreclosed, obtaining the
realty for $4,000. Associated with
him was a William Cutting. In the
division of the farm Astor took the
Bloomingdale road end, now Broadway.
leaving the west portion of the prop
erty to Cutting.
Heirs of Eden living in England
came to New York and appealed to the
courts, and for twenty years the case
went unsettled. Mr.. Aston then bought
them off for $4,000. The farm to-day
is worth $3o,ooo,Ooo. On it are many
hotels, theatres and Office buildings.
The Times Building coves a corner of
it, and the west side of Times Square,
from Forty-third Street practically up
to Forty-fifth Street, except for the
Putnam Building and Westover Court,
which were placed under contract
few days ago, is still held in the Aston
family. The Astor Hotel covers one
of the block fronts. A lot of the farm
has been disposed of. but the Astors
have retained the most valuable por-
tions.
The Cosine farm to the north of the
Eden property was also secured
through foreclosure proceedings by the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
F. M. Kellogg Finds
Great Pleasure and
Relaxation PrOvid-
ing Places Where
Others Can Live
Amid Pleasing Sur
roundings

The home in the country should be
more than a building. 1t should be a
combination of building and site, be-
cause an attractive building in an un-
attractive setting is ridiculous. A
poorly designed building in a pretty
location is equally as ridiculous.
F. NJ. Kellogg, who has given much
time and study to home building in
the suburbs and to the psychology Of
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
BEAUTIFUL FROM EVERY POINT 0eWeW

plans shown above, with the re-
production of the photographs of the
exterior, show very attractive layou,
aimed to make life easy for all in the
household, from the master down to
the maid.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-06-22
Lends $2,OOO,OOO to
Build Apartments

The New York Title and Mortgage
Company, in order to assist in rei,es.
ing the housing situation, has tass''
within the last sixty days about -,
100000 worth of building loans onfRs =,
and six-story apartment houses ~
Manhattan and The Bronx.