The Washington herald., 1920-01-27
New York City
BY o. o. Mcintyre

New York, Jan. 26s-The great Cor
nelius Vanderbilt mansion, the red
brick and white stone pile that COW
ers block on Fifth avenue. Is to be
torn down. Thus the moving had Of
change Will obiiterate tnansion
from the Avenue that long held its
state. while all around the devastat-
ing havor OF the wrecker was seen.
The big red house has been to
Plaza Square landmark-a point Of
great interest for the ''yap wagons"
and one Of those millionaire's homes
the most OF us pictured before we
came to New York but faiSp to see.
There Is a great iron fence, under
lock and key. carriage porticos, shut
tered rooms and peepinS buffers who
look out upon the Fifth avenue
throngs.
All tho Fifth avenue busses turn
into Fifth avenue going down town
at the Fifty-seventh side OF the VAN
derbilt mansion and for that reason
every New York and every visitor
knows the place. Across the street
Is the Hotel Plaza and up a few
blocks begins Millionaires' Row.
The Vanderbilt mansion has been
the scene Of the most important So
cial functions in Manhattan-the
latest big affair was the marriage
Of Gladys Vanderbilt to the Count
Sseehenyi. The house is a reproduc-
tion OF the famous Chateau de Blois
and was built at the, time the Van
derbilts were just beginning to re-
ceive social recognition.
There is much speculation as to
the reason for the sale. Gossip
weeklies whisper that 1t Is because
the vanderbilts need money to re-
plenish the fortune OF the Countess
who lost hugely of her estates as
the result Of the fall OF Hungary.
Another reason Is a more sinister
one. Upper Fifth avenue Is already
crowded and the houses. although
handsome and costly, are far from
desirable. owing to the immediate
proximity Of the worst East Side
slums, which pour forth in tho even
ings, on the afternoons of Saturday
and throughout daylight on Sundays
and holidays. their odoriferous deni-
zens. old and young. to throng both
that portion OF the avenue and the
adjacent drives and walks of Central
Park.
Alarmists say that II there is ever
any Boshevik rising in New York.
these houses on Fifth avenue above
Fifty-ninth street. all so suggestive
OF ostentatious wealth and conse-
quently a perpetual object OF savage
envy and resentment to the alien
population OF the East Side slums.
will>be the first to engage the hostile
attentions OF the mob, with a view
to plunder.
S. Jay Kaufman. that erudite
chronicler OF Manhattan's gay swirl
for the Globe, knows theatrical peo-
pie as no other writer does-and be-
cause he knows them he writes of
them with a sympathetic understa nd
ing. He has found that actors really
enjoy misfortune. They are happier
in hall bedrooms struggling for an
ideal than they are in an apartment
at the Ritz with fame at their feet
There Is star who confesses she
was happier playing the tanks.
And Kaufman tells OF Barney
Bernard's early struggles. For some
fifteen years he and his wife worried
along on less than nothing. Then
there was his great triumph in His
Honor. Abe Potash" His name was
in electric lights on Broadway.
He asked his wife what she
thought Of him now. She said: :
We'll. I'll stick to you as long as
you are q success"