New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-09-24
$50 Buyers Take
Over Bronx Realty
Held Since l77l
Coster and Walsh Families
Are Paid $255,963 for
Land Which Ancestors
Bought for Few Hundreds

Properties in the east section of the
Bronx, comprising 466 lots and held
by the Costcr and Walsh estates for
more than 100 years, were purchased
yesterday by $50 individual investors
and spectators from these families at
public sale through Joseph P. Day.
They paid s255,963, which is very tidy
sum to receive from an original invest
ment of only few hundred dollars.
The story is that the properties,
which lie along the line of fremont
Avenue, were bought originally for
less than the price paid for any lot
sold yesterday.
Old Homestead is Sold
The old Coster homestead. stately
old structure erected in 1771 and the
grounds about it which comprise about
ninety eight lots, or four blocks, were
sold as one parcel. William Cokeley. a
Bronx real estate broker, secured the
property on a bid of $4,000. He told
Mr.. Day that he was acting for a client.
The ground, exclusive of the house,
cost the new owner $3.50 a lot, which
is from $3.50 to S4O0 less than the
prices obtained for lots in the blocks
facing the Coster homestead property.
Corner lots in the Coster property
sold for $3.50 to SS25 and inside lots
brought from $500 to $3.50 each. The
best prices were obtained for the lots
fronting on the Eastern Boulevard and
East fremont Avenue.
House Hunters at Sale
Homcscekcrs were attracted to the
sale by the two houses fronting on
Eastern Boulevard which were included
in the auction. Two elderly women came
into the auction room long before the
10 TTbo1y low NJ
in the proceedings until Mr.. Day came
to the houses. They were not the only
women in the room who were house
hunting because when Mr.. Day asked
for bids on the two-story frame build
ing at the corner of Eastern Boulevard
and Edison Avenue many female voices
shouted bids. The fact that the house
covered two lots and was on q boule
ward did not interest them particularly
it was a home they wanted and the
speculative and investment prospects
we're secondary conside rations.
Among the women was Mrs. 7. F.
Whalcn, who came to protect the roof
which has covered her head for some
years. She succeeded in getting the
house at the Boulevard and Edison
Avenue, where she lives, on bid of
$4,000 The two elderly women were a
DlC ueJeCleu az uoL getting tue HOuSe
When the two-room bungalow at the
southeast corner of fremont Avenue
and Eastern Boulevard was offered they
were quick with bid and continued
to bid until the price got beyond what
they we're willing to pay. Mrs. E. Croft
ton secured the house and two lots for
$500. The Coster property brought a
total of s1S0,538.
Walsh Lots Rrinp S75d25
The Walsh estate property contain
ing PIG lots broughtaa total Of s75,425.
The property is between East fremont
and Bradford Avenues. fremont Ave-
nue. lots in this tract brought good
prices, in fact, better prices that were
obtained for lots in the Coster tract.
The Waterbury and fremont Avenue
corners sold for $1,150 and $1,000, and
inside lots on fremont Avenue ranged
in price from S525 to S1,025. Lots in
other blocks brought from 5000 to s525.