davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald., 1921-07-03
When the Old Tax Cow
Jumps Over the Moon
BY THE ODD PARAGRAPHER.

One hears a great many complaints
from owners OF late about unwarranted
increases in assessments. The actual
number OF complaints may not be any
larger than In former years. but It is
quite apparent that the average owner is
more determined this year than ever to
fight the assessment Increase.
The reason Is obvious. Confronted
with thirty point boost in the tax
rate, from which there Is no escape.
owners who have had the assessed val-
uation OF their real estate substantially Y
increased find that their tax bills for
1921 are from 90 to 90 per cent. greater
than In 1870.
New York's system OF determining
property values Is not without its faults,
serious faults. II has worked great
hardships upon taxpayers in the past.
particularly small owners in sections
where values deprecated as a result
OF shifting trade centres. The particu-
lar fault with the present system Is
It's lack OF provision for correcting err
rors OF judgment in the valuation OF
property belonging 10 small investors.
Certiorari proceedings offer one solu-
ton, but they are altogether too costly
for the poor man. Even the larger
owners think twice before taking this
STEP because OF the cost involved II an
action proves unsuccessful. It is said.
however. that the growing danger OF
carrying tho high assessment pra ctice
beyond the bounds has caused many
owners. who might ordinarily accept the
valuations imposed by city experts
without question. to compel n show
down.
That their action Is JUSTIFIED Is shown
The New York herald., 1921-07-03

Then there is the old Italian table which
reminds me Of a similar ole in PalaZzo
Fecchio in Florence Directly above the
table is an old Madonna OF the Byzan
tine period. Next the table Is an old
Spanish chair which recalls the glories
of the Alhambrd
Gazing out of the window I see the
little patio with its fountain of trickling
water. and the cedar trees fanking the
fountain take me back to the Villa
d'Este with its long avenue Of cypress.
And so with a little dreaming and
vivid Imagination ! wander around the
world"
Although they have no special bearing
on Mr.. Jacobs's theory about architec-
tural therapeutics the upstairs apart
ments are worthy of special mention.
This Is so particularly Of the two duplex
apartments on the second floor with
their mezzaninc bedrooms and alcove
dining rooms. The main feature of the
front duplex suite is the big high ceiled
living room, which at one end is divided
horizontally by a balcony running clear
across the room from side 10 side. On
this balcony is the bedroom, which Is
walled in save for the rather broad por-
tered opening which looks down upon
the living room. The romantic touch
which this mezzanine gives to the big
balcony extending across the opening
In the alcove beneath the mezzanine is
the dining room. which lends Itself al
mirably TO the Pullman or London lounge
treatment Off the dining room is the
kitchenette and the bathroom The rear
duplex Is much the same save that IL
has two master bedrooms with bath and
servants bedroom and bath on the
mezzanine II has also a roof garden.
There are small suites consisting Of
living room bedroom. kitchenette and
| bath on the third, fourth and fifth
floors. In these apartments the main. or
living room. is divided by a partition
with built-in shelves on the living room
side II the secondary room is used for
bedroom the shelves may be used for
bookcases. II IL Is used for dining
room the shelves will serve the pur-
pose of a china closet. There Is an
other roof garden leading from the
apartment on the fourth floor front
Mr.. Jacobs has among the tenants In
his little house several prominent peo-
pie. Ina Claire. known of stage as Mrs.
James Whitaker. occupies one OF the
suites. The Princess Margaret Ghika
lives on the top floor in an apartment
consisting of living room, dining room.
kitchen. bedroom and bath. The Prin-
cess has her own front yard high above
the noisy street. On this little roof
bower art has accomplished the SEEM
ingly impossible by making an ugly old
chimney beautiful. No one would ever
suppose that the concrete block with it's
lions head in relief spouting a limpid
stream Of water conceals the blackened
chimney funnel
The New York herald., 1921-07-03

painting and music. In q niche frnme-
diately above the entrance is tho life
size figure OF a woman in terra Gotta,
renaissance. In the basement Of the
building Mr. Jacobs has his offices. A
flight Of stairs from his private sane
tum In the back leads down TO the
drafting room. which Is built on level
with the old cellar. This drafting room,
probably the only one underground in
the city. has splendid lighting from
overhead windows and grating which
give onto the back yard.
The five floors above the basement
are given over to suites of the studio
variety. with many exceptional features
Mr.. Jacobs discarded the idea of put
ting up a building entirely devoted to
office uses because he wanted the addi-
tional homelike influence of the apart
ments upstairs. Altogether there are
three roof gardens or patios. which is a
record for open air architectural fea-
lures In a twenty foot building.
Into his basement sanctum Mr..
Jacobs has breathed a decidedly exotic
atmosphere because he believes that a
touch of the foreign will in moments of
relaxation carry ones mind farther from
the sordid facts OF real life. Further
more the old world touch carried Mr..
Jacobs memory back to his delightful
days as Beaux Arts student In Paris
ut Is many years since my comrades
and left the Ecole des Beaux Arts IN
Paris" he says Tor five years we
lived in that glorious city with the great
The New York herald., 1921-07-03
WILL SELL BENNETT
TRACTS IN YONKERS
Auctioneer to Offer 941 of Late
Publishers Lots on Sat-
urday, July 16.

Two tracts of land at Dunwoodie
Heights. Yonkers, owned by the estate
OF the late James Gordon Bennett, for
mer owner OF THE New YORK HERALD,
the Evertno Teies-1m and the Paris edi-
ton of THE New York HERALD, are to
be sold at public auction on Saturday.
July Is, on the premises, corner OF Yon-
kers and Central avenues by Joseph p.
Day. The tracts comprise 941 lots. The
sale has been ordered by the Guaranty
Trust Company OF New York and Rod
man wanamaker trustees OF Mr.. Ben
nett's will In which the late Mr.. Bennett
provided for the erection and mainte-
nance OF a memorial home for incapaci-
tated newspaper men In New York city
One of the tracts fronts on Central
avenue. the northery extension OF
Jerome avenue and on Yonkers avenue.
on which a surface car line connects
with the station at Mount Vernon on tne
Harlem Division. A trolley line also con-
meets with the Jerome avenue subway
extension at Woodlawn The northern
tract is Just above the Dunwoode station
OF the Putnam Division. opposite the
Dunwoodie Golf and Country Club. IL
In accessible by the Yonkers avenue troll
ley line. The lots front on Midland,
Cook, Bennett Dunstan, Brewster Rum
sey avenues and other thoroughfores.
There is a public school at Midland nve-
nue. and Mortified street. A number OF
residences have already been erected In
the neigiibcrhood Of ST. roseph's Semi
nary and the Dunwoodie Golf and Coun-
try Club.
Mr.. Day will sell large number Of
improved and vacant estate properties In
Manhattan and The Bronx at special
sale on July ~ In the vesey Street FIX.
change. At the same time he will sell
for the Mary A. p. Draper estate five
vacant corners In Harlem In the vicinity
of First avenue and the Harlem River.
The New York herald., 1921-07-03
REALTY BOARD WILL
ENLARGE ITS SCOPE
Votes to Absorb Two Apart
ment House Organizations
and Increase Membership.

In order 10 unity the work Of safe
guarding the interests OF real estate
owners and agents and 10 eliminate
duplication Of effort the Real Estate
Board Of New York has decided TO en-
large it's membership and scope by
assimilstinC the organizations known "a
the Real Estate Investors Of New York.
comprising the large apartment interests
on the upper West Side and the Apart
ment Owners Association. which has
like interests In the Park and Madison
avenue sections.
At one Of the largest attended meet
ings In the history OF the board on
Wednesday. June 90, the constitution
was amended so as to enlarge the mem-
bership of the Board OF Governors from
fifteen 20 twenty-one. The additional
members will be elected at a meeting %
that body on July 10. They will be
selected from the membership Of the
Real Estate investors Association and
the Apartment Owners Association
Another method adopted bv which ths
interests of these two organizations Sili
be allied with those OF the Real Estate
BOARD. was the decision 10 enlarge the
apartment house and legislation and
taxation committees OF the Real Estate
Board so as TO include representatives
Of the East and West side organiza-
tions. These two bodies have formally
reinquished their corporate existence
and will bring their membership into
the board as rapidly as possible.
BY another very important amendment
Il was voted to remove the present
limit Of active membership OF 900 by
permitting the admission OF those on
the waiting list when these shall num-
Der fifty. thus making the increase
prs cticaliy automatic
II was also voted 20 permit the cleo
ton OF registered members from the
offices Of nonresident members as well
az from those OF active members. Ten
days notice Of applicants for member
ship was reduced to five. In view cs
the large increase In membership that
will follow the action just taken and
" The conditional removal OF the limit
~ active membership. a proposal TO
increase the dues of active members
was not actively urged and was lost
on motion.
The New York herald., 1921-07-03
In the Realm of the Auctioneer
$50 LONG ISLAND CITY
LOTS TO GO ON BLOCK

Henry c. johnson will sell 450 lots in
the Thomson Hill section of Long Island
City. at Flaherty's Jackson Avenue Park,
on Saturday. July 9. to settle an estate.
The properties are situated on Borden.
Gosman and Gould avenues and on Lo-
Gust, Packard. Bliss. Caroline and Addi-
son streets and Laurel Hill Boulevard,
Elise and Towns place.
The lots are only few minutes walk
from the Bliss street station Of the Co
roma extension of the dual subway sys-
tom and are but fifteen minutes run
from Forty-second street. Most OF the
streets have been graded and curbed and
water mains have been laid Nearby
plots have been developed with apart
ment houses and one and two family
dwellings to house the rapidly growing
industrial centre OF Long Island City.
The New York herald., 1921-07-03
7se 77EN''ET Of 'F FF'cE 7s zsTFo- EXOTIC
Architect Breathes Old World Spirit Into His Office and
Apartment Builcng-Says 1t Helps Him to Relax
l. and Keeps Him Fit-Blan1es Ugliness of
American Offices for Many Breakdowns.

From architecture to neurology may
seena like trip to the professional antip-
o6es In tact tho architect himself. IN
the vast majority Of cases. is probably
tha last person In the world to suspect
that the two fields Of professional ac-
tivitv may have some functions In COM
mon. It probably never occurs to nim
that through the creation of a beautilui
horne he may have given some Invalid
lift on the road back to health or tnat
through the construction OF a handsome
oSfice building he may have helped some
oveyworked boss or employee to fight OH
the neurotic goblins that will get you et
you don't watch out" .,s
There u at least one creator Oh oul,u
snxs In New York city, however, ~ho
firmly believes that architecture mas
therapeutic as we'll as an artis.ic s,ue
He ID Harry Allan Jacobs OF OF
Viftv-fifth street q graduate OF the
1ao,rr Ayts. an alumnus OF the American
Xrs der,,v At Rome, winner Of the coveted
ScKin prixe and the designer OF many
rot.hIa structures in this city. 10 pre-
v.nt anv misconceptions 1t shoufo DC
.t.ted right here that Mr.. JACOBS nae hv
idea Of wrestling the psyche anaIy ueai
ch.r,nionship belt from Mr.. Freud. NOT
~. he any occult theories about the
nower OF brick and mortar to restore the
49,. +b~ halt or the blind. Throush
c.r,,,,on sense process of reasoning III
ss,-.d "a a certain extent by personal
.rr.rience. he has arrived at the con
.s.tso,, that artistic homes ana oiice
S.,,d,r~. have a potent influence on
-. hsslth of those who must 1--we anu
,rarl An them. In this connection ne
.t~...e. the influence of the office ouiiu-
ing. NJ Jacob.
Not 80 many years ago Mr. Jacos
himself made the great American ",.s ..
t.Le. he became 20 ABSORBED IN m,e
vor,s that he forgot about MS heaitn
AVA his diaestion began to play ni.h
ty1c,1s which he couldn't lgnoro'
consulted q doctor. who told MN thA.
sS. condition was not serious, out 4hat
- had it's potentialities. Mr.. JACOBS
-. to,A that he must learn to relax
80 that he must spend an hour or so
.St.r luncheon in an atmosphere con-
S,c,v. "a repose. Now Mr.. Jacooss
osr,cc at that time was on Fifth ave-
rae bart it wasn't tho place to inspire
peaceful. happy after luncheon thousn.s.
II was a typical American ortice WIN
forbidding mahogany desk and chalrs'
a big glaring window ana an inaae
ouate partition that let In too freely
the clatter of a typewriter from inc
outer office.
The architect began casting about Tor
a noon day haven. and he hit on
happy idea. He was just putting tne
finishing touches on the Frtars Cluo at
the time, and being a privileged member
of that organization for theatrical rolk
The New York herald., 1921-07-03

Ordway 70 Dr. Nathan B. Strong the
four story dwelling at 100 West 121st
street. 20x10o1I.
Duff & conger. Inc. sold for Ward p.
Chamberlin to DR.. Frank Shapiro the 20
foot three story dwelling at 1902 Madi-
son avenue.
James II. Cruikshank purchased from
Thomas Scholes 321 West 137th street. a
three story dwelling. 15x100, through
Harry Sugarman. broker.
Lloyd Winthrop Company sold for
Mary l.. Entz the four story residence,
20xs5, at 1865 Madison avenue. for con-
version into stores and apartments.
Frank T. warburton was attorney for
the seller.
Suburban transactions.
! Genung & Day OF Morristown. n. j..
sold for Mrs. l.. e. Riggs her estate.
known as Air Castle Isles on the west
side OF Henderson Bay. Lake Hopatcong.
| ~ j.. to Thomas A. Kelly of Paterson.
| who will take immediate possession.
Little Farm. on North street ridge.
White Plains. has been sold for Mrs. +.
! o. Antony by Kenneth Ives Co. The
! property consists OF ten acres, a Colo
/ NAL dwelling and gardeners cottage,
with stable and paddock.
Prince e. Ripley sold for Mrs Agnes
Ballenger and Miss Helen Riley on Pros
uect Hill, Pelham Manor. n Y. house
and an acre OF land TO Mortimer c. Rey-
Z nolds OF this city.
Howe & Thompson sold the new resi-
dence OF W. y. Gambec at Greenacres
10 Mazie Il. kneale Of this city. who
viii occupy
Thomas A. Mcwhlnney Realty Com
rany sold for Louis Schmitt OF Ceda r
hurst plot on the southwest corner OF
broadway and Franklin avenue. Hew-
lott. J.. T.. containing an apartment
house and stores TO the Mott Avenue
Realty Corporation. The same brokers
sold FOR Louis Spitzer OF Woodmere 20
the r. Smith Corporation the northwest
corner OF Broadway and Franklin ave-
nue.. Hewlett. a brick building and four
stores also to the same buyer the
northeast corner OF Broadway and
Franklin place. woodmere, which will
be improved with buildings.
The same brokers have sold for
Charles Yung plot on Central avenue.
corner of Lord avenue. Lawrence, l.. L..
TO David Gideon
William Kerr Macdonald sold AT
woodmere for Lester Hafner an acre
plot on Wood lane to S. Durlacher for
the Title Guarantee and Trust Com
pany four and one-half lots on Central
avenue to Charles Cort; for Ethel Cor
nell new colonial house 10 W. n Bus
teed. and for NJ Farreley business plot
on Broadway to l.. Fansni for improve
mtnt: also sold AZ Hewlett for VI j.
Joyce plot on Hamilton avenue TO
Josephine Carter and for j. Eckenberg
plots 70 Peter Daub and Henry kohne.
The New York herald., 1921-07-03
HARRY ALLAN JkCO6S\
OFFICE d7o AFNRvr1EMT\
BUILDING 9E O. EAST \
SSN STREET DESIGNED
81 HIMSELF.

ought to tell him-that by taking daily
vacation of few minutes at a time he
could effectively sidestep the protracted
rest cure. Now where can he more
profitably spend that vacation, those
precious moments OF relaxation, than In
his office. the place where he Is doomed
to spend the greater portion OF his wax
ing hours? Think of what 1t would
mean for him in the way Of inspiration
and rest II every time he raised his eyes
from his work he could feast them upon
the harmonies of a well devised color
scheme? I believe that everybody is
susceptible to influences Of that kind.
that no matter how uncultivated his ap-
probation of the beautiful may be his
mind instinctively revolts at contact
with the unbeautiful."
Mr.. Jacobs became such devotee OF
his own philosophy that he finally de-
cided to try practical experiment He
bought the old brownstone dwelling at
64 East Fifty-fifth street. and in maxi
ing over the old house into combina-
tion office and apartment structure he
left little but the floor levels. In place
of the sour facade he constructed an in
teresting face of common brick trimmed
with face brick.
1T is wonderful" says Mr.. Jacobs.
what one can do with ordinary COM
mon red brick. I know Of no other
brick that has the softness of color and
the same variation Of shade. We Amer
leans are now beginning to feel the
need of making things look old as a
contrast to our restless. vital lives"
The exterior OF the house as II now
stands. Mr.. Jacobs admits. has no par
ticular style of It's own, but It is both
interesting and pleasing. The figures In
the frieze at the third floor level were
designed by Ulysses Ricci to represent
the four arts-architecture, sculpture,
The New York herald., 1921-07-03

at the same time take better care OF
himself by making his office more invit-
ing. more homelike?
"It occurred to me-" said Mr.. Jacobs
in discussing the development Of this
idea with representative of THE new
YORK HERALD, that the theory of the
American office was basically unsound
that its uniform ugliness and stiffness
and cheerlessness provoked tension. The
best that can be said for it is that II
keeps its occupants mind on the job SC
as TO escape the realization of its ugli-
ness. But that Is not a valid argument,
for no mind. however brilliant. can force
itself to run at top speed continuously
without losing some of It's verve, its
freshness. to say nothing OF the more
serious consequences that are likely 10
accrue from such a policy.
Every now and then you will notice,
the American business man is forced to
The New York herald., 1921-07-03

he fitted up a nook for himself In the
library. In a quiet corner he built a
comfortable seat or couch about eight
feet long and four feet wide, which
fitted into the wall much after the
fashion of a built-in book shelf. 1t so
happened that the couch was built
under a Jacobean arch and his fellow
friars, who never miss a coincidence Of
that kind. christened It Jacobs's corner.
There the architect spent his after
luncheon period, sometimes doing,
sometimes reading. but more often
sketching. His digestion responded rap
idly. but that wasn't the only benefit.
He found to his surprise that in the
artistic solitude of his haven he could
work out designs that eluded him In
the hurried environment of his office.
That discovery set him to thinking.
Why could not the American business
man do better work and more Of 1t and
The New York herald., 1921-07-03

by the fact that the Supreme Court has
recently ordered reductions ranging from
$780, 900 to S2,000,0o0 in the assessed
valuation OF various properties in Man
haitian. City authorities fought the re-
ductions bitterly. as adverse opinions
meant an Increased number of appeals.
with a consequent reduction in the city's
revenue and borrowing capacity.
Desirable as II Is to protect the bor-
rowing capacity of the municipality II
is nevertheless obvious that credit based
solely on inflated valuations must In
time bring disaster. Moreover, IL the
city authorities have a sincere desire To
bring about a reduction in rents they
must realize that this can hardly be
accomplished through constant increases
In both the tax rate and assessed valua-
tions. These increases, as every we'll
informed person knows. Invariably are
passed on to the tenant.
The New York herald., 1921-07-03
S45,Ooo FOR LONG BEACH LOT.

Felix Isman. who made a sensational
though futile attempt TO buy the south
east corner OF Broadway and Four
teenth street at public auction last
week. paid $4,000 for n single lot. 20x
f00xs3 at the northeast corner OF Board
walk and National Boulevard. Lons
Beach. L. T.. at the second auction OF
unrestricted lots held there yesterday
by Joseph r. Day. Mr.. Isman also
purchased the adjoining lot for SIG, 900
There was large attendance nj
the sale and only the higher priced
lots were offered UP to late hour.
The sale will be continued on the
premises by Mr.. Day tomorrow. The
price paid by Mr. 1sman Ia said to be
the highest offered for n seashore lot
in the metropolitan area in number
Of years.
The New York herald., 1921-07-03
Brooklyn Trading.

Bukley a. Horton Company sold l325
Dean street. three story stucco dwell-
ing, 16.sx114.5. for Mrs. 8. M. Hounslea.
Realty Associates sold a two story
dwelling. with garage. at 162 Sullivan
street, between Rogers and Bedford ave-
nues. TO X. NJ. Best.
Samuel Galitzka sold for the Art
Building Company, Inc. to Isidore II.
Pankin. new house. with double ga
rage, northeast corner OF Avenue J and
East Seventh street. 6ox100.
Frank Ricart sold for the Maria Con-
struction Company. Inc, the two family
dwelling on Eighty-fourth street. near
Fourth avenue. to Helene de la Pena.
The New York herald., 1921-07-03
Late News From Realty Market

William and Julius Manger. VINO last
year purchased control of the Martha
Washington Hotel at 20 East Twenty
ninth street have bought from the
Smallwich Realty Company. through
George Day. the adjoining three story
building at 35 East Twenty-ninth street,
on lot 21.4xss.9. 1t was acquired by
the selling company a year ago and was
held at $4,000. with the latest pur-
chase the Manger holdings have been
increased TO 96.4 feet on Twenty y-ninth
street.
New store for l.. NJ. B1umstein Co.
l.. NJ Blumstcin Company has let
contracts for five story depar artment
store on the plots adjoining their pres
ent store on 125th street. The new
building will cost about s1.0oo.00o, and
will contain an auditorium, lunch room
and every modern improvement The
architects are Kohn q Butler. Charles
w. Cowen A Co. are the builders.
Apartment and Flat snIe~.
The Van Nydeck Apartments. two six
at 81 and 81 East Nineteth street. have
been sold by the Systematic Building
Company 10 the An Mi Realty Company.
representing Henry w. Gannench. They
we're sold subject to mortgage OF
$4,000
The seven story elevator apartment
house. 2sx100l0. at 3ee West ii6th
street, has been sold by the 369 West
11sth street, Inc, 10 Sophia Schneider.
Henry Machson has purchased from
the $50 west 1Tsth Street Corporation
the five story apartment building. on
plot 75xs411. at that address, adjoinng
the southwest corner OF Audubon avenue
John Fink sold SIS East Eighty-second
street. a four story nat, for Edward Nc
Cormack: also the six story apartment
at 307 East Ninety-ffth street. 37.6x
1908, for DR.. NJ Canick and Max Po-
dolsky
Charles J. r. Bohlen and Frederick
Benzer sold for the estate OF Anna NJ.
Fronmuller the three ave story tene-
ments at the northwest corner OF Ave-
nue. A and Seventh street.
In the Dwelling Market.
On the block between Park and Lex
ington avenues the Brown wheelock
Company. Inc, sold the houses AZ 1870
East Eightieth street. held at $4,000.
for Mrs Morgan Dix TO oliver James.
and i14. for Louis Yankauer TO Mrs G.
w. Guthridge, a daughter Of Mrs. Ma
dleman. At p price around $4,000. Both
are three story and basement houses. on
lots 1s.4xi02.
zcsAwin a Goodwin sold for Sans l..