Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-02-11
Back to the East Side
ny Frederic J. Haskin

New York. Feb. 1.-THE rece mt news
that Mrs. William IL. Vanderbilt mas soiu
her Fifth Avenue home and intends 20
move To faded, little Old sutton race
along the banks of the East River, mas
caused a great deal OF consternauoll IL
New York. New Workers, Oh the whole,
are not inclined to sympathize Win ne
move Those who take great civic prlde
m .he appearance of Fifth Avenue hate 70
SEQ the Vanderbilt home demolished, as 1t
Drobably will be, and those who 1--we IN
,be peirhborhood of Sutton Place arc
indignant for quite another reason.
Among the latter is a small artist colony,
which has been extremely comfortable in
th,s district for number OF years ana
which greatly resents the intrusl~ OF the
wealthy.
1T lust means that we will have 70
move again" complained one such dis
tnrhcd artist the othe evening, as he
sir,od n teacupful of very fair cllanti
ln y small East side cafe Rents have al
ready doubled on our street In another
month. il Mrs Vanderbilt hmngs the
us,lal retinue Of satellites with her, they
will he trebled and no artist VIII he abie
n afford 10 live there. It's simply beasuy
The vav these people are running the Fast
SIDE The dear old place is breaking out
like chickenpox with fashionable colonies
everywhere. -
The artist then went on to explain that
the housing situation was practically drlV-
~, ART ont of New York In few more
yrers he declared. bitterly it would he
nisbed out into the suburbs, because IL
has become absolutely impossible TO es-
,ahlsh and keep an exclusive artsts
colony anywherc within the city limits.
:, "You sco. ere part of a vicious cycle.
no sald We find a n ice, quiet place, with
! aood landscape or skyscrape. and Just
,,ct comfortably settled when along come
snno fashionable ladies who Immediate
~ deride that they want it. They IN turn
have been orsted out of their favorlte
mot bv tho invasion OF shopkeeperS and
hotels who have moved uptown 70 es-
rap, the factories and warehouses. There
a movement 70 keep the factories IN
,helr place. YOU know, but nothing has
,ct hceu done 70 keep the reta Ilers where
,hev belong. or 70 make the sristoSraoy
stay put -.
And what about you artists we
surVestad Aren't YOU poachers, too.
Vor YOU come along and drive the pro
etariat out Of their homes. lou said Just
afew minutes ago that YOU 1--we IN house
formerly occupied b. family o. nlne
Italian immigrants
YES" agreed the artist pcnsively
'Iwonder where the immigrants move 70
FOUR HUNDRED FACES EAST.
Although the various changes which are
ranldlv taking place IN New orks res
ldental districts may not be due entire-
h. 10 our friends cycle, II Is trlie that there
a q strong k-to-tho-East-Side move
,nent among fashionable New Workers
II ishecoming quito the proper thing e
i've in obscure and dIngy nclghhorhocds
wing between Third Avenue and the
last river Mrs Vanderbilt propose
migration 90 this district Is only one 81
many that have occurred IN society CIR,
cles during the past two years Severai
exclusive colonies Of fashionable folk art
already hourishing on sites but recently
supporting tenements, and gTaailaiiy hi'
Fast Side Is taking on a new perSonaalt
Whole streets are shedding their dingN
poverty like cloak and emerging 7.
'ustrous. modern raiment, remodeled IRON
the tattars of their glorious early years
For. long ago, before the proletaTla'
took complete possession Of it, the Ehs'
Sldc was a fashionable suburb. scatterci
with large country estates, with a splendid
~ Third Avenue where the.steel girder,
az the elevated arr now planted kveninow
the casual pedestrian, wandering about
the region, tinds many distinct traces oi
r. aristocratic, rural past
Among these Is n picturesque old stone
house bearing on one of It's gaoled wing
the erection date Of 1899 in large brick
letters. This was built ~ dashing colonel
named William stephens Smith, who
was chiefly famous because he married
Abigail Adams. the only daughter OF
President John Adams. Colonel smith
having served on Washington 5 staff II
the Revolutionary War, was appointed
surveyor Of the Port Of New York durInG
the administration Of the first President
AZ which time be bought tract OF land
along the East River and built himself
= spacious frame house. The present
stone house was originally the stable oi
this dwelling.
STORY or A EOrsE-
Smith however, soon fell into financia
straits his property had 70 he sacrificed
A auction, and his house was turned lntC
. fashionable school, while th sable be
earrle popular road house, run by William
Niblo There Is an old advert isement q
this early inn. which speaks Of Il as =