The New York herald., 1922-01-16
GROWTH OF GOTHAM
LIKE HUMAN BODY
Realtor i'm Lecture Draws An
alogy Between Infant and
City in 1878.

Walter Stabler. comptroller of the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.
will lecture on real estate mortgages at
the West Side Branch of the Y. M. G. A.
tomorrow evening. His talk will be one
of series of lectures offered by the Y.
NJ c. A. in connection with Its real estate
course. which is Endorsed by the Real
Estate Board of New York. Louis V.
Bright, president of the Lawyers Title
and Trust Company, presides at the
Tuesday night classes.
About 600 men attended the first
FORUM at which Harry Hall or VIM
A. White & Sons was the speaker. Mr..
Hall gave an interesting sketch Of the
growth of New York city from its evac-
uation by the British in 1888 up to 1900.
He compared the growth Of the metrop-
oils with that of a human body, which
when brought into the world Is a small
but complete organism with veins, ;.rte-
ries, heart, organs and a suitable frame
covered with flesh which expands in all
its parts as it grows.
80 New York's framework" he said,
may be thought to consist of Broadway
as it's backbone, the main cross streets
as its ribs, with the transportation lines
its arteries. the business districts and
markets it's digestive organs, tho bank
ing system it's heart and veins and its
residences it's flesh, all of which have
expanded consistently to meet the city's
growing population, fed by it's incrcas-
ing commerce."
Mr.. Hall drew picture OF the little
town or 10000 people which the end of
the Revolution found wrecked by fire,
with ruined trade and an empty treas
ury, and traced it's gradual development
with picturesque descriptions of its life
and appearance at different periods. en-
phasizing especially the important
events which induced its phenomenal
growth. He said these were the devel-
opment of its shipping interests In the
early days of the century the invention
of the steamboat in 1907, the opening
OF the Erie Canal in 1925. the coming
OF the railroads in the '30s. which made
possible the opening of the unoccupied
area of the continent. the introduction
of the Croton water system in 1912, the
invention of the telegraph in 1s46. the
opening of the elevated railroads In
1880, the invention of the telephone
the introduction Of electric lights at
about the same time and. finally. the
adaptation of steel to building construc-
ton in 1884.
Mr. Hall gave some interesting REM
iniscences of his own and recollections
of New York in 1880. and traced the
rorthward movement of the social CEN
ter retail stores. hotels and theaters
as the town grew In size.
He ended with comparative example
of values at different periods in various
parts of the town, such as Wall street
Fifth avenue and Times Square, show
ing. among other items that John Jacob
Astor bought the Eden farm about 1910
for $4,000, and that the lease Of the
Hotel Astor. occupying only a small
corner of the farm, had recently beer
renewed for twenty years at an annual
rental of 100000.
At the close Of the lecture the meeting
was opened for informal discussion In
which many of the audience partici-
pated.
Business Property Sales.
]. Loeb has sold the three story bust
ness building, 20x9S.9. at SO East Thirty
eighth street to n client of William f.
Fuerst. Inc. The property has been in
the family for many years and was held
at $4,000.
NuuftfomfIv proncrtv nraus