New Britain herald., 1926-05-04
Levitt, Farley and Mo- Donough Buy Wash ington Street Proper
 ty Today For S9O,OOO.
Make Positive Statement Playhouse Will Be Con- structed - Sale Ends Long Litigation.

William J. Farley, Attorney George Levitt and Attorney Patrick r. McDonough completed negotia- tions today for the purchase of the South Congregational church par sonage on Washington street of E. N. Stanley president of the Savings bank of New Britain, who was ap- pointed a committee by the superior court to sell the property. The transfer involves a cash transaction of approximately s90,0O0 and was completed through Louie s. Jones.
 The property adjoins the PrOfes- sional building directly across from the Burritt hotel. It has a frontage on Washington street of 127 feet and has depth of 331 feet. The new owners say they contemplate the erection of a theater on the site, the plans and specifications to be announced at a later date. The building will also contain several stores.
 The acquisition Of the property leaves the new owners, who arc in- corporated under the title of the Central Block Co.,, Inc, the posses sors Of more property in the busi- ness section of New Britain than any other individual or corporation.
 With the purchase Of the prop 4rty also ends a court action started over 10 years ago by the South Congre gational Ecclesiastical society and carried through the various stages of court procedure, to break the terms of will under which the property was left 10 the South Con- gregational church to be used as q parsonage. The court ruling ap- pointing Mir. Stanley the committee to sell the property was delivered some time ago and full search Of titles and other details connected with the property have been com pleted under his direction.
 Erwin Left Property 10 Church
 The property was purchased by the late Cornelius B. Erwin of it's original owners and about the year 1878, he began the erection Of the residence which now stands on the property The building is one of the finest in this city. All the wood worl: was hand done and the cost os ifs erection was enormous. + is said that when MT Erwin had ex- pended $115,ooO on it, he threw away the books and finished the building without computing the further cost.
 Upon his death in 1885. he stipulated in his will that the prop erty and house should be left to the South Congregational church for use 9 parsonage. The document stipulated also that when the church should no longer wish to use it for that purpose, it would become the property Of several colleges and other institutions.
 Rev. James W. Cooper. D.D.. was the first pastor of the South Con gregationaI church to occupy the residence. He lived there from 1887 to 1899 and was followed until the present day as occupants in the parsonage by his successors as pas tor.
 At the time of its erection, the parsonage was the most beautiful home in this section of the country and by far the most expensive. Its beauty of design and its interior decorations were unequalled this side Of New York city.
 Slowly, however, as the years crept hy the business Of the city expanded until ifs exclusiveness and beauty were swallowed up in the business blocks and office buildings erected all about it. It soon be- came evident to the officers of the ecclesiastical society that at some time in the near future, it would have to give way 10 the modern trend and an investigation into the terms of inc Erwin will was made with the object in view of disposing of the place.
 Several Bcncticiaries Cease to Exist
 During the investigation it de- veloped that many of the institu- tiOns which were to benefit through the property under the terms of the will in the event that the South Congregational church decided to give up it's use as a parsonage, had gone out of existence. Application
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