The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-07-03
Landmark in
New York to
Be Restored
" a shing tOn Square
Known for Homes Of
Old Families.
BY HELEN WORDEN
Tines special Writer


NEW YORK. July william
- Rhinelander Stewart. New
Yorks most popular bachelor, has
the key 20 Washington Arch.
ITS large silver key 10 the
little brown door on the west end,
he said The City % New YORK
gave u 20 my father years ago."
The late william Rhnelander
Stewart ST. raised the money 20
build the great Washington arcn At
the foot OF Flfth-av. He mad stan
ford White design IT, explained Will
S--uart I lave very dim re-
membrance OF my father. Ellhu
Root and Stanford White stancing
up on a platform az the dedication
Of the arch. The thing that sticks
out IN ms mind though was the
hats they WOre and not the speeches
they made The hats we're ri the
oid-fasnsoned stOvepipe variety.
Straight up and down and very tall.
I've got a picture OF the whole az
fair some place
The Stewart children begged for
the kew 10 the arch when rher we're
yOungsterv. so that Ne migIf get
the balls thrown up on the arch oy
neighb0rhoOd p .ds. said Mr.. stew
art
Wa hlngfOn Square one Of the
most charming sections Of old New
York. is about 10 see alterations
made in the green park it TANKS.
PARK Commissioner Robert Moses
pians 70 restore the old square TO
lbs original state. which means that
the Fifth-av bus route VIII no longer
intersecl the park
Built Home in 1889
The name Of RhinelandeT and
washington Square is synonymous
The old Rhin5lander apartment
house on Fifth-av and Washing
ton SQUARE north. was originally the
home Of VIII Stewart's great aunt.
Serena. and his Ereat-grandfather
Rhinelander who built the house IN
1899 and didn't dare tell his wife
he had gone so far out in the
country
The growth 81 the city north
ward vas heightened By the yellow
fever epidemic Of l82A which doomed
Greenwich Village. Washington
square PARK. a pOtter's field. was
converted into a parade ground IN
1923. Among the New Workers who
built their homes around II were,
boz addition 20 the RhinelanderS.
Thomas Sunern. John Johnson and
George GrlSwOld.
Their houses had deep gardens
with gay. box bOrdered flower beds
beyond which stretched the open
country" SAYS Helen Henderson. IN
A Loiterer IN New York This
was happily before the brownStOne
blight had left It's trail upon do
nestle architecture. Fluted columns
with carved capitals. window trim
mings and front steps Of white mar
bic c0ntraSted with the cheerful red
brick Of the period. cast a happy
influence upon Washington Square. =
Aided nv Paderewski
In 1889. TO celebrate the centenary
anniversary Of George Washington
Inauguration. William RhinelandeI
Stewart ST. helped erect a temporary
Arc dc Triomphc for the event. The
arch looked so we'll that the resi-
dents Of washington Square decided
10 put up a permanent memorial to
the first President and the present
arch was finished IN 1895
PadcTewski. then making his first
tour of America. gave the proceeds
Of one OF his piano recitals toward
building the present arch, 10 which
VIII Stewart has the KEY.
Present residents of Washington
Square are watching Commissioner
Moses developments like the pro-
verbal cat and mouse. They
wonder what treatment he is COINS
10 give the old arch which now
forms the gateway 10 F1fth-av.