Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-09-02
Lights Of NewXork
by L. [. STEVENSON


dences of the late John D. Rookie
Teller and John D. Rockefeller, Jr.,
were to be demolished to make
space for million-dollar museum
again recalls the fight of the Rookie
fellers to keep West Fifty-fourth
street, between Fifth and Sixth ave-
nues, strictly residential. Quietly,
Rockefeller and son for years pur-
chased adjacent properties until
they owned all but two parcels on
West Fifty-fourth street and had
considerable holdings on West Fifty
third street. A dozen years ago, the
home of Florence A. Twombley at
the southwest corner of Fifth ave-
nue. and Fifty fourth street was ac-
CURED. The purchase price was not
made public though it was held to
have been more than a million
dollars since the property was as
sessed at more than that amount.
BY owning the Twombley home, with
St. Thomas church on the northwest
corner of Fifty-third street, father
and son possibly thought their pri-
vacy would be protected. For that
security they had invested about
four and a quarter million dollars.
The house in which the elder
Rockefeller spent a number Of
years of his life after he had at
tanned his fortune is four-story
structure at No. 4 West Fifty-fourth
street. It was built in 1865 and at
that time stood alone in the neigh
borhood. In 1912, John D. Rookie
Teller, Jr., built a home at No. 10
West Fifty-fourth street. Nine sto-
ries in height and of ample proper
tons, the residence is one of the
largest homes in the city, it's size
being equivalent to that of an apart
ment house. The cost was 5000, 900
and the interior trim and decora-
tons are said to have cost another
100000. In later years, the elder
Rockefeller spent much of his time
at the Rockefeller estate at Pecan
tico Hills in Westchester. AS the
years passed he passed his sum-
mers on an estate in New jersey
and his winters in Florida.
When plans for Rockefeller Cen
ter, first known in it's entirety as Ra-
dio City, were announced, old-tim-
ers shook their heads. The Rookie
fellers, who had fought for privacy,
by the new development were bring
ing crowds right to their back doors.
Rockefeller Center was built, then
came apartment houses built by
the Rockefellers in West Fifty
fourth street. Now the Rockefeller
homes are to come down and John
D. Rockefeller, Jr., and his family
are to move to Park avenue apart
ment.
New in New York, used to like to
stroll by those quiet, respectable
looking but somewhat domineer-
ing residences on West Fifty-fourth
street. If progress were too slow or
if stop were made to speculate
on the gardens in the rear-gardens
on million-dollar real te!-silent
and businesslike gentlemen ap-
peared. There were always two of
them and took them to be guards.
One evening, saw John D. Rookie
Teller, Jr., carrying bullying brief
case, enter No. 10. Later learned
it was his habit to take home from
his Office at 26 Broadway work he
had been unable to finish during the
day. I never saw the senior Rookie
Teller enter or leave No. 4.
Another diversion for this Middle
Westerner when new in New York
was to wander around Madison ave-
nue. in the vicinity of No. 231 and
hope for glimpse of j. P. Nor
gan. Not until several months of
vain vigil did l learn that though
the telephone book listed that ad-
dress as his, Mr.. Morgan lived out
at Glen Cove, L. I.
With so many New Workers look
ing around for a place to which to
move at the end of September,
tale told by Carl Ravell, young or
chestra leader, about a young friend
seems in line.
Darling" said the friend as he
rushed into his wife's arms, 1--WE
don't have to move to more
expensive apartment. They've Just
raised the rent here"
Recently Phil Baker received a
novel gift, a small glass vial con-
tanning an odd-looking insect. 1t
was sent to him by Vermont farm
er with this note: "Just so you
can carry Beetle and Bottle
around with you when you're not
broadcasting."
9 Bell Syndicate.-wNU Service.