New-York Tribune from New York, New York • Page 36

El ii M.r II IV erlip Stages Return of Colonial Sparta's Charm Little Hudson River" Hamlet, Long Fallen to Decay To Be Rehabilitated and Made Attrac? tive to Seekers of Cozy Rural Homes The world, which knows Frank A. Vanderlip as a marshal of finance', a man of achievements' great com? mercial merit, may be interested to know that he also is a home builder. gives the former president the National City Bank and one time Assistant Secretary of the Treasury of the United States more pleasure than to dilapidated old homes their former charm and attractiveness. The world came upon Mr. Vanderlip's unsuspected hobby last week through the filing of legal papers placing the ownership of the little town of Sparta on-the-Hudson, a next door village to Scarborough, where Mr.

Vanderlip lives, in the hands of the well-known banker. Purchase of the little town was ac? cepted immediately by the public as the first move in a philanthropic proj? ect, which aimed to alleviate house shortage or advance some pet scheme of the banker's. But this was not true. In denying that the public had guessed correctly his plans for Sparta, Mr. Vandrelip that the purchase of the century-old town near Beechwood, his Hudson estate, was made to afford him the op? portunity of enjoying his hobby, and at the same time providing charming i'ttle homes for folk? who.

-Would like to live in the lee of TTestehester's beautiful hill country. Twenty-five Homes in Town Had the Sparta purchase escaped the attention of the public Mr. Vanderlip would have continued to enjoy his hobby unknown to most folks who know him personally or through newspaper columns. He would have made over the little town and its complement of homes into modern attractive living places, which he would have sold or rented to folks who would appreciate the beauty of the surroundings much more than most of the present Sparta do. There are about twenty-five and 200 acres in the town of Sparta, which extends practically from the Hudspn River over to Revolutionary Road, about a quarter of a mile north of the country estate of Mr.

Vanderlip. Folks who have turned off the Albany Post Road and passed through the hamlet will question the ultimate success of Mr. Vanderlip's efforts to restore to old Sparta its charm and position of 100 years ago, which is his aim, and which he says he will accom? plish and get a lot of fun out of thf doing of it. Mr. Vanderlip has over? come greater problems than this.

For years undesirables have fount refuge in Sparta. State constabulary troopers have been called often to the little place off the beaten path to press disorder, drunken brawls, or to i search for gentry wanted for breaking I the laws of the commonwealth. Au? thorities at Sing Sing Prison, to the north, invariably make post haste for Sparta when a "boarder" has made a break for the open and just as invari? ably get their man there. Many escapes from the gray prison to the north have been hatched in Sparta. Such condi? tions do not make for a clean and attractive town.

Pretty Homes Badly Maintained Such misappropriation of energy has lowered the position of old Sparta, de stroying its attractiveness as a and countryside. Homes that once were among the best along Westches river edge have been desecrated and decay has been permitted to go unchecked. Half a century of this has left Sparta anything but a pleasant little living place, it was a sorry sight to Mr. Vanderlip to see the structural charm of homes built generations ago being destroyed lor want of some paint and repairs. Some ten years ago Mr.

Vanderlip disclosed his interest in the neighbor? ing town by making over one of the old buildings into a community center. He established a library and made modern living accommodations above it, the first to be provided in the town. He employed social workers to direct the interests of the people of Sparta into channels that would result in the gen? eral improvement of the place, but they were not as successful as hoped. Conditions contrary to those planted fifty, sixty or more years ago were not to be eliminated in a few years. The folks who settled in Sparta fol? lowing the discovery of silver and cop? per in Ossining were of the same cali? ber as those usually attracted by dis? coveries of precious metals, good, bad and medium.

Refuge of Undesirables The building of the Aqueduct in 1831 brought from various sections of the country many who were not sticklers for law or order or things of refinement or beauty. The construc? tion of the state prison on the water edge just under Ossining brought some more settlers who were not of the most desirable class. So down through the years has come little Sparta, shorn of all the things that made it a fine little home place in the days when George III ruled this country and for many years after. Major Andr? no doubt remarked the cosiness of the little Sparta home settlement as he passed it on his way from Stony Point, where he had met Benedict Arnold to arrange for the delivery of West Point to the Brit? ish. A few miles down the Post road he was accosted by three pa? triots who refused to be bluffed by him that he was an emissary of Wash? ington.

They searched him, and every one knows the rest; he was hanged as a spy. Ichabod Crane, who told of the head? less horseman who galloped across Sleepy Hollow bridge in the dead of i night, knew well old Sparta. In those days town held the homes of New York merchants. Suspicion plaints strongly to the pres ence there land developers, for the deeds which tro back into the past show the iand was ivided even in days into small sitv-s and were purchased i from the same 'rantor. I Whole Town To Be Remade To Sparta of the future i the Sparta of the p.ot is Mr.

Vanoer The will be le i stoi i' modernized extended. Mr. Vande ip has called Arthur Loomu Harmon, architect, of 27 East For tieth St eet, to cooperate with him In this interesting As both men seem to take keen delXght in it there canno'. bn. any other result but success.

i Mr. Vandeilip confessed other day that he would sooner be I in restoring old houses than in i many other things. "I like to fuss with blue prints," he said, "and study the de? tails of an old structure and how it may be made useful without destroying the charm of its exterior or interior. like to take old things and make them new." Mr. Vanderlip's inclination in this is indicated by the furnish? ings in his private office in one of the tall buildings overlookir.tr Trinity.

His desk was a writing table that might have served when New York was still a colony. Behind it sat Mr. Vanderlip, smoking his pipe and entwining anil loosening his lingers ss he to'ul of his pians for Sparta. His attitude and the tone of his voice as he spoke of the many nice things he planned for the old homes of his neighboring town were sufficient evidence of the mnn's en? thusiasm in the project. "It is a little something I have had in mind for some time," he continued.

"There are a number of nice homts in the town which are worth saving, and I these will be saved." iVlks there will likely remain, Vanderlip in timatod, but most of 'lie citizens of Sparta will be compelled to move to I ot'ier parts. After th? houses have been altered some new homes will be Upward of $15,000 will be represented some of the altered houses. Some I places will not represent that much. That money is not the big factor is in- dicated by Mr. Vanderlip's willingness to sell any of the houses after altera? tions have been made for 20 per cent less than he will put into them.

Three or 4 per cent on his investment will be all that Mr. Vanderlip will take from those who would like to be his tenants. N'o one can have tho uudacity to charge him with profiteering. Three houses are now being altered, i or will be started apart? ment and two private dwellings. Long i before they have been modernized oth? ers will be taken over.

It is estimated that the entire town will be remodeled and made new before next fall. Paint I and stucco will be used liberally in i making the transformation. The three houses under way are about ap interesting as will be found in the entire transformation and will illus? trate the wonders which the well known banker and Mr. Harmon are go I ing to bring in the appearance and character of Sparta. The Slayter house, on Liberty Street, Ibvilt in 1852 and perhaps the largest i dwelling in the town, is to be made into an apartment house for three fam i ilies.

The plan is very interesting, as tenants will not have to meet unless they so desire. Each apartment will have its own separate entrance and lnwn or garden out in front. The house to-day is nothing more than a big frame box with a porch in front. One Apartment House A door to be cut in one side of the house will lead to the second floor apartment, consisting of a living room, kitchen, two bedrooms and sleeping porch. The old porch will be utilized as an entrance to the first floor apart which will be built around the staircase to the apartment above.

An I rddition will be erectel to the other of the building, and in this and part of the old house will be the third apartment, with an entrance reached by a walk through the garden. This will be a duplex suite. Each apartment will be provided with an individual laundry and drying place for clothes. The rooms will have elec? tric light and will be heated from a I central heating plant. The apartments will be large dospite the fact that three i families will be provided with attrac? tive living accommodations in one house.

The change that will be worked in the exterior of the old house will be astonishing. The feel of the old place will be recovered by the use of Colonial fanlights over the doors and a winding stairs up to the entrance porch to the first floor apartment. At the head of the stairs will be a pair of old-fash? ioned square lamps. Many such little details will again wrap the housse in an atmosphere that will cause one to think of the days of long long ago. Hotel To Be Home Up the road will be the dwellings.

The old Washington Hotel will be util? ized as the central part of one of the little homes. Aditions will be built on each side of the building following the line of the road, which will give the little house a graceful, curved facade. I The building will be of red brick, two I stories high, with sloping roof, out of I the center of which will be a chimney capped and with exposed flues. The entrance to the house will be on the curve. On each side of the door will be half windows with curved tops to correspond with the door.

They will light the entrance hall, which will be six feet wide. The staircase will be 'directly opposite. To the right will be the living room, which will be in the oid hctel building. An open fireplace I six feet wide will be built on one side, Financier Bought! Entire Town to Wipe Out Bad Spot and Now He Will Indulge His Hobbv of Making Over Dwelling Houses and directly across from it be large bay window. At the other end of the house will be the kitchen and the dining room.

An entrance to the kitchen is provided directly from the street at the coree: of the house. At the rear of the section will be erected a sun parlor sleeping porch. Bringing Back Old Time? Another interesting development will be the changes which Mr. Vanderlip will make in the old house at the junction of Liberty Street and Rock ledge Road. The house, set on a tri? angular site, presents Mr.

and Mr. Harmon with new and inter? esting problems. By building out on one side and tearing down at another the house has been changed into of much charm, as may be seen by the accompanying illustration. In the old section of the house will be the dining room and kitchen. A side flight of steps within the line the old section will take one to a fine old door with knocker.

Admii sion will be directly into a large living room with brick floor laid herringbone fashion. In the ceiling will be exposed beams with wide spaces between. A fireplace close to three feet and about twelve feet wide, with built in bookcases on each side, will be found at the far end of the room. Almost directly opposite will be an arched doorway leading to the dining room. The fireplace in the dining room has been placed on a direct line with the one in the living room, giving a most cheerful view.

Off the dining room will be a pore's two stories high. The upper floor will be used for sleeping purposes. The kitchen will be located in the rear of the dining room. The dining room will have a beamed ceiling. Charming dormer windows In fron: and little windows in the side walls will light up the bedrooms on the second floor.

A house nearby is to be made into as artists' studio. Every house is to come in for attention. The roads are to be relaid and the fences along the highways removed and new ones erected. It is Mr. hobby, and for the next year he will give most of the time not needed in directing business affairs to the restoration of his town in Westchester.

Thirteen More Astor Houses In Harlem Sold Dwellings of I Baron William Waldorf in West 129th Street. Adjoining 5th Avenue. Disposed Of! The estate of the late Baron William Waldorf Astor lias sold through the I Farmers Loan and Trust Company, as trustee, thirteen dwellings at 1 to West I29th Street. The houses arc all of the four-story and basement I type, each on. lot 20x100.

The sale is understood to have been made through L. J. Phillips brokers, but at! I their office yesterday it was said that Charles A. Peabody, representing the estate, has authorized nc statement concerning the deal. The houses were erect-id by the As tora many years ago, and the land had been in their possession for more than half a century.

The house adjoins the Hall apartments, at the northwest corner of Fifth Avenue and 129th Street. A week ago James H. Cruikshank, operator, bought from the Asters the the abutting row of ten three-story dwellings at 8 to 20 West 180th Street, and a couple of days ago he purchased the ten dwellings at 44 to 62 West 130th Street, on the same block, from the New York Savings Bank. This was also a former holding of the Astors. Another Clark Estate House Sold The Brown, Wheelock Company, for the Clark estate 51 West Eighty-fifth Street, a four story dwell? ing, 17.6x102.2.

The new owner will occupy after extensive alterations have been made. Gladys Y. Rousseau sold to Nathalie H. Swan, the tenant, the five story dwelling 18 East Eighty-third Street, 20x102.2. James Beck sold to Marguerite H.

Day the five story dwelling, 100 East Sixty-fifth Street, 17x100-5. Isaac Baker sold to Joseph H. Blu menthal the four story dwelling 79. 108th Street, 17x90. The Pierre Golden Company sold 44 West Seventy-sixth Street, a four dwelling, 20x100, for the L.

Sutro estate to a Mr. Daly. The Fort Tryon Holding Company to the 135 West Seventy-second Street Corporation the four Ftor.v dwelling 185 West Seventy-second Street, 22x102.2. Other Dwellings Change Ownership Henry V. Allen sold Ao Salvatorc A.

Cotillo the three storl dwelling East 116th Street, 16.8X?00. atoar Smyth sold to Barry L. F. lace the two story dwelling 408 Pleas? ant Avenue, 16.8x64. Clara Margulies sold to Irving Hordes the three storv dwelling 126 West 120th Street, 19x100.

Mrs. Marietta Starks sold to the John H. Pierce Realty and Holding Company 148 West 132d Street, a three story dwelling, 14.8x100. Ellen B. Thompson was the broker.

The three story dwelling 511 West 149th Street, 17.6x10o, is to be taken over by the 511 West 149th Street Realty Company. Eleanor F. Bennett sold to Mary E. the two story dwelling 516 West 183d Street, 16x104.11. John G.

Froatz sold to Sydney 15. Parris the Hirer story dwelling 212 West 142d Street, 17x99.11. Twelve-Story Loft In 12th St. Sold Structure Taken Over by Cor? poration Trading in BusinOTs Buildings Downtown The twelve-story loft, 8 East Twelfth Street has been sold by the 8 East Twelfth Street Company to the 8-12 Holding Corporation. The Benson Manufacturing Corpora? tion bought from Herman Rieb the four-story building 212 East Twelfth Street, 20x106.6.

Cruce II. Phillips and others sold to Sixth Avenue Inc. the three-story i building with stores 232 Sixth Avenue I 19x70, adjoining the northeast cornet of Fifteenth Street. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Mathew sold through Peter Biegt to Ciraldi Brothers, tenants, the four story building with store 296 Bleeckei Street, northwest corner of Street, 16.11x81.

The S. S. White Dental Manufactur ing Company bought from th? Marke Street Realty Company the building, 120x26.5, on the east aid? of Market Slip, between Cherry ant Water streets. Max N. resold to the W.

G. Corporation the five-story build ing with stores 204 Dclancey Street 25x100. "Big Tim" Sullivan's Private Race Course To Be Realty and personal assets of th' late "Big Tim" Sullivan, Tamman; chieftain on tho lower East Side, wil be sold at auction in the Vesey Stree salesroom on November 23 by Henr, Brady through instructions of Harina' Sullivan. Among the realty to be of fered is an farm at Net Brunswick, N. where Mr.

Sullivai trained some of his fastest raephorsee There are a track and a judges' stan? or. the property. White Plains Buyers to Build R. Franklin Hull so'ld for Mrs. Jan C.

Dickio a plot at South Broadway an? Livingston Avenue, white William J. Miller and Wilfred Quinby builders, who expect to Improve it witl residence. in Flathouscs I On West and East Side The Duress Company sold for the Elizabeth Coley Ross Corporation the I four-story flat 42 West 100th Street, 19.4x100.3, lo Samuel Pricss. i Rose K. Spiegel sold to Malvina the five-story flat St.

Nicholas Avenue, Albert A. Kirch sold to Rose Kert the four-story tenement 239G ond Avenue, Henry V. Allien sold to Salvatore Cotillo the four-story tenement i First Avenue, 29x78. Manhattan Has 33 Dwelling? To Every Office Building In Manhattan there are thirty-three dwellings, containing one or more families, to every office Building figures show that there are 770 office buildings in the- borough, while there are 25,963 dwelling buiid ings. These also show that Manhattan has 1,391 factories and 2,018 garages.

Sale of Newark Building The three-story building 44 Penning ton Street. Newark, N. 21x80, has been sold by the Fidelity Trust Com? pany to Marcus Nelson through I.ouis Inc. Sales at Ridgevvood S. Forman sold for Margaret T.

Rtane to George A. Hill of Springfielc, a new house on Monroe R'dgewood, N. and for J. S. Raplael Edward B.

Moss 4. Washington Place. Home Buying i a Bronx David Woodall soli for John J. t.ark frame dwelling 1694 Monroe Avenie, Bt-'ttinger jr. to Antonio Vallino the dwelling 209 Hughes Avenu'.

25 xlOO. Harret sold to Stephen Kar potsky the welling West 178th Street, Sales of Attractive Estates at Larchmont E. C. Griffin P. H.

Collins sold for Frank A. Moore a large tract at Beach, Linden and Grove avenues, Larchmont. to Morris L. Goldstone; for Mrs. Ajina J.

Sutherland to Benjamin E. Levy her i property on Pryor Lane, consisting of about one and three-fourths acres, with Colonial residence with garage, held at and in Enipey a cottage on Shepard Place, Larchmont, I to Dr. William H. Leak, of this city. Home in Flushing Sold Ira L.

Terry sold for Caroline Ruehc, of Troy, a dwelling, 31x99, at 174 Percy Street, Flushing, L. to B. M. Helprin. House for Wedding Gift William H.

Woodin, of 752 Park Ave 1 nue, presented to his daughter, Anna Jessup, the dwelling house at Beech I Street and Syringa Place, Flushing, as I a wedding gift upon her recent mar I riagc to Colonel Olin Frisbie Harvey. The purchase was made through Ira L. i Terry. New Territory for Sehnebly F. Brevoort Sehnebly.

formerly as i sociated with Prince Ripley, has as sumed the managership of tlie Green i wich territory and is now in charge of 1 the firm's branch office at Putnam Avenue and Sherwood Place, Creen i wich, Conn. Best Architectural Creations oif the Year in Fifth Avenue Business District Rewarded by Fifth Avenue Association The building? shown here were from fifty-five structures, newly erected or alterad, in the Fifth Avenue di.trict thi. Filth w.r. m.d. comm.tl..

Pay $4,200,000 For Space in Steamship Row Anaronda Copper Mining Co. Leaser- Two Floor? ia Cunard Building Being Built in Bowling Green William A. White Sons hare leased for the Twenty-five Broadway tion. Bernard Wakefield. renting agei't? the eighteenth and nineteenth floors the Cunard Building, now being erected, to the Anaconda Copper Mining Com? pany, Cornelius P.

M. Kelly, president The floors contain square feet ot space, and the lease is for twenty-one years, at an aggregate rental of $4,000,000. These two floors had been previously leased by W. A. Harrimar but as this firm recently purchased the Gaston, Williams Wigmore Build? ing, at 39 Broadway, for their business home, they did not require the Cunara Building space.

The Anaconda Copper Mining Com? pany is composed of the Anaconda Cop? per Company, Montana Power Com? pany, Andes Copper Mining Company, I'nited Metals Selling Company Greene Cananea Copper Company, for many years has been located at The same brokers receJltJy leased the fifteenth floor to the Rob? ertson Cole Company, automobile ex? porters. The recent acquis'tion by the Stand? ard Oil Company of the property the street, at 8 to 20 Broadway. it is rumored, will be altered in the near future, and tM purchase of 1 Broadway, two door? south of the Cunard Building, by International Mercantile Marine Com? pany, who are now converting the prop? erty into an office building which be managed by William A. Sons, are indications of the transformation which the Green section of Broadway going. Joeph P.

Day Tens of Queens Opportunities for Joseph P. Day was among the crs at a luncheon conference Queensboro Chamber of Commerce -as? week. Mr. Day explained the real tatc situation in general and sh? what opportunities exist in Island City not only for expansion but also for the erec of homes for artisans. Mr.

Day duced a map which showed the tive land values in Manhattan Long Island City. By means of a piece of string, which was through the map at Grand tion, comparative values readily seen by moving the strtSf ti circular direction?.