King's Views of New York - XVI

King's Views of New York, week number 16. As always, click on the "See Large" link beneath each image to see in much greater detail.




(See Large) - Photo: Irving Underhill (Date N/A)
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company - 1 Madison Avenue; magnificent carved marble office building, facing Madison Square; occupying entire block, with arcade to Fourth Avenue and annex across 24th Street; tower, 52 stories, 700 feet high, 75 X 90 feet at base; view of New York and surroundings for 20 miles from top; home office of the greatest insurance corporation, organized 1868; 13,957,000 policies in force, representing insurance aggregating more than $2,816,000,000. John H. Hegeman, President.


(See Large) - Photo: Irving Underhill (Date N/A)
Madison Square Garden - Madison to 4th Ave., 26th to 27th St.; occupying entire city block, 425 by 200 ft.; tower 341 ft. high; statue of Diana, 13 ft. high, by Angus Gaudens; erected 1890; cost $3,000,000; largest amphitheatre in America, 300 by 200 ft., 80 ft. high, arena 268 by 122 ft.; seats 12,000. Scene of great political meetings.


(See Large)
Hotel McAlpin - Broadway, 33rd to 34th Sts.; 25 stories, with 3 sub-basements; largest capacity in the world, 1,620 rooms, all light, with 1,100 baths; 1,800 telephones, largest private exchange, 30X120 ft.; 7 miles steam pipes; 115 miles wiring; ball room, 46X84 ft., 25 ft. high; banquet room, 32X80 ft.; club room for men guests, 65X96 ft.; cost, $13,500,000. Greeley Square Hotel Co.


(See Large)
Broadway - from Greeley Square to Times Square, showing city's greatest thoroughfare intersected by Sixth Ave. and 34th St. with three great department stores at the left; upper end of the most important retail shopping district in the world, which extends from Eighth St.; center of largest hotel district; known as "The Great White Way," from the brilliance of the electric signs. Branch of new municipal subway is being constructed under this section of Broadway. Hudson Tubes now terminating under elevated R.R. Stations to be extended to 42nd St. to Grand Central.


(See Large)
Herald Square and Broadway - north from "L" Station at 33rd St., showing the Rialto, or "Great White Way," extending from 34th St. to Times SQuare, centre of largest theatre district in the world, filled with shoppers and theatrical folk by day and playgoers by night. The "Herald"; founded 1835 by James Gordon Bennett Sr., now conducted by his son, and evening edition, "The Telegram," occupy building of early Florentine design. Sixth Avenue is filled with retail shops; cupolas of the Hippodrome indicate where the club district touches the theatre section.


...to be continued.