New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-01-21
, York. and at Judge Lawrence's house

and Pltt-Sts. COi. lllti NS~''J
that house yet stands-laid little TO the hot'h'
aast and Vim. Laight's, on the sankoi the East
River. was directly IN front OF us--a iuxuriant
,,owth of clover fOurishing IN ms back lot
From this residence | became familiar with
Broadway above Anlhony-st. IT was then called
,be Middle Road. At Anthonyst rose hill,
on the top o. which, on the west side, was two
.tory frame house with BRICK front which, with
a basement aiterward built under It, was pulled
down only last year. On the east SIDE, a Two
story house, occupied ~ Summer by Col. bar
clay as country seat. This house, with stories
and cellar built under. IS that occupied Dy CoI
nelus W Lawrence Esq, during his ma{oi ]i.9
and still stands next, believe, 10 the Cd' i'
House IN Broadway Beyond these neuses !"
a steen descent 10 stone bridge OF one d,0n'
over The outlet Of the KolcS, al a"a 81
Moth ~ the bridge was steep, hisn -" -
80 thonce the ground fell raPny o '"o
middle OF the space between broohie ar 5f,557o
st, where was pond through "hio a.. Va, 49,,
Road was filled up ana bsnb Studded with apple
81 81 Eastward from this, stood bayarl
&c and garden, occupied by Delacrox, as
W.uxball Garden. far below the site OF the pres
~, Vauxha On the west side o. the Middle
pnsd above what Is now Blocker 81, John }.
Is,or had country residence and beyond nm
.oain. VIM. Nelson. These may say, were
vet country residences TIL after the close OF the
War of 1912 At the earlier period OF 1901,
male. fence stretched across Broadway on the
Middle Road. at about Aston lace-there begin
ming the farm Of Randall. which constitutes
bv most noble bequest, the endowment OF the
Sailors Snug Ilarbor.
MANY who hear me Will remember the sandy
hill which intercepted the line of Roadway
mon which stood the mansion-hOuse OF Capt
Randall. long occupied by respectable Gu
zen. James Fafquhar, fine old-iashIoned
gentleman, who formed the taste OF so many
Joung gentlemen Of his day TO VINE and
d.ucine for he was a standing manager OF the
assemblies, and seller OF WINE yet notd-
HE II was not till many years later, that
broadway was cut through TINS sandy hull and
Tho Garden of Mr.. BTevoOrt, which iald beyond
il and where now stretch away, IN endless Ines
elegant houses and noble squares, and paved and
gas. lighted streets, the cows graZed, and the
Industrious gardener planted his ca)bages
To the growth Of the City and The necessities OF
that growth 10 obstacle has been found msu-
perabe The face Of the earth, uneven and rocky,
has been leyeed to a gently slopiug PLAIN
Streets have been prolonged, Strengthened,
widened, and sometimes cut out anew, regard
less of expense and regardless, too, OF Old assOc
atoms and cherished attachments. GraveyardS
those pOpulOus cities Of the dead, have not been
sacred from the hand OF Improvement or thelOOt
planted trees, " for pos Gritty and the immortal
gods !" have been overturned, or, like our pr9sen,
Post Office, given up 10 secular uses. ln'respcct
TO the churches, At will surprise PROBABLY even
those who have been observing lockers on, to
learn how many have risen and disappeared, or
been perverted from their purpose, within the
last halfcenturv To begin with the instance
Iust referred to, of the Post-Olce: The Middle
Dutch Church was one Of the oldest and best
endowed Churches in this City, and IN It's grave
yard, and the vaults around the edlhce Teposed
many Of the descendants Of the first inhabitants
When the building was turned over to secular
uses, these remains were again made to revisit
the pale glmpses of the moOn,' aud were trans
forred to newer resting places, whether to be
more permanent, the future must decide. The
Oldest Dutch Church. that which stood IN Car
dene.st, of which even the name, and almost
the memory, have already disappeared, was
demolished within the last thirty years, 10 make a
place for warehouses and banks. In Cedar
st near the junction of Wllliam-st., was built
about ls0s-9, fine and spacious church edi-
Ace for Rev. John b. Romeyn, a clergyman OF
much reputation for el0quence and plety at thai
day, and who had drawn around hun a congie-
CATION OF wealthy and respectable people. 1t
was n colony, so 10 speak, from the old w all
ST. Church, and the animated sale of its pews
at rates very high-thc FIRST occurrence Of
the kind upon a large scalo-bOth atteSted the
favor IN which the preacher was held and put
him IN possession OF a church free of debt
an inestlmable advantage for ciergYmen and
churches, not less than for men of other vOca-
iions and for public Institutions OF secular aims.
But the Cedarst Church and its Wail.St.
parent have both disappeared the former total
ly, and without leaving slgn-the latter, after
being rebuilt and enlarged VAS, about fifteen years
ago, taken down and transported piece-meal,
and now stands, stone Cor stone, across tho Had
son, IN Jersey City, still temple ~ the Living
God. The graveyard around the Wallst.
Church were broken up, its vaults emptled Of
their unconscious dead-hapDiy unconscious,
as they might well, in the mprecation OF the
Bard, have exclaimed
Leave Us, oh leave 10 repose.
Nor further seek our merits 10 disclose,
Nor draw our frsilties from their dread abode
There they alike in trembling Hope repoSe,l
The bosom OF our Father and our God"
And now we find there the Offices OF CalilOr-
MIA Expresses and Lightning TelegTaphS-as llt-
tie dreamed OF by those upon whose graves the,
stand, as that those graves themselves would
ever yield up their dead but at Che last great sum
mons. Older even than these. was the first Jew
ish Synagogue OF Sheareth Israel, which St0Ot
little retired from Mill-st, between Broad an-
Willam-st. |, hasvaniShed, and so hasth street
too. About the wear 1888, Trinity Church CON
mencod the building Of Chapel IN what was
then most emphatlcaly The very upperm0Si par
OF the City, now known as HudsOn-square
The building (St. JOhns) was not finished hi
1901 Perhaps no more striking illustration O
the change IN the aspect or physognomy OF tho
City and IN the value of It's soil, can be al
duced, than by a quotation from the very int
resting historical work on Trinity Church, b,
the present es,imable Rector, Rev DR.. Ber
nan. Referring 10 the site OF 81. Johns Church
he says This was on the very verge OF
place as unsuitable as possible Tor a sab
stantal edlhce IL was probably IN view Of thi,
difficulty that the AaSfFX made aft3aF n fht
following year lS04) that the Committee d
Leases should have the pond filed up on Ia,
east side OF Lispenards garden, which was 10
the immediate nelghborhOod of the situation
proposed Tor St Johns Church. Indeed, II would
be almost incredible 10 persons OF the present
generation TO hear from those who are older their
secolecuons OF the past IN regard TO this quarter
OF the City IL was Wild and marshy spot OF
10 inconsiderable extent, surrounded with huShe,
and bulruSheS in Winter 4 taVonte place Ion