Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-06-04
For the Southern Standard
History Of the City of New York.
FROM THE TIME OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE ISLAND
IN 1909, TO THE PRESENT DATE.
Chapt. XII.

mdlhlnS OF the ancient Dutch construction, having
"pediment walls surrounding the roof in 'front.'
and giving their gable ends to the street; form
once almost universal
In 1897 they took down one of these houses in
fine preservation and dignity of appearance, at the
corner of Pearl street and Old-sp, marked 1898.
About the same time they also took down another
on the northeast corner Of Counties slip, marked
1901. The opposite corner had another marked
1859. In Broad street, No. Al, was one of those
houses marked 1893. occupied by Ferris & Co.
Another, appearing equally old, but lower in
height stood at the North corner of Broad
and Beaver streets. The great fires of 1885 and
l845 destroyed nearly all that were left of these
old buildings, and their place is now supplied by
lofty Warehouse
The "Old Sugar house" was in Liberty street
near Nassau street. 1t was a square, massive
stone building of four stories erected for a sugar
bakery about the year 1850. 1t was torn down in
49,, and numerous are the canes which were
made from the old oak beams at the time of its
demolition. During the time the British held pos
session of New York, they used itas prison, and
several hundred American prisoners were confined
there by order of Loring, the British Commissa-
ry General of prisoners. The Middle Dutch
Church, (now, the Post Office, was, on the first
entrance of the royal troops into New York, turn
ed into riding school for the l7th Light ORA
goons, but afterwards converted into hospital for
the sick prisoners.
For years after the war, old veterans of the
Revolution, when they came to New York, would
first visit the Sugar House, and point out windows
from which they used to gaze through gratngs
into the street, and sigh for liberty! The walls
in many places covered with the names of
soldiers, who had left these memorials of their
Imprisonment for another generation 10 gaze upon.
Hundreds of names initials and dates were tep-
y cut into the solid beams by those who passed
one, two and three years in that crowded, sickly
place. and left it, broken down in body, and in
some instances even the mind completely shatter-
ed from continued suffering and want The Old
| Sugar House might well have been called the
''Bastile' of our Revolution
Ethan Allen, in his memoirs, has left some un-
pleasant records of the sutferings of American
prisoners in New York, during the period he him.
self was confined there, OF which he was an eye
witness. In some instances the spirit of patriot
ism that gowed in the breasts OF prisoners was
most touching. The British Islands in the West
, Indies were but thinly garrisoned, owing to the
heavy drafts on the army for service IN America,
and the commanders here were ordered to recruit
if possible, from the American prisoners. They
well knew that the captves would not serve against
t their own countrvmen, and for that reason, they
5 were offered their liberty, provided they would
enlist for the Kings service in the West Indies
But few enlisted, and those VINO dld, deserted or
the first opportunity
In referring to the old Gerry House," Mr.
Watson, in his annals of New York, says:
Il am told that the real Ferry House" OF
q Broad street. was at the north east of Gar
den street, now, Exchange Place, and is lately
taken down, land so several others have suggest
ed to me J and that the other NO l9) little
hi her up, the north end of the Custom Hous
v store was only second inn, having ferry sign
n either in Opposltlon or to perpetuate the other
[, The boats were fiat bottomed, and used to COM
J. from jersey. To me, | confess it seems to hav
l. been singular location for ferry but the ira
dition is so general and concurrent incline t
think it was so called from its being resort c
country boats coming there to find central plac
for their sales A man actually born in the oil
ferry house, at the corner, and who dwelt Their
forty years. described it as a very low, one-stor
], house, with very high and steep pediment roof
le its front on Broad street. Its side along Garde
Id Alley, had two dormer windows in the roof, niue
v above the plate; shingled roof, covered wit
to moss one hundred years. probably, of age; ha
a an iron boat, and oars, and anchor for a sign
p The Governors House adjoned it in the alley.
~ j. Fenimore Cooper in his tale of the Waite
os With, profting, as | presume, by Watson's fac
concerning the ancient Ferry House, at the head
Broad street, thus graphically depicts the pac
and appurtenances, to wit:
"a Deep narrow creek penetrated the island,
), this point, for the distance of quarter of mil
:. Each of its banks had row Of buildings. as Il
= houses line canal in the city of Holland As tt
cir natural course of the rvulet necessarily re
rv, pected, the stream had taken curveture not u
10 ike that of new moon. The houses were ultr
IN Dutch being low, angular, fastldlously neat, al
all erected with their gables to the street. Ea'
had its ugly and announcement entrance, termed
~ stoop, its wane. or weathercock, its dormer- WI
a. a. dow, and its graduated, battlement walls. Ne
the apex one of the latter, little iron era
- projected into the street small boat OF t
same metal. swung from its end-a sign that t
building to which it appended was ferry house
/ Gan inherent love of the artificial and confn
n navigation, had, probably induced the burghers
the select this spot, as the place whence SO ma
en- craft departed from the town, since it is certs
of that the two rivers could have furnished dive
if points more favorable for such an object."
are cat he time of the departure OF the Perlagt
not at sunrise, fifty blacks seen IN the sire
pie dipping their brooms in the creek and flourish
Tue water over the side walks and over the fronts
the low edifces This light, but daily duty v
relieved by clamorous collisions of wit, and
,uld shouts of merriment, in which the whole str
rate would join. as with one joyous and reckless mo-
sell ment of the whole spirit.
In Here and there. grave burgher. still in
night-cap, might be seen with a head thrust
of an upper window. listening to these lig
hearted ebullitions of the noisy race, and tax