The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-03-26

suCn Otner examlnatons inquiry and research aS
mentioned.
The street proposed commences on Broadway,
partly IN line with Pine street. forty feet south OF
Thames street; il iyeight feet eleven inches wide
on Broadway, and is continued until it strikes Trini
" place, forty-six feet ono inch south Of Thames
street, where II becomes gradually diminished in
width to ftythree feet eight inches. 1t is then con-
tnued, commencing on the west side of Trinity
place, fty-threo feet four inches south of Thames
street. and is there fifty feet in width, and is con-
tnued to Greenwich street, which it strikes partly
IN line with Albany street, fftyseven feet eight
inches south OF Thames street, where the width IL
diminished to fortynine feet ten inches. The block
from Broadway to Trinity place is IN length about
two hundred and fifty-sx feet, and the block from
Trinity place to Greenwich street about two hun
dred and thirty-fve feet.
The petitioners in this matter complain that they
have no thoroughfare from the North to the East
river ard that for the want of one they suffer much
in the winter time and are obliged, on account of
the steepness Of ascent in Rector and Thames
streets and the narrowness of the latter to cart the
goods through Marketed street or Battery place to
Broadway, In order to reach the east side of the
city; but it appears strange to your committee that
the merchants and others doing business on the
east side OF broadway, and who carry on the chief
part OF the business which is done below Liber-
ty street, make no demand weatever for such All
opening. Many of our European packet ships
have their berths in the North river, above,
below and about the dock at the foot of Albany
street in which ships large cargoes OF goods are i'm
ported by merchants in Pine, Wall, Cedar, Water,
Front, Pearl, South, Broad and Liberty streets; and
many transient ships also land their cargoes in the
region aioIe mentioned; but your committee have
not heard of any person doing business as an inn
o ter the east side of Broadway who desires orr
is in favor of the proposed extension of Albany
street. Moreover there are more streets running
m Broadway to the North river than to the East
ivtr already: for instance on the east side there
o Maiden lane, Wall, Pine and Liberty streets;
and on the west within the space there are Rector,
Thames, Cedar, Liberty and CQurtlandt streets
from which 1t appears there are five openings from
eadway to the North river, and only.four from
that great thoroughfare to the East rivers and yet
we hear no complaint from those engaged in bust
ne IS on the east side about the want of passage
from river to the other, though they are in num-
Der twenty to one compared with those on the
west side. The actual necessity, therefore, of ex-
tending Albany street in the manner proposed is
matter of doubt; and to run it through the time
honored cemetery, which stands as barrier to the
completion of the project, the petitioners must prove
that the necessity is extreme-that the contemplated
opening would be great public benefit. and that
they are actuated by no other motive than the pro-
motion Of the public good.
That section of Trinity Churchyard through
which the contemplated street must pass is the
most ancient cemetery in this city, and probably in
this country. 1t was established by the Dutch on
their first settlement and as battle-ground it is
nearly century older than the other sections Of the
yard. 1t was originally valley about thirty feet
lower at its extreme depth than the present surface,
and has undergone successive filings, as the density
Of interments rendered it necessary, to raise the
earth now, to depth Of several feet below the
original, and thence to the present time of inter-
ment, is in truth filed with human remains, or
rather composed Of human ashes. The bodies buried
there were those OF many thousand OF several
generations, and of all ages sects, and conditions,
including large number of the officers and soldiers
Of the revolutionary war, who died while in British
captivity, and almost every old family that is or ever
in this city has friends relatives, or connections
lying there.
Your committee are of opinion that this burial
place is peculiarly entitled to the protection of our
authorities and they cannot but think that if it be
invaded and desecrated not another cemetery in the
city is safe from the spade of the innovator. Its
claims to respect are as follow
First-For its antiquity: this portion of it being
nearly a century older than Trinity Church itself,
and the burialpace Of the city when first founded by
the Dutch, and laid out by them just beyond the
city wall.
Second-It has always been emphatcally the city
buryng ground, without reference to religious sect
or condition, and was decided by the Common COun-
Gil Of the city to Trinity Church. April ~ l7O3 con-
dtoned that it should continue to be used forever
general burying ground, (the price of interment
being fixed at five shillings for an adult, and two
shilngs and sixpence for child under twelve years
Of age, shows it to be the poor mans resting placed
repair and condition. In fact it belongs to the peo
pie generally of the city the church aforesaid being
merely its guardian, and absolutely and inevitably
bound in conscience to protect it.
Third-The immense number of intements, par
ticuary in that part of the city now sought to be
turned into highway, which alone is estimated to
contain the remains of between thirty and forty
thousand human beings embracing, as aforesaid,
many of our most distinguished citizens and patriots
of other days.
Fourth--The parties who were inferred in this
spot:-During the time this city was in possession
Of the British troops, the American prisoners who
xIc oil
into this very ground, and soon as the city was
evacuated, were, by Trinity Church, given in that
place decent seputure where tombstone and tablet
still mark the spot in which many revolutionary
assured that hardly an American citizen can be
found who would hesitate moment to declare that
it must be an urgent, nay, dire necessity, that
would justify the scattering Of the ashes OF those so
deservedly dear to u.s. who are now enjoying the IL
berry and happiness which they laid down their lives
to secure.
Fiith-when the Common Council on the 22d of
April, 1908, as before mentioned, conveyed this
piece of land to Trinity Church. describing it then as
an ancient burial place Of the city, and conditioning
that it should continue to be used for that pur
pose to the end of time did they not guarantee I'M
der the soemnity Of the city seal, to all who were
subsequently inferred there, that they should there
continue to repose for ever2 question here
arises as to whether or not the Common Council
can, by their own act, legally take away those rights
which they have so solemnly declared should never
De lnlrlDReO, anu Ou Iditu VI WHlCu
and assurance so many paid for that ground in which
they now repose in the deep sleep Of death but it is
question which requires not much ingenuity nor
the aid of counsel to answer in manner satisfac-
tory to all who are not peculiarly interested in the
extension Of Albany street. Apart from the ques-
ton" however, do we not take great pride in our
magnificent city, and in the integrity OF her seal,
which has never yet been violated? And shall we
not continue to preserve it as pure and unsulied as
the ermine of justice itsefI As servants Of the
people, it is our bounden duty to keep the faith of
the city involate, and that alone should prompt us
to deny the prayer Of the petitioners but your COM
mittee have other reasons to offer why their prayer
should not be granted.
1t appears that the application now under consid
Grafton is supported by one hundred and twenty
three persons of whom fifty-threc are represented
as owners Of property Interested and the remainder
as lessees, packet-owners, and persons who do not
define the position and capacity in which they apply:
That is opposed by upwards Of sixteen hundred per-
sons; that is to say one hundred and thirty, incud
ing Trinity Church as owners OF the property in in
teres and the residue relatives of the dead: That
nj tho anDlica tn hq ranre-