The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-24

vauxhau Garden-Its Rise and Fall-New
Buildings ON its Site.

Vauxhau Garden-Its Rise and Fall-New
Buildings ON its site.
workmsn are now busily employed In tearing down
vauxhal Garder-its history is ended
Perhaps there s no place in the city Of New York
that better known to its Inhabitants or that has had
longer varied history than vauxhall Garden.
Il dates back to the before the Van
Twlsrs and Stuyvesants had passed of the stage and
with It's changing fortunes down to the present
time. The ground upon which Vauxhall Garden was
originally established purchased of Of the
old settlers Of the Netherlands by Jacob Sperry, a
dorist, who emigrated to this country in the year
l74S, from Switzerland The site then covered an
area, extending three hundred feet the Bowery
the Broadway from street to street
Mr. Sperry used this property for the cultivation
flowers and hot house pants, which, in its day, became
celebrated. Thousands who now live remember the
time when sperrys garden was the great resort Of
bellies and beaux for the purchase Of their bouquets This
garden wss, at this time long walk out of town. the
city In 174s, only containing twelve thousand in
habtants and not built up ond where the City Hall
now stands. Such the profit of this garden TO Mr.
Sperry that, in 1900, he satisfied to retire from
business, and his grounds at put into the
market. This the time when John Jacob Astor
largely investing in real estate who in 1s0 purchased
OF Mr. Sperry his entire garden for the Of 900
sterng.
At the time this property came into Mr.. Astor's
hands, enterprising Frenchman, named Delacroix,
obtained twenty years lease upon the premises,
and at once ehrstened the place Vauxhan Garden.
Dsacroix turned 1t into ice saloon and soon,
under his management it grew into favor popular
and fashionable resort. The trees, planted by the
hands of Mr. spey shaded its walks, and the flowers
OF his cultivation sent to arthest limits their
and refreshing odors plain board fence surrounded
the place. and on both Broadway and the Bowery
places Of entrance and exit Monsieur Delacrox turned
the broad end Of the house erected by Spery
towards the Bowery, and converted 1t into drinking
saloon. Small boxes, rather alcoves, were ranged
round the entire garden where interesting little parties
were permitted to copgregate by themselves, and In
quiet enjoy their uleps coblers, and jokes This
was in the 6rst years Of the present century,
fashionable than Hoboken Tayors at the present day
1t the resort Of the young and old
1t had rival, equal. The love sick swain all
ageIness to please his dulonea, in dashing ride to
vauxha had every opportunity to ply his arts for maid
EMS favor Beneath the foliage of the garden,
tired within its alcoves, the bold grew eloquent
upon the all absorbing theme, while the tmid
gradually approached mutual confidence and under
standing through the nsnuaspg reading Of the flowers
that grew pentifuly around. How many couples that
still live remember vauxhan Garden the place
whore their first vows were made It
ordinary sight, of summers afternoon, to
see standing around Vauxhal for mile distant,
with an urchin holding each rein anaoasly waiting for
his two shillngs ee when the owner of the turnout
should return from bis feasting within the garden
evening at the garden pleasant than dur
ing the day. Along the walks were hung variagated
lights, formed into stars, terpent suns and system,
hanging from tree tops and illuminating bushes,
swinging amid hlacs and the Of sharon On fssti
val days. to all these attractions Of the garden
exhibition IN the city The great Il the garden was
on the 4th Of July. From morning till night vauxhal
was crowded on the 4th, at charge Of tweuty-hv
cents admission. We learn from an old gentleman VIII
acted one of the clerks for Mr. Delacrox
that fourth Of July evening" the receipts Of tn,
faries The garden capable Of holding from fees
to twenty thousand people, and this number often as
senbled within its entrances This was vsuxhal gar
The city about yauxhall at this period was unbut.
Open fields sr.chsd away to the river on either side
phatcally among the boys "up town." who wsged
desperate against the 'down. townersn Whenever
cIoI cream they we're fortunate i the Hup towners
Did not send them home with bruised head Over
upon Whist called in these days Sailors snug Hsr
Dor Hin" which is now the corner of Broadway and
Tenth street the Vauxha up to boys erected their
juvenile fortihcations and provided with large sup
Ply of stones and sngs they awaited the set OF the
down town phalanx. The strife here this hill
would last sometimes from morning till night, and
many both edes would retire from the field with
black eyes and aching limbs Both parties in these
days regularly organized with their chiesins, colones,
aptans and eutenants and carried their battles
with ali the rule and regulations Of regular warfare.
Hundreds who read this win recoilect the battle cry Of
the cup towners' when the agh' opened =
The white cockade and the peacock feather;
The up town boys will fight forever;
While the down. town boys are in their pen,
Sneakipg out and sneakipg in.
There policemen in those primitive days to
interrupt the oegerents AMI their fights we're open,
bold snS TINS Wa; the ,,t 0' th' Guy
Delecrox made fortune. and retired from the Garden
in the year l8l9 before his lease expired He was sue.
cseded bis son. but when the father left ths prestige
OF his gone and the Garden went into its de-
cline The was succeeded by the nn law OF
Monsieur DelacIox in 1885, who also unsuccessful
He could male no MONEY as his father law had The
city by this time had become populated and rival
estA Attachments had started down town. Vauxhal had
passed its psmy days. The son iniaw possessed the
place only few years and in 1880, about that time,
Il passed into the hands Of Joseph Hunt Within few
renewed for twenty years more and Lafayette place
hsd bstn cut through parallel with broadway and the
sine.. Ir Hunt Continued the Garden in the bust
ne carried by NJ Deacroix but the attempt TO make
It pay failed II was now the resort Of different class
from that which built up. The fashonables had de-
serted IT, and the democracy OF society took altogether
themie elves To give IL $neu ttr.ction and an add
touA interest building was erected on one side tine
which has used in after years stable and
riding school for circus company from England In
with 4 company Of circus actors but his clowns. his
dancing horses, and his ground and lofty tumblers,
could not call back again the former glory OF vAuhha
Toe circus failed after two years trial, and merged
into various ether companies strong about the
try While in the possession Of Mr. Hunt his saloon
burned down, and in the hre pershed tne aBen
nAw OF Mr. Hunt Upon the site OF the old saloon, the
same building originally put up by Mr. sperry asa
greenhouse, Mr.. Hunt erected brick building, which
has come down the present time. II during the
time OF Hunt or about 1850, that Gilley, French
man. made from vauxhall his balloon ascension, the
frat ascension OF . balloon in America. This ascent
Ia sdl day Of dating the old residents OF
this section Of the city 1t was warm summers day,
and yauxhan was GRO sded with eigh thousand peo-
pie What contrast bet the appearances OF such
company that day, and such gathering to-day Ine
variations in fashions dress and general appearance
What change too, In the attractions Of balloon as
~ensop among the nha ,itants OF New York, between
that day and this Then eighteen thousand people paid
twsnty Eve cents TO enter vauKta Garen 70 see 9ey