New-York tribune., 1868-12-25
THE BATTERY EXTENSION

The work of extending and charging the
Battery ia compliance with the wishes of the people as
expressed by the Assembly passed IN 1881 is
stn Ia progress under the direction OF Gen Egber l.
yicc who confidently rcckons upon completing H. ne
cording the OF tho contract within the next af
year. The contractor j. MI David Babcock. who has
large force Of men engaged IL hng In, hauhng aud cut
ting stone building wall and doing all the other labor
incident the proper execution Of the great WORK
history Of the Battery from the time when Its name was
mi-nomcr, would De a very interesting and
valuable addition to the annals Of the city
aud II IL understood that such history IS
now IN course Of preparation, and Will soon
be published ne part OF the engineers report 10 the CITY
Councils Tho associations which cluster around the Old
Battery very pleasant 10 the older students Of our
local chronicles and too valuable 20 De allowed 20
pass into oblivion without an attempt bring them
Here tho Dutch founders OF NewAmstcr,am were
wont 10 !ocr n tho Summer evenings 10 enjoy their pipes
and tho cool breeze from the ocean Here they planted
the rude ordnance Of 300 10 rpe the attacks Of
their enemies from across the water Here Washington
has stood and here, too the lustrious Lafayette was
welcomed by n grateful people Near by Is the spot
whereon the leadon statue OF King George erected.
only TO be torn down aud nodded into patriot bullets.
Hero tho ancient fort, now known as Castle Garden,
built generations ago 10 guard the island, but In
peaceful times converted into Thespan templo that
one day echoed the wondrous voice of the Swedish Night
ingae and now offers earliest shelter OF people
who crowd here Ia ad us III building up our country;
The spot rich in memories OF the past, and IS well
worthy the labor OF the historian In making Its eventl
story known.
city IN ls2l In the decd IL expressly stipulated that
1t should algays be used as public walk or as a ste Tor
circumstances should IL be disposed or for any other p
poses IN 1892 contract was esbed ere atic cp %omG him.
self 10 enlarge the Battery by building rplap wall hnd
parape wall around its southern OF watTr
Conkns interest In the contract he aiterwaId astsed
Mr. Law and the sty authorities. the work stopped
January 80 1855, and the contract canceed Inc present
contract entered into In 1865. and IN August OF at
ven he "a
been Increased In area g aeres hali oi which was re-
lots which, the moderate price of $4,000 are worth TO
the city s,5OOOOO The new sca-wall is OF hydraulic
feet long extending from tho foot OF Battery
place TO the United States Barge Basin; which
has frontage of $50 feet 10 is seven feet high above the
rim ran wall Ia sub structure Of II feet In width Is hyefe
thick at the bottom three at the top, and s built Of lime
sa@o fdS the S' q Maine Granite posts are
planted IN this coping at distances OF zen I1S' mo MIC auu
much to the architectural beauty OF tue wall Lhe ma
s0nry costs $40 cubic yard, tho rprap work IS 20
Under the old contract the coping was charged Tor al ho
rate OF S. per lnea foot the parapet masonry S. the rip
rap work 10 cents, and the posts cost 81 each
The increased size Of the Battery, rs extended under
the new contract may be understood by reference to
the following facts: In 1864 according To an old ey sur
xxx { wSa yS 4 now reeTwch ST. on tho other tie foot Of
Pcarlst In 72s II had Iecedcd somewhat leaNhs hnu
enough ride TO make the block now lying Detwceh
pearl and sate-sts one hundred years later curve
line drawn from Wasbngtonst 10 the present shore me
8 a ,S be sbcs, m ni de Since then ali the space ncryens
between the Battery line % shown 9y th9 stEsy U' lo
ago, has been filled III. THIS Is space OF Aug ieot
In width, equal to an area OF almost almost
ten acres which added 10 the area OF the Battery as the
last generation knew IT, gives total area OF aDouI "a
acres The western boundary OF the ancient prOhcnhue
is now marked by line OF dreary lamp posts stfetchhg
along from Batteryplace TO the vicinity or inc sach
Island Ferry. Only few years ago, when Casto Gar
den was thcatcr there bridge between IL ana tno
BATTERY by which pleasure seekers made their way 10
Tho halls wherein they loved TO dabbe IN the f0uht on
tears or shndder at the intensity OF the stage
heros passion, laugh hariousy over tho flnny say
ngs and d0ings OF him who ala the low comedy o toso
days. ,,,. c....
ii has lately been proposed that the United states
Government shall purchase much Of the Battery, IN
addton 10 the small corner it owns, may be
necessary for the erection Of all tho public buildings
connected with the receipt OF customs at ts poT, SGS
prevail and since the Battery can no longer 10 useu Us
public walk, and as II will not be long before inc removal
Of Castle Garden will be demanded ~ IS nopes tlat @
tho suggestion OF the business men or th9
city Will be promptly accepted and as promptly acted
upon. IL is well known as 10 has more than once been
made the subject OF bitter complaint that owing 10 the
necessity which exists OF sending sample goods thereto in
charge OF irresponsible carmen, much valuable property
has been lost In transit and there seems to be no remedy
for the evil short of employing detectives 20 accompany
driver, locating the Appraisers ana other Gov
ernment offices at the waters edge.
Gen Viee proposes to improve the end or the Battery
on Batery.p place, by building level where small boats
can land At present the landing place Is sorry locking
sight for stranger coming ashore here for the st tme
When this Improvement Ia made. and the commissioners
OF Emigration remove the unganly wooden per which
now hides the beautiful curve Of the sea wall ON the
west side OF Castle Garden from the gaze of
tho honieward bound traveller, the Battery Will
begin TO wear Respectable appearance ana when ths
the Custom House is built aud the broad Park is
green with grass again. and tho trees more wave IN
the sunshine without shOwering dust upon tho place De
Workers. and pleasant eight TO welcome the stranger to
our th0ItA