Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-06-15
Letter from New York.

CORRESPONDENCE of the Alexandria Gazette.
New YORK, June ~. Presenting that some
of your readers have never visited New York,
the metropolitan city of the u. S., the
great centre of commercial enterprise, and that
there are others who have not been here for
many years, and therefore have but little idea
of the great expansion of the place since their
last visit, have thought condensed account
Of the past, present and future of this great
city would be interesting to them. So | con.
Guided to give you this brief history which [
have collected from an old citizen In the year
| 1909, Henry Hudson. from whom the Hudson
river takes it's name. entered the Bay of New,
| York In ship owned by the Dutch East Iudia
| Company, on voyage of discovery. Up to this
time the Indians had held iudisputed sway.
The natives are described by Heckwelder, the
Indian historian, as being greatly, perplexed
| and terrified when they saw the approach of
the strange object, the ship, and thought it
visit from the Manitou coming 10 his big canoe;
and began to prepare an entertainment for:him.
They were very shy at first, but were made
gay and happy by strong drink and presents,
whites, that they would stay if they would al
low them as much land for cultivation, as the
hide of a bullock could encompass. The re-
quest was acceded to; the pale man began cut
1 ting the hide in one long narrow strip: around
and around to the CENTRE and when completed,
| had sufficient to encompass a large piece OF
ground. This piece Of cunning very much
amused the simple Indians, who willingly allow
ed the success of their article, and gave them
cordial welcome Such was the origin of the
site of New York, or the place called Mau-
haitian, in Indian meaning the place where
they all got drunk. Hudson continued his trip
up the Hudson as far as the present site OF
Albany, then returned to Manhattan and at
once set sail TOR Europe. His favorable report
started another expedition of two ships in 1914,
commanded by Captains Adrian Block and
! Hendrick Christiann9. 1t was under their
auspices that the first actual settlers began
on the site of the present New York; the first
year four houses and the nexta redoubt on the
site of the Bowling Green. TO this small vii
lage they gave the name Of New Amsterdam.
| 1t continued in the possession OF the Dutch
until 1864 when it was taken from them by
the English, and afterwards recovered in 1873.
| About one year after it was again ceeded to the
British, and at this time the name was changed
from New Amsterdam to New York, in honor
of James, Duke of York From this period it
began to make although slowly, in buildings
and population. In 1856 it was laid outin streets,
without much uniformity, Judging from the
present crooked condition of the old part of
the city; it then had 40 houses with extensive
garden lots and 1000 inha bitants In 1877
another estimate reports 3GS houses. ln lI23
the first newspaper made It's appearances; III
l72c public library was donated by England
cal academy was founded, and from this time
the trade of New York increased, and her ships
were seen in many foreign ports. Iu 1850, 2SG
vessels left New York with cargoes Of -four,
grain, nseed oil, turs, lumber and iron. In
| l776, 18th June, the British army and feet,
having been driven from Boston, entered the
| bay of New York and soon after the battle Of
| Long Island ensued, in which the Americans
were defeated, and for years after this New
York was the headquarters Of British troops
and the prison of American captives In l776
fire destroyed both sides Of Broadway, and
one eighth of the buildings of the city. In 10
years after the war and the declaration Of In
dependence New York doubled its Inhabitants,
although checked during the ten years by the
scourge of yellow fever, and trom calanatous
fires The first established line OF packets to
Europe originated with New York. In 1925 the
great Erie canal was completed, which gave a
large increase of trade to the city. The union Of
the waters of Lake Erie with that of the Allan
tic was heralded by the firing of canon along
the whole line of the canal and the Hudson.
and grand procession in the city. For many
years nothing occurred to mar the prosperity Of
the city until in 1882, the Asiiatic cholera ap-
peared and 1850 persons fell victims to the
disease. Three years after this the great fire oc
Cured. The writer was an eye witness to this
great disaster; it was my first visit to this city.
In one night more then 600 buildings and $780,
100000 of property was destroyed. The city
had not recovered from the effects of the fire,
when the commercial revulsion of 1886 and
1897 shook public and private credit to their
centre, and involved many of the leading
houses of the city in bankruptcy. In lS45
another large fire gave a temporary check to
the progress of the city and destroyed property
to the amount of $9,0O0,OO0. Such is short
sketch of the past history of New York from
its origin to lS45. In my next will speak Of
the present. condition and the future prospects.
Yours, VIRGINIAN.
UNIVERSITY oE VIRGINIA.-Saturday June
22d-Meeting of the Board of Visitors. /
Snnd,y limo ord II q m-SermGn bv