The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-26

ne undertook, and the Ragged Pat OF the
Irish stage never had q more complete repre-
sentative Without friends or education or
money Barney Williams fought single
handed the battle of life, and he raised him
self not only to very fair position as an
actor but has left behind HIM memory
that will long be green in many hearts. His
acts OF kindness and charity will never be
forgotten. and he was one of those of whom
it may truthfully be told that the world is
better because he lived.
The Marvellous Growth or New York.
Only the ''oldest inhabitants" who are
properly regarded as very reliable authori-
ties on conditions bearing relation to the
past as well as the present, can fully appre-
ciate the marvellous growth of New York
during the last half century. We have all
heard one of these amiable and communica-
tive individuals begin to relate his or her
experiences with the words, 'Why, my
dear, remember, when / was boy Cor a
girp, paying visit to o farmhouse that
stood at about the northwest corner of
Twenty street and til avenue, sur
rounded by green fields and forest trees.
My gracious how the city has grown
These good people love to travel back in
memory to the days when New York was
putting aside the homespun costume of the
Revolution and laying the foundation, MS it
were, of her present greatness. Then the
grand avenues and boulevarAs, the magnif-
cent Central Park, the Croton Aqueduct
and the hundred other fine public works of
ornament and utility that now adorn and
benefit the city, had not even attaineda place
in the dreams Of the future which haunted
the men Of that day like the forethrown
shadows Of things that were to be. The
pushing, driving. money-loving, yet prodi-
gal race that has taken the place of the staid
old Knickerbockers on Manhattan Island
has set its seal on the brow Of the youthful
city, and thing of beauty, grandeur and
wealth has grown up under its influence.
The report of the Superintendent of Build
ings furnishes some very interesting infor-
nation regarding the growth Of New York
within the past decade. In it we find that
the number of buildings on Manhattan
Island forms q grand total of $4,000, in
Guiding all classes. OF this number 81, 1856
are dwelling houses, which are divisible into
eight classes as acknowledgements, 20, 485;
stone dwellings,, first class, 7.136; stone
dwellings, second class, 2, 1872; brick dwell
ings, first class, 5,O52; brick dwellings,
second class, 1912; frame dwellings,. all
classes, 1879; French fats, 1873; hotels,
172. Of the other buildings, used
for miscellaneous purposes the follow
ing general classification is made:-
Stores, 8,293; stables 5000; factories, 2,724;
churches, 425. The public buildings num-
Der 49, banks, 81; hospitals and asylums,
66; breweries, Sc; theatres, 81; markets. II,
and distilleries 10. OF the stores 1921 are
considered as first class and 703 are built of
iron. Of Sc, 1876 dwelling houses of stone
and brick only IL, 1873 are for one family, the
balance accommodating from two to fifty
families each The largest number of what
are known as first class dwellings are in the
Twelfth ward, while the wards having the
largest number of buildings Of all kinds are
the Twenty and Twenty-fourth. Dur
ing the last thirteen years, or since the
Department of Buildings has been in
existence, 2O,6O7 new buildings have been
erected in New York, and II, 337 were altered
and improved. The progress of building
during that time has been at the follow
ing rates:-From 1862 to 1869 (the lat
ter inclusive), 1895 new buildings; in
1870 1899; 1871, 2,O56; 1872, 1862
1879 1,469; 1874, 1895, and 1876 1881.
Among the most modern Of the i'm
portant buildings in New York may
be named the New Post Office, the HERALD
Office, the Equitable Life and Western
Union offices, all fronting on Broadway;
the Hudson River Railroad Depot on Forty
second street, st. Patrick's Cathedral on
Fifth avenue, and the Masonic Temple on
Twenty-third street and Sixth avenue.
Could we but obtain relief to our city travel
by means of well devised plan of rapid
transit, and which would also relieve the
overcrowded condition of the dwellings of
the poor and thus improve the health of the
city, it would be difficult to form IN estimate
of the growth Of New York during the next
twenty years. We may now claim to en-
brace within the metropolitan district Kings
and Queens counties on the Long Island
side, Westchester county beyond the Harlem
River, Hudson and Essex counties in New
Jersey, all forming with Manhattan Island
a grand area Of occupied territory which
rivals that Of London, and which will. at our
present rate Of growth, surpass the English
capital in wealth and population before the
celebration Of the centennial of the battle Of
New Orleans.
PExDLEroS's BUSINESS. The Tribune in a
chivalrous mood explains that those who
charge Mr. Pendleton with doing wrong to
his wards in the Bowler estate injure him