The New York herald., 1876-01-02
Gifts, Grants and Leases by the City
from l703 to 1875.
Generosity to Churches, AsyIums Hos
ptaIs and Schools
Sectarian Appropriations Gener-
ally Misunderstood.
Title 10 the Site Of the New Roman Catho-
lie Cathedral.

Assessors are on tho scent of every foot OF soil and
every share OF stock and every dollars worth of per-
sona property that be made TO pay anything into
the public treasury into the pockets of collectors it
is worth while to look into the facts about public prop
erty given away sold for song rented for ninety
nine years for 81 year. or in other ways placed out OF
the pale OF real estate yielding Sevenuc. Everybody
remembers that this whole island of New York
purchased from the Indians in 1926 by Governor Peter
| Minuit as the agent of the Dutch West India Com
pany for the of sixty gudcrs, equal to about s24
of money. The company, the chief proprietor,
was superseded, under English rule, by the Corpora
| ton, technically called ''The Mayor, Aldermen and
Commonalty," as established in the first cnartcr
! granted by the British government That Commonalty
became heir to vast quantities of land on the island and
that patrmony IL has pretty ehectuay dissipated by
sale and by gift and by sequestraton for public pur
| poses until now il possesses nothing worth talking
about ofproperty that might reasonably be sold
| TO RELIGIOUS AID CHARITABLE socIErIEs-
| In their last report the Tax Commissioners tell us
that "a great many words without knowledge have
found uttcrance in regard amount of real estate
| exempted from taxation, well 10 its distribution
among denominations or sects. The total has been in
creased during the present year by the action or tho
| Legislature in exempting such portions of the New
York Hospital property is not source Of income.
The Commissioners have no opinion TO express as to
the character aud extent OF these exemptions further
than say that it should be claim Of remarkable and
exceptional character which justines the exemption OF
| property from which income is derived"
| GRANT TRINITY CHURCH
The earliest grants OF property rightully belonging
the people were made nearly 200 years ago. on the
o2d ofApril 1903, tho city authorities gave Trinity
the old bury:ng ground tho west side of Broadway,
just below Rector As this is the earliest scca-
rian gi ifit can be called such, copy the deed en-
tire, with the original spelling and punctuaton:-
To all Xtian People to whom this present writing
| shall the present Mayer Alderman and Common
atty oil the City OF New York in America send greeting
TO our Lord God everlasting: Know yee that wee the
said Mayer Alderman and Commonay OF the City OF
New York aforesaid for divers goud and valuable
causes and considerations in that behalf specially
moving have given and granted and by these presents
for aud our SUCCESSORS doc give grant and confirm
present Rector and inhabitants Of said City of
New York in communion of the Protestant Church OF
| England established by law and to their sue
cessors forever all that burng place of the said city
near and adjoining to the ground OF Trinity Church
the west side OF Broadway IL standcth force
with the hereditiments and appurtcnants thcreunto
| belonging.
| premises with the Establishments and appurenancs
the said Rector and Inhabitants OF the said City
OF New York in communion of the Protestant Church
of England established by law and to their sue
ccssors the benefit and behoof OF the said
Rector and inhabitants of the said City OF in com
munion of the Protestant Church oil England now
established by law and TO their Successors Tor
They the said rector and inhabitants and their sue
| forever
part of the public churchyard OF Trinity churchyard
aforesaid and buryng place for any OF the inhabitants
OF the said city and enclosing and keepng tho same IN
good repair their proper costs and charges and
demanding taking and receiving 10 their own use from
the inhabitants OF said city for the breaking OF the
ground for such corps male or female OF the age OF IL
years and upwards the sum OF shillngs and
for every corps male female under the age of II
years the sum of Is pence and no more.
In testimony whereof the said Mayer Alderman and
commonality OF the said city have caused the seal
of the said city TO be hcrcunto affixed witness Philip
Erench
this 22d day of April in tho I'd year OF the reign OF
most Gracious Sovereign Lady Anne by the grace
OF God Queen of England Scotland France and lrand
Ammo Domino 1903
PHILIP FRENCH
The ground above described is now-and has been for
ccedngly valuable.
The next grant to Trinity madc May 81 1851,
and was plot of land adjoining the burial ground or
near it, and is described being 394 feet Broadway
and the 467 fcet additional water lots" The
river shore then not far from where tho wall
OF Trinity churchyard stands. Two streets
be through this grant each to be forty feet
wide These arc now Rector and New Church streets.
For this property Trinity TO pay yearly rent OF
| f5 lis In 1923 the rent was commuted for about
500 The first Grace church was built on this prop
erty II is now covered with large stores aud
houses
rector &C. of the Church. of England' trinity,
tending their boundary feet beyond the then
ing water 'front.' for space OF 62i feet up and down the
| river The rent was f3l Is. per year. In 1884
| December - the Common Council passed resolution
vcsting the property in Trinity church II is now the
block west of Greenwich street. and has four buildings
| Of value to boast of
This is all that Trinity has had from the city, and sho
raid liberal for all except the old burial ground.
Her vast possessions in the Eighth and Ninth wards
were given by private individuals came by regular
devise over which the city had no control
REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH
The original Christian church OF New York has not
Jared very literally among tho bencfciarics Of the
CITY possibly because like Trinity, she had valuable
early possessions that placed her in easy financial
| cums,anccs. The first church in Pearl,
| Whitehall street built IN 1853 The next in Gar
den street tnow Exchange place. and the third is
the old Post ONCE building As to the earliest grant
We End that the llth February, 1865, the Mayor
Aldermen and Commonalty granted to the Reformed
Protestant Dutch church plot OF land In Montgom.
crics ward described as irregular piecc ground
running from the northeast corner OF King George
(Willam) street, i0T feet 20 Thomas duane street,
street 252 icct inches TO King George street Tho
rent fTO year II Is not easy TO deter
mine tbc lines described, but the land somewhere
about the junction OF William and Pearl streets There
conditions In the grant providing thatthe land
should be used only for churches schools and mnis
ters' dwellings. No church. and VIC think school
was built tho premises but 100 the church pur
chased the whole IN fee for El. 600 There no val
liable buildings on the land.
| rnL ''nRiCkn PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Two weeks a1cr the lease above described, February
2j l1G6, lease grained 10 the Presbyterian
grcgatiOn. subsequently, known the Brick church.
but Ia tho lease called The English Presbyterian
church. according to the Westminster Confession of
Path. The property Is well remembered
that description Is hardly necessary. II was
the gore bounded hrst by Ann street,
KIP Nassau street, ana the High Road
TO Boston Park row. Bcckman street
atcrward took oil shcc, and the eastern angle was
or by the OF George (Sprucel street The
rent was $40 year. but 1885 IL reduced 90 G2l
S. II was on this ground that debate about
the Church property for secular business About
1880 small building was put ip IN the rear oi the