New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-07-06
AMONG THE FORGO TTEN DEAD.

TIE OLD DUTCH CHURCH VAULTS.
VISIT TO THE ANCIENT PLACES OF BURIAL BE-
MEATH THE OLD DISQUALIFICATION TIIB BUILD
Is TO De TRANSFORMED.
The rambling old building at Nassau and
Ccdarst which for over century and half served rs
church. prison and Postocc to be devoted to business
purposes. lease has recently been granted by thc
Secretary OF the Treasury to william Trist Bailey.
The Na-sat side and nearly half OF the Cedar-st side
will be divided into small stores, l5x2O feet on
Pine there will he the main entrance and large room
5OxlOO feet to be used as real estate exchange On
the side OF the building space 10 feet wide AMI ex-
tending from Pnest - Codarst will DO used ~ lnnch
room All the mentioned are in the buildings which
erected by the by the Government in 1879 around
the old church. when the POst-oice was removed 10
this place. Within the surrounding structure series of
structures stands the" Old Middle Dutch Church. which
was almost hidden by the additions built around It, In
these add tons are the halls which the people Of Now
York walked for thirty years TO receive and deposit their
mail The interior OF the Post-olce was the old church
edce itself ami consisted of a capacous hail. with wide
balconies, arches and series OF rooms 6ut
in the upper part Of the structure The main portion o
the church building proper il 70 be used an auction
rOOm while the galleries will be converted mo picture
galleries. where art sales Will be held
The old church building was dedicated in 1872
and for nearly century considered one OF The fnes
churchediec in the city. The congregation was c"o
posed of the wealthiest and most prominent people Of
Manhattan Island the yertable KuickerhocEers Tho
building constructed OF granite and the ornamental
WORK was brought from Holland. In the War Of tie
Revolution the church used prison by the Brit
sh ana at times was crowded with American prisoners
taken on Long Island and elsewhere The invaders also
used TIE building for time ridingSch0oL After the
departure the British the congregation again took pos
session the church. rehttcd IT, and continued to wor
ship in it until II secured for tho OF the Post-o
flee.
Many alterations necessary before this venerable
bu9ng can 30 used FOR purposes. No changes
Cwcy r. will be- made i'll its external appearance o1
cept 10 give the walls coat OF paint, transform its
numerous and badly battered windows INTO modern
shop doors and windows and repair iis roof The Old
s.OrY and half" VIII sun remain inSlue cobllhotc
renovation vii be made.
rRD,-SE reporter visited tho place yesterday after
noon The partitions in tie additions to the church
proper were broken down, lime ana ruOhsn
covered the floor paper and fora money orders
lcterdrops and WRISTBANDS lay IN ono neXrieabe mass
in tho Railways running around the building. III the
church itself Il similar Of confusion Was found
After travcrsing long galleries and adjoining rooins
and observing the massive Stone walls OF the building
which are nearly six feet in thicknes5 the reporter De
scend ed to the ground floor and made tonr of the cor
Ior On the wts- side, where tho citizens formerly dc
DO lied their and purchased their money orders
Tine 1agcing was discovered beneath vhch il Is sad
Of HOi lolii iiIo"'h . ~" N''0 -" III
tie northwest corner OF OF tho inside corridors
~ the reporter CROPPED along ia The DUST
and gloom, stumbling over pies oI DICK
and mort.r he was suddenly precipitaed into dark
hole which Or-ned his very feet 10 found husef IN
a vault INTO wreh few struggling rays 0i hght pene
,I,tei The entrance ths dismal piaco was only Few
feet in circumference, but lighted match revealed
Iarg,r opcnnas in several directions, ana the reporter
aware Tor the first time there had been bury Ing
ropd attached 10 the Old Middle Dutch Church above,
proceeded down flight of stars, armed MN D'alhg
hight Ills pan On, WHO had joined num- anu VINO was
familiar with The history aud mysteries q" the aLclhni
building. explained that tho ground sarrouadhg me
Charch FOR distance or EearJ DOCK lhevety mon
was tAchly pcoplcd SF"ryaih o'''ety pies Oh
the homes ~ the dead nd HE Dusy Streets "Dot" divided
the ground which bad been forms, ~ SCI '9r iO pnr
Al tn time o. The pnreha1 o, ths P b r u, he
GVyennci |, the great n'Jiiy 9i w io,i.-
in me cnurrh vaults removed Macy oi tho graves,
however wcro lett uniisturbed, and VIZ c3Ye". With
hYsss sftuctUrc ths Continental Lie Insurance CONF
panys buildings and neSnborng edihc's pe'hs among
The r,porter and his guide reached portion Of its
vaults directly under Nasau-st and were aDo 10 stand
in az upr Int position collin ay near BY IL was one
of thr lew left after the general removal Ire reporter
Touched it win ms cane, and IL amy crunOed away
the dust or wood ana the aslrs Oh tho ue,u IaiiaS
tner ON thc rocAy floor. Further along We're fGund
other dccaycd collins. aud hero ana thee saul ana
s.cluicd niche, Il pc of collins hd falen rom
d,cayed sue.ycs into mass OF dust tAe plates DehS
Proceeding 10 the under Nassau-s and Crdar-si,
and under tn block beyond, inc two eAhorol' IolhI
many forgotten tOmbs with dccaytd relics OF man hnd
H. lndiwolk. a sudden gust OF air eXtnsuiShed the
fr,nIIy to!ch and wni.e search was being made ior
matcns the rumDng al carts ana carriages overhead
mi the occasional drop of piece OF collin from NH
drwr1 shelf broke the stiffness Of tht Sc ancient abiding
Mace. OF the dead. The mucn wished Tor m1tch-t-c
last one IN reporters possession lOll, ana was
struck AGAINST the arches OF the vault IL idcd
to uc The danpucss OF the stone rendering II WurlL-
lrss Nothing was to be done but 10 grJpe b-ck
10 the start ng point. rue dark, weary journey.
once begun seemed almost IN LESS. Inc roar ol
wheels ON Nassllst Indicated tire dectl0n ana guided
H. the damn the arches, Tor whlcn Par Nv dc
cayed collins were frequently mistaken, the explorers
finally arrived at tnr mouth OF tIe vault, ana covered
WITH u,l and Thoroughly chilled, stood once again IN the
old cDurch-Duildng. -, ,
Further cation revealed mat under the ehuich
itself there are several larGo tomDs Tnese are dis
tiuct from the general vaults, ind are san to have
been TIE property OF the most distinguished FAMILIES
of old New York. In one Of these tOmOs over
which hes great nagstOnc, Is buried MAYOR
Con S,u.lriy. of Wa,Iin toms ftvurito Officers,
inscriptions arr yet be seen on the tOmOs OF me
Duryce and the storm families, but IN letters 50 III
sinct ana ~ dcfy interpretations For
over century tOInb5 Wltnln tno church, th gen Ia
vaults ling H. AMI tnc graveyard DcFon iorhcu
one of ths general bury grJu1dS 81 the city, Whefe
thousands OF persons aid During tie keYoiuu"n,
"A arg. number OF soldiers oil bOth sides were inferred
within tic limits OF the Old Middle Dutch Church
ground.