The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-09-17
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.

The Last of the Old Landmarks Going
Captain Peter Rocks and His Isride-Th
Father of His Country as a Ballroom
Gallant-The Return Of the Gospel shep
herds-Dr.T .Talmage's Prayer for the Pres
1dent-How the Poor Pass the Summe
Nights in the Slums Opening of the Oys
ter Season-The Weather, Etc.
New YORK, Septem Der 10, 1881.
EDITOR CHIEF:
One by one the old landmarks disap
pear, and in u few years the antquar,
viii hunt in vain for the stray links thai
bind the. present with the past. Thi.
week the sale was consummated of the
building No. Broadway, known as the
Washington House, and the most famous
building in the city. 1t was purchased
by Cyrus W. Field, and in short time
1T IS to be torn down, to be replaced by
magnificent structure costing over a
million of dollars. 1t is not without a
feeling of sadness that l view the de-
struction of this old building, though
for some years past it has been desccrated
by the uses of a cheap, emigrant hotel.
On the site of the present house was a
famous hostelry two hundred and fifty
years ago, kept by one Captain Peter
Rocks, valiant officer in the Dutch
service, and who distinguished himself
as i brave leader i'll tho Indian war Of
1893. Captain Peter was as successful
III love as III war, and was the first man
in New Amsterdam to institute an action
for breach of promise, the defendant to
the suit being the blooming Franlcin
Anna Van Worst, the daughter Of one Of
the first emf grants to the Island of Man
haitian. After a long term of engage
ment. and accepting smdry presents,
Miss Anna concluded that she would not
marry Peter; but he was not so easily
of. So he summoned her before
the High Commissioners Court, and she
claimed that Peter had given her up, but
this he denied, and the Court decided
that if she did not marry Peter she should
not marry any one else. So like Il SEN
'ible girl, as she afterwards proved to
oe, she married Peter and made a most
wife. She survived her hus
band many years, and her tavern was
jhe most famous in the city. 1t was
burned down during the Negro plot of
l741, for which, OH the perjured testi-
nony Of an ignorant servant Girl, thir-
cen Negroes were burned at the stake,
Eighteen were hanged and over seventy
transported from the colony. The ground
vas then purchased by s.mral Sir Peter
Warren, K. c. b., and in 1742 lie erected
he present building, which was then
one of the most elegant ed
fees on the Island. The garden. which
vas stocked with the rarest of fruits and
lowers, extended to the river bank and
djolned the magnificent grounds of the
Vest India Company's garden, which
xtended to the boundaries of the pres
ut Trinity Church. During the life of
ir Peter Warren it was maintained in a
tyle of regal magnifceuce. When the |
var came on it was occupied for time
y General Washington and his military
amily, the third chamber on the east
ide being the quarters Of the Generals |
id, Colonel Aaron Burr Sir William
lowe, Sir Henry Clinton, Sir Guy Carlc-
IN, afterward Earl of Dorchester, occu-
led it in turn, and it was from this
ouse that Major Andre went forth on
is fatal mission, which led him to a
lions grave. Shortly after Washing
on's inauguration as President of the
nited States reception was given him
ere By the most distinguished citizens
the town, and history informs us that
le soldier so distinguished in the field
as also model Of grace and elegance.
lis exquisite performance of the cotillion
nd the minuet de la cour was remem-
cred as one of the marked attractions
the occasion. The wife of Alexanders
.amilton and the beautiful Miss Van
andt were his distinguished partners,
nd many years afterwards these old la
les used to boast among their acquaint-
nces of the honor conferred on them by
ancing with the first President of the
epublic.
The house occupied by Washington
ter his Inauguration was on Cherry
rect, and is now one of the worst rook-
les in the city. In front of the struc-