The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-04-12
[From Our Special Correspondent
NEW YORK, April 2, 1888.


Past and Present.
[From Our Special Correspondent
NEW YORK, April 2, 1888.
In previous letters / have given
sketches of New York, but in this |
will give few notes about Brooklyn
and the events of the past fifty
years.
The growth of Chicago in the past
fifty years. from an Indian trading
camp 10 4 city Of 100000 souls, has
been marvellous indeed, but ne more
so than has that of Brooklyn. Fifty
wears ago only open fields were to be
seen where now stands the stately
city of oVer600,0OO souls. Then people
from this side the river crossed over
there toshOot birds and hareS. Even us
late rs 1871. when the Brooklyn Eagle
was started us a Democratic paper,
the city had but 81 600 population, and
had only been incorporated seven
years. Then Fulton street was the
only business thOrOughfare, and be-
yond the city hall. but four or five
blocks from the river. only country
roads and fields greeted the eye.
Beecher and Plymouth church were
not there then; he was in The western
wilds of Indiana making fame and
developing into u full-fledged broad
guage preacher. The only ferries in
that day were row boats, and they
made irregular trips. Old fashioned
pumps supplied the inhabitants with
water, and wood was used Us fuel in
stead of coal. About that time, or in
1888. the first steamer from England
arrived at the port of New York, and
the next year Morse laid the
first telegraph line from Wash
ington to Baltimore. Railroads were in
their formative state, so to speak, there
being less than 1000 miles of rail on
this continent. The New York and
Erie railroad was then being built,
and the utility of horse railroads in
cities had not been demonstrated.
About that time fish oil lamps took
the place of tallow candles, and gas
was being talked of as the coming
light; envelopes, too, had just dis
placed sealing wax, and goose quilts
were giving way to steel pens. Iron
ships to float the seas had not been
tested. and gold had not been discOv-
cred in California. In point of time
Albany was as far from New York as
Chicago is now, and passage across
the Atlantic consumed twenty-one to
twenty-five days, or three times the
amount of time that is required now.
John TAYLOR was then president. and
slavery was beginning to be patent
faction in ruffling the surface
in 1861, engulfed the country
-. ola or or of
the Virgins kind. Then it was only
forty-one years ago that Henry Clay
was the political comet of the day;
that John G. Calhoun was advocating
secession or notification, and that
Webster was in the full enjoyment of
his fame as an orator and was secre-
tary of state. Oh, gentle reader,
think of the changes and events that
have taken place in this LAND of the
free and home of the brave" during
your earthly pilgrimage, especially if
you have survived as many as forty
or fifty very severe winters. Camp
ing places have grown into towns
and towns into cities; political ques
lions have passed away and a-score of
politicians and statesmen have dis
appeared with them. But while our
country has passed through many
trials and met with severe losses,
still it has advanced rs no
country ever advanced before in
the same length of time, and as we
stop to-day to recall some of the pas
ing events in its history, we find that
it is prosperous and at peace with the
world and still marching on to future
greatness and glory. Here, there and
everywhere, from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, and from Canada's shore to
the Mexican border, cities spring up
like mushroom, almost in a night,
and the general resources of our great
country increase and multiply at
rate corresponding with the growth
of our large cities. The amazing
growth of Chicago and San Francisco
came from a force of circumstances
and the settlement of the great west,
while that OF Brooklyn sprung main
ly from New York's overflow. Be
fore the street car era people pre-
ferred to live near their business,
and as business at that time Rugged
the river on this side people sought
homes on the other shore of East
river. a few years later came the
manufacturing era, and that gave
Brooklyn another impetus; and, as
we look over the situation to-day, we
find that in the multiplication of pop
ulation Brookly has not played second
fiddle to New York or any other city
of the union, and that now its hope
and prospect of becoming the largest
city on the continent within fifty
years is by no means delusion or
improbable. But outside of its manu-
featuring industries it possesses no
commercial advantages of Importance.
1t is city of homes and manufacto-
ries-a sort Of apartment or auxiliary
establishment to New York, entirely
void of that life and hustle that char
acterizes a great city. Its hotels are
simply overgrown boarding houses,
and it is somewhat noted as "a city
of "brotherly love" and churches,
situated on Long Island and
under the shadow of New York,
largely under the influence of Beech
er and Talmage. Brooklyn has beau
tiful parks and drives and many
charming residence streets. Pros
pect park is "A charming place, and
pleasant Sundays thousands of people
assemble there to spend the day. The
drives in the park are very fine, and
the scenery is varied and charming.
Greenwood cemetery, too. attracts
thousands of people in pleasant
weather. There is no cemetery in
this country that will compare with
it in beauty and interest. 1t is elabOr-
ate beyond the conception of those
who have never visited "high toned
city of the dead" Lakes, foun-
tains, flowers and terraces greet
the eye on every side, and
thousands of towering tombstones
and massive vaults that cost thou
sands of dollars are to be SEEN The
drive, too, is beautiful. All Brook
lyn is ploud of Greenwood cemetery.