New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-28

sumptuous entertainments here which spread MS
fame abroad and were quoted IN Parliament IN
support OF the Stamp Act. The site OF the Aston
House, a century ago, was covered by the houses
OF the RuthcrfOrds and the AXte!ls. MIS-. AAteil
was DE Pcystcr, quccnly and beautiful, ana de-
voted to the King. Their house, together WIN
the properties Of John Watts. stephen De Peyster,
Oliver DE Lanccy, Roger Morris, Beverly Eopin'
son, Robert Bayard and many other Tory sym.
pathizers, was sold at auction under the SON
iscation act
The natural formations of the islands surface
were much more distinct a century ago than theV
are now. There was q series OF high hills cx
tending from the Harlem with various inter
ruptions almost down TO the Battery. The rldgc
that the Dutch called Flaten Barrack Hill rose
Just above Bowling Green on tie east SIDE OF
Broadway and up rs for AS the site oi the OH
Presbyterian church in Wall-st. This was one
Of the most ancient Of religious structures having
first been built in 1919 II was rebuilt IN 'f7
of massive stone, crowned with cupoh anu
provided with "A bell. Some years ago 1t was re-
moved. stone by stone, (" a site IN jersey Oiy'
IT, stood on the north side of Wallst, about op-
positc the Stock Exchange Below Smlth-Nt,
included now in WIllam-st., and extending from
Wall.st to Maiden Lane, there was another
cmiucnce called the Pott Bakers I'M. Beyond
that came Rutgers Hill and Golden IIiI, al the
foot Of which lay the Swamp These were con-
siderable elevations then, though they are now
little more than ground swcllS. The City Hall
Park, then called the Fields, or III" Commons con-
t.incd three public buildings. 1hcy stood about
cpposite Murray.st. The first. fronting ON the
Commons. but with its side elevation on Broad
way or Great Gcorgc-st. as tins thoroughfarc was
called above the Commons, was the old Bride
well, forcrunner of the Tombs Then came the
city almshousc, and then the prison for hardened
criminals The plot of ground now occupied ~
the Stewart Building was the negro hurylns
ground The block bounded by Murray-st on
thc north Barclay on the SOUTH Chapel on the
west and Church on the east, was the seat oil
Columbia College II had already been ia eN-
istcncc thirty.hvc years. When II was bulIlins
an English visitor wrote home his amazcm"ht
that people could have been found foolish enough
10 build the college at such a distance from me
furthcst limits TO which the city could by any
possibility cXtcnd!'
Fort George dc'cstcd by every patriot, had
been standing until 1883 on the block bounded by
State Bridge and Whitehall sis. The people had
concluded they were without further use for II
and by order Of the Mayor and Common Council
il was torn down, and already the foundations
were being laid for Il magnificent mansion III.
tended for the occupancy of the first President
II could not be finished in time, however, and
when it was finally in condition for occupancy
IT, BEGAN to bc doubtful whether Ncw-Yorll would
remain the National Capital II never served the
purpose for which it was built Until the stat"
capital was removed to Albany, however, II WAS
ue,d as the Governors residence. Then the United
States Government converted it into the Custom
House. for which il served until l~15.
For p period Of 1T least twenty live years before
the Revolution Ncw.Yorll had enjoyed unintcr-
ruptcd prosperity, her population increasing by
multitude every year She gradually taking
her destined place foremost OF all the American
cities, and that she must soon come To occupy
such a relation to the continent few doubted.
Her wealth made her Il rich prize for the british
and they dld not hesitate 10 avail themselves 81
all the booty they could get hold of. The city was
full of handsome houses. built mainly of yellow
brlcll with tiled roofs and spacious gardens. In"
British officers did not hesitate to appropriate
these 10 their own uses, while the " rebel" owners
Of them angui>hcd IN exile or starved in prison.
The invaders left the ctr IN Il wrctched condition,
many Of lis best HOUSES in ruins, lis churches
converted 10y disease into post-hou>cs. It's streets
impis>ahc. The returning Patriot, took on
brave heart and bold face, and in the conl>'
Of three years they had rc-cGcatcd Acw-lorl<.
HOUSES Df-du 10 NIIlu- dl' 'N'iA N4l'i'- WV
streets were opened Town lots in Broadway sold for
80 in 1850 and the low price attracted many
purchasers st the date OF the Inauguration Socrty
had resumed lis natural conditions. and a pros
pcrcilS commerce had been built MP The farms
above, Chambrrs->t were being titled TO great
advantage and many Of thu Old country hous,s.
repaired and rcfurnshcd, became during WASH
ingions Administration centres Of social and
political influence All the very wealthy people
Of that day, Walton. kipp, Rutgers, S1uyve>ant,
Iispcnard, Morris, Wharton, B'rkman, Murray.
Apthorpc and DE Lanccy. in addition 10 their
town houses, possessed country places and gave
many brilliant entertainments therein. THESE
families were much divided against themselves.
II i, mpo>>hc. indeed. t. understand th" social
and political situation in Ncw-lork cry after
the Revolution without first ecttin. AT Oh" bottom
Of these family relations, The two richest ana
greatest families we're the llVln-sions aud the
ID, Iaucrys. The wife of Henry Walter Living
,ton OF Livingston Manor was Mary DE l~inr'l'
and the Llvinl>tonS were related or connected
with the Schuylcrs the lsrckman>. the Jays and
the DuancS The Living>tons were S'anch rltrl-
OTIS The De Lanccys were bitter Tories. HE
d.. Ianccvs were connected with the De Pey>t"r''
IN. Izar,s the Barclays, the Frazrrs and the
Stuyve,antS. all Of whom wcp completely dis
,r,cted in their synpthics. Phhp Schuyler.
Alexander Uamilton's frhcr-n-aw and a @tri"'
General was a cousin OF Oliver De L%ncey ana
John Watts two Of the intenscst Tories III New
York Robert Murray, the great Quaker mef-
chant. was Royalist His son John cndcaForu
TO Ice neutral, while his wife ana LIS TWO
DAUGHTERS. to whose beauty and Accomplishments
Major Andre wrote that he could not pfettn"
"a do Justice were uncompromlsinS rebels.
Society was naturally much cut up by these con
ditiOns.
One If the handsomest Of the country houses
,vos owned by James Beckman, whose ancestor
came to America with Peter Stuyvcsant. Inc
Bcekman house stood at the point where fiH-
frst-st intersects with Frst-ayc. Ii was ou'II
in 1853, and was not torn down until 1874.