New-York tribune., 1889-10-13

New.Yorl1 and Boston in twenty.three hours. 1t
is fact worthy Of note that although there a
railroad service Of three trains daily between this
city and Philadelphia in 1884, performing the
Journey in three hours less time than the fast
coaches, the Government did not yet repose suf-
hclent confidence in the, new system to entrust
the mails TO the steam lines. The route OF the
cars was by way OF South Amboy involving water
transfer at both ends OF the trip. The fast mail
time between the two cities at the present day is
exactly two hours
When Watson wrote his Annals the Croton
Aqueduct had just been finished. being turned
over to the city on June 81, ls42. The first
effort worthy OF mention 10 establish water works
was made by Samuel Ogden in 7S4, but he was
unsuccessful in obtaining assistance. The matter
had been discussed for many years before, but the
city depended upon the Collect and numerous
town pumps for supply Of the needful fluid
until the beginning of the present century, Public
pumps found in all the principal streets.
one of which, the Tea Water pump, in Chatham,
ST., east Of Pearl was particularly in favor, and
when the other wells became unwholesome water
from this pump was carried about town and sold
for penny a gallon. which was considerably
cheaper than the penny glass slot machines or
today. Watson claims the honor of discovering
the site OF this old pump In a warehouse when
collecting data for his book. In 1799 the Man.
haitian Company was organized and this corpora,
ton furnished water 10 the city from wells until
the opening of the Croton Aqueduct The works
were in Reade-st., near the City Hall, and the
reservoir was in Chambers-st., whence the water
was distributed through wooden pipes. An
odd fact mentioned by Watson is that in sal
several house owners reduced the height Of their
buildings from five 10 four stories on account OF
the great saving in insurance
The greatest hobby Of the annalist was in hunt
ing up typographical changes, and he would spare
no pains to obtain facts OF this nature. He tells
his readers, among scores of similar statements,
that the head Of Chatham.st., where it joined the
Bowery, had been cut down twelve feet; that the
corner of Duane-st and Broadway has been filed in
sixteen feet; that the river was formerly close
up to Statest., all the land south of that having
been reclaimed that the East Side was bounded
by Water-St, which terminated at Beelmanst..
and had houses only on the land side, called Rotten
Row, between Old Slip and Coffee House Slip:
that an old ship is buried under Water.st etc.
He states that Oswego Market stood in the middle
of Broadway opposite Liberty ST. that street lamps
were first used in $50; that the back yard
of Walton's house in Pearlst. ran to the river.
and that in 1729 there were streets west Of
Broadway, the lots running through TO the shore
and the land from Cortandt-st. north being laid
out in farms.
century ago Wilam.st, was the great shop
ping thOrou Ghfare, from Maiden Lane TO Pcarlst..
the latter being the fashionable residence quarter
as far as John Wall, Pine and Broadway be low
Wall-st. sharing the honOrS. The swell barbershop
was on Broadway near Cortlandt-st.
Part of the foregoing facts are from Watson's
" Annals" and part from other sources. 1t will
well repay the reader 20 follow up research into
early history for himself.