The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-01-19
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
SOME CURIOSITlES OF OLD NEW
AMSTERDAM.
The Founders OF New York's Aristocracy.
Present Locations of Their Cabbage
Gardens-The Infant Fulton ser,y-The
First Hotel
Especial Correspondence

Gardens-The Infant Fulton ser,y-The
| First Hotel
| Especial Correspondence
New YORK, Jan. l4-New Works first
most notable building, put up over 80 years
ago, was horse mill 1t was located ON what
is now South William street, near Pearl.
| The loft was used as church. When most
Of the houses in this city were of lark and
matched with reeds, there was built on this
island by two Belgian ship builders a ship Of
SEQ tons burden. 1t was the wonder of Eu-
rope in lG2S, and 200 years passed before an
other of like size was built in this country.
The timber was cut from the ground on
which Wall street now stands. New Eorks
first schoolmaster, Adam Roelanden, could
not make a living at his vocation, SO he took
in washing. He lived on what is now Stone
street. He turned out bad man, and was
hogged in public and fired out of the country.
Wouter Van Twiller's the second Dutch gov
ernor) farm extended from Wal to Hudson
street Broad street was creek. Near it
stood the town gallows On this gal
lows they used to hoist by the waist
band those convicted of minor otfenSes and
leave them to swing for hours for punish
ment and the public enjoyment The first
grant OF New Works real estate was that Of
siXtytwo acres TO Ruelof JAMS. 1t began
south of Warren street, extending along
| Broadway as far as Duane street, thence
northwesterly a mile and a half to Chris
topher street. This was the original convey
ance of the Trinity church property, War
rem street was named after Sir Peter Warren,
a British admiral Of anteRevolutionary date
Duane street is called after Duane, Il lawyer
prominent one hundred years ago. Nesey
street perpetuates the name of the Rev. Dr.
Vesey, a Trinity church clergyman who was
always in a row with one or another of the
kings governors of New York and occasion
ally refused to pray for them in church. Bar
clay street is named after another of Trinity s
clergymen. Governors Island was originally
known as Nutten Island. Two hundred
years ago the channel between it and Long
Island was easily forded at low tide. When
| then the tide was accommodating the
average price of horse was SlG6 and that Of
IA negro $40.
Cornelius Drcksen started Fulton ferry In
1857 with a canoe. He had farm near Peck
slip, and a horn tied to u tree near his ferry
landing. When any one desired 10 cross they
footed the horn for Cornelius. His charge
for ferriage was three stivers in wampum.
Pearl street was then country road directly
on the East river bank. Water Front and
South streets were then all under water.
CLAIMS were then dug on the edge of Pearl
street. That was the first street occupied for
building purposes. The Dutch cows laid it
out. 1t was then their winding way to and
| from the pasturagc on Fresh Water pond,
where the Tombs now staud That pond was
then deep enough to float a ship. creek
ran from it into the North river Afterward
the creek was turned into canal. Boats
sailed in as far as Center street All that is
now left of this water way is Canal street
The first hotel was put up about lti2. 1t was
| located on the northeast corner of Pearl
street and Coenties slip, fronting the East
river. 1t became afterward the first
"Stadthuys," or city hall, and from
it on Sunday morning tho City
| Fathers used to assemble and march III solemn
procession to church headed 10y bell ringer
working his brass clapper and carrying also
the. cushions of state They sat on those
cushions in pew by themselves and served
the city without salaries. Before that time
travellers of consequence stopped with the
| governor, travellers of no consequence slept
on the floor of a little Dutch barroom, which
was cleared of the feather beds in the day
timo, SO as TO give the barkeeper IA show to
do business. For meals, they skrmished or
| brought their own provender. Governor
| Kicft did not encourage travel lie made a
law forbiddlng any family to sell stranger
more than one meal or give him more than
one nights lodging without first sending him
notice
Stone street between Broad and White
hall was the first paved street 1t was cob
blestoned in 1853, with gutter in tho center
and no sidewalk. Hendrick Kip lived on
Stone street. He founded the Kip family.
Abram Verpanck was his nearest ncighbor.
Verplanck laid the ancestral corner stone Of
the Verplanck family. He raised cabbages
from his farm in the then suburbs of Fulton
street.
Andrics Hudde was the first city surveyor.
He received $50 year. The first recorded
sale Of a New York city lot was one on
Bridge street, 80 feet front by 10 deep IL
went Off cheap-for SLIGO. That was in lGi2.
Anthony street was named after Allard Am
thony, the first consequential dry goods mcr-
chant in New York, He kept a store on
Broadway, below the site of Trinity church,
and did wholesale and retail trade He was
rich, influential, conceited, unpopular, owned
sloop and was ready for any style of bar
gain. He sold once meat AK 10 Dan Van
Cleef for as much bucliwheat Us his IAN
thOuy's fowls would eat in six months. An
thongs two daughters are the first men
toned showily and fashiouably dressed ladies
in this city.
| Anthony kicked when the first market was
established on what is now Bowling Green,
because it was in front of his mansion and
his wife and daughters did not like the racket
made by the market men.
There was too much COW believing and
calf Lleating to suit their refined ears But
the majority Oh the 'schepens' overruled
| Anthony, and the market went on.
William Beokman, the ancestor Of the Beck
man family, gave his name To our William
and Bcekman streets lie came from llOl-
land with Peter 5tuyvesaut. Bcekman street
was then swamp called Cripple Bush. Will
Jams apple orchard lay on hIil ut one side
Of il.
The Beekman mansion, built on the Beck
man farm lii l1t2, stood until 1874 on the cor
ner Of Fifty-tirst street and First avenue.
The De Peystor mansion, built III 1853, was OPP
posite Pine street. The balcony was for three