New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-10

OF arson, and all tie other children IN town were
allowed TO witness the execution, by Way oi OK
ample To add 10 the impre sivcncss OF The sc"hr'
the sheriff conducted the performance In his Official
fun dress-cocked hat feather. sash ard sword
While Union square. which fifty years ago was
open and neglected plot Of ground formed by The
function Of several country roads its prrscrva-
ton as a public park principally TO the efforts Of
Samuel Z. Eucges. who also presented the choice
little oasis now known Creamery Park To the
owners Of sixty adjoining lots condition that they
would erect hrst-class dwellings around It, Madison
Square owes It's preservation from being devoted t.
building purposes the fact that 1t belonged 10 the
city, and for a time devoted partly to service
as Potter's Field and partly TO a pond, which served
the boys as a skating place IN winter, and was
source of infinite delight in summer TO the ciIongS
of boys that then roamcd the streets at VIII and
wallowed in its muddy shadows. Being a peculiarly
unsightly spot, the City Fathers naturally hhI
selected thi, place to build House Of Refuge IN
which abandoned boys could be trained up IN the
ways in which they should %. 1t IS due to James
Harper one Of the members of tho famous publishing
house Of that name who Mayor Of Ncw-lofk
from 1874 10 1647, that this ste was rescued from
the hands Of the DESTROYER. aud measures wero taken
to mako 1t what 1t has been for quarter of century
"a contrc OF amusement and fashion None the
less its origin, like that of many family that claims
the right TO rule In the fashionable world. Is but
ignoble.
The ancient and somewhat dlapdstcd cemetery al
Clarkson and Hudson SITS. which belongs 10 IilNN
Parish. and which the Ninth Ward people anx ols
TO secure a, a park. known In my OOyh00d days
as ST. Johns Burying Ground. People were not
ambitious then and did not cali every school college
and the dancing master professor. and thcy sP3A'
Of rraycvarts and burying grounds whcrr nothing
l1es tban cemetery viii answer now. When -
Johns Church built in Narch-at IN l-V' aHt
began to redeem drcary marsh that was The home 81
frogs
seventy acres surrounding H. ptctN ON OF h'f"""
land al tho junction Of Carmnc aud Nanck SIS. was
given To II for a burial plot originally II was muc!.
larger and rows Of tenement houses now occupy AhI
OF The grave enclosure that once knew. u contain.
tho graves Of many historic dead. The bodle, ~
several hundred victims Of the cholera clfl NC "i
ieas are Inferred here and holds IN j., wants tic
ashes Of Christopher Coils, who was The f1r,h al
Robert Fulton. and who gave New YORK rs on 81.
C CSim d Be.dr] hes il, hcadioncs eyhh tic
names Of men who lulc known ontio" of
business circles and % women such tombstone
calls up to memory. Mrs Elzalem Lawgcucc VIII
U.,,e,. ~ nvaiieI ,@odncsS~ an criiaph with which
cracked and crumbling are The erave't'nc' ana 81
given over f. the entire enclosure 10 ne rciu,c OF
the mcighbDrhOOd rs stray cat, ana dpS' ana iA'
small boys who play lcapfrDg on the iomh-l"hr'
that the most dcvout Of aniiGuarans couii not
and tho ashes Of the known slcep"rs Transported {"
a moic quiet scene. The little ones Who Will come
nrled in their play b. a remembrance of th,sc Who
have been taking long nap there.
The churchyari Of old Trinity IS IN effect private
park. lis gates are open continually. and all day
long curious sightsecrs come 10 view the tomhs 81
Alex ander Hamilton. Captain Lawrence and other
Of fwo centnrie: aro Hone ak for The rravc Of
Lady Conbur!. wife Of the Royal Governor. OF whom
tradition asserts that She wac o." model OF all
feminine cXcccnccs, but multitude, of emotional
pilgrim, inquire eagerly for the grave Of Charlotte
Temple Her tomb be se"u, with her name
deep IN the rcd granite. and loving hands keep
It adorned with yotive flowers. and yet tharlotic
TomplH' never had an existence outside Of PFC nr-t
American novel published after the Revolution
romance which very naturally held mp to iguomiuy Tie
scdurtiOns Of scarlet uniform and much gold lace.
whore Il adorned the person Of darling young Eng
lish officer.
The same public spirit that bccps this churchyar1
open 10 tho public ought 10 unbar the gatcs OF ne
Marble Cemetery in SccOnds'.. whore tho body OF OK
President James Monroe was 0r>t buried. and wh"g"
the vaults Of the LrnON. Ogden webb. Hy-l1p
OothOut. Kip ard other famllie, Of distinction 900 thr
Olfcn time Every grave in this cemetery !, vault
there arc few monuments and willows and bu-hc-
Of hazel scattered through the grounds make tLcm
exceedingly attractive. Evcu Trinity Church,nvI
docs not contain larger proportion Of old American
names, and the wealth represented here j. sufficient
70 enable the owners 10 make this attractive and
Instructive spot 30f the wayf1Nr Who chances 10
enter.
II Is due to the lower West sho Of The city that II
should have now park Haf a century ago Fl had
the lOvclic>t imaginable bit Of 0asls redeemed
from wildcrne,, Of brcr and bramble. i'm ne shape
OF trees and shnlbbcry and flowers turf and winding
walls and haunts Of sOngbIfls. lying between
Hudson and Naiick and Beach and Iaiphi sts Around
/ II clustered tho homes Of The IIamiitous Aymnrs
Colts. Schuyler, Lords Lydigs GrlGlns brake AID
scores Of other then well known - everybody
that was ANYBODY In that day. The yandal hand
ircighthouse in It's place The head of an auction
house that u-ed 70 a1ycrs" I'm the New York papcrs
before The Revolution said 70 M other day
My boys talk 10 IL" about Central Park. but ! tell
them that there never and ncvor Vim be any
tlng ne Ola St Johns Park" and rap3ndcd with
sigh that was equal 10 half dozen amcns.