New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-09
LAST OF AN OLD LANDMARK
CLINTON HALL IN ASTOR PLACE TO BE
REBUILT.
INTERESTING HISTORY OF THE STRUCTURAL
FINE HOME TO BE PROVIDED FOR THE

FINE HOME TO BE PROVIDED FOR THE
MERCANTILE LIBRARY
Another old landmark is about to disappear.
The Mercantile Library needs a new home. and
Areproof building will be seen in Astor Place
within year. where the literary treasures, SO
long in danger of going up in smoke. may rest
secure from all enemies but the bookworm.
0td Clinton Hall has had curious and interest
ing history In the days when the old knicker-
bockers of Washington Square went 10 hear Kos
SIM, and-if Philip Homes opinion may be taken
as a sample-found fault with the opera because
It was too long and in foreign language, Cunton
Hall was their Metropolitan"
1t was built by subscription in 1s47. ana
christeued the Aston Place Opera House Some
times it was used for concerts balls and dramas.
1t was then that the English actor. Charles
Macready's attempt to play Macbeth In lace
of the mob led to the Aston Place riot. Macready
and Edwin Forrest had long been bitter riVaS'
In London Forrest was Kissed by Macreauys
friends and the same fortune befell Macready IN
America.
On the night of May Z. 1s49. Macready began
his engagement, and at the same Time forrest
appeared in Macbeth" at the broadway Theatre.
The Opera House was packed with low charactcrS.
but in spite of their boots and missiles Macready
went through his part, and announced THAT ne
would finish his engagement. lie was answered
bv poster. headed "Workingmen. Shall Ameri-
cars or Encl sh Rule in this Country?" The crowd
was indamed The police protected the inside OF
the building. but outside they were powerless.
The 9TH Regiment under Colonel Duryee,
was called to the scene. After being pelted with
having stones and repeated orders to the crowd
10 dsnersc, the order was given to fire. But
the men were reluctant. ard only
few scattered clicks were heard.
This only increased the anger Of the mob, and the
order was repeated, and this time was Responded
to by a ringing volley The crowd fell back, and
after two more voleys dispersed. leaving twenty
three of their number dead and twenty-five
wounded in the street. The lower elements long
denounced the action of the authorities as muir
der. but coroner's jury and the best public opin
ion justified it,
ORIGIN GU THE LBRARY4
After the Academy in Fourteenth-st was built
the Opera House declined, and the year 1884
found it the property of the Clinton Hall Asso-
citation and the home of the Mercantile Library.
This library was founded in 1920. In "Ihe
Commercial Advertiser" of November 8, In that
year. appeared o notice to the young men Of
South-st, Front, Water, Pearl, Maiden Lane and
BROADWAY TO meet at the Tontne Coffee House
suit was the opening of the Mercantile Library in
February. 1921, at No 40 Fulton-st, with 700
volumes and 100 members.
The old merchants by no means favored the
scheme. A little knowledge dangerous
thing 1t set their clerks thoughts rowing, and
might make them disconnected The offices were
still regularly swept, however, and the cash
drawer remained untouched, and the conservatives
began to wonder what they had been afraid Of.
In 1926 the library had increased to 5000 vol
umes and made its home in Clin-st., in the build
ing of Harper & Brothers. Two years later the
merchants were in thorough sympathy with The
institution and subscription headed by Arthur
Tappan was started for the erection of library
building. The Clinton Hall Association resulted
from this movement, and compact was formed
by which it to hold and administer all prop
erty which it might acquire for the benefit of the
library.
The first Clinton Hall was built where Temple
Court now stands, at Beekman and Nassau SITS.
1t was dedicated in November, 1880, and named
in honor of Dewitt Clinton, from whom il received
its first gift book, history Of England In the
same year Columbia College granted two Tree
scholarships in perpetuity to the library, and III
1s45 the University of the City OF New-lork did
The same. Owing to amendments TO the charters
of these institutions they were af;erward with
drawn.
As the residence portion of the city moved north
and the collection of books increased, difference
of opinion arose between the two associations
Clinton Hall Association wanted to go uptown and
after long contest carried its point. Clinton
Hall was sold 10 the Nassau Bank for 100000
and the Astor Place Opera House was purchased
for $3.50, 900, and became the new Clinton HAL
A debt Of $25, 900 was left on the building Inc
library became seriously crippled during the war
but in 1866 its entire debt was cancelled Since
then the library has been uniformly prosperous, its
property and membership steadily increasing.
Now in turn another building is 10 become the
new Clinton Hall, and the Opera House, WIN
its brief success its bloody riot and musty treas
ures. will soon be known only in memory ana oid
prntS.