New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-21
THE NEW CUSTOM HOUSE SITE,
HISTORY OF THE BOWLING GREEN PROP,
ERTY.
IT HAS HAD MANY OWNERS SINCE THE DUTCH
BOUGHT 1T FROM THE INDIANS

IT HAS HAD MANY OWNERS SINCE THE DUTCH
BOUGHT 1T FROM THE INDIANS.
The United states authorities having been unable 10
agree with the owners upon prices at which the Land
embraced within the block bounded by Bowling Green,
Whitehall, state and Bridge SITS. could be purchased
iiave begun proceedings in the United States Circuit
Court to acquire the land for the erection thereon OF
Custom House, and the Secretary OF the Treasury
has filed his petition for condemnation
This property has interesting history TO old mers
chants and lawyers and the younger generation we'll
II originally the site Of the fort under the Dutch
West India Company, which the original purchaser
from the Indians; OF Fort George crder the British
Colonial Government, and subsequently OF the Govern
ment House and the United States Arsenal From TIN
Dutch the property passed to Great Britain under thu
Treaty of 1874 and in the Montgomerc charter "our
Fort George, In city Of New York; expressly
excepted.
In 1870 tho New-York Legislature authorized TIA
Corporation OF Ney-York 10 demosh Fort George Level
the ground and It for public buildings and WORKS
OF defence; appointed commissioners to erect thereon
proper house and other buildings for the use Of tho
State Government, and for the temporary and 10,
commodaon Of the President Of the United States dur
ing the sessions Of Congress In this city, and ap
propriated $4,000 for this purpose. With
This money "an elegant mansion was built
on tho site now occupied by the houses fronting
Bowling Green. This building, IL is curious 10 note
was, a few years after its completion, occupied q
Custom House. Directly in the Of these premises
was the United States Arsenal embracing land between
Whitehall, State and Bridge sts.
In 1912 the New York Legislature authorized thd
State Controller sell to the city Of NewYork the
Government House and grounds adjoining for 10000,
and to take the cty's bond, payable in ten years,
bearing interest at 8 per cent, in payment. These
lands were bounded the south by the United States
Arsenal. In 1914 both Congress and the New-York
Legislature authorized the cession to the Mayor Alder
men and Commonalty OF the city of NewYork.
Of the Arsenal lands bounded by Whitehall. Bridge
and State SITS. and the north by the Government
House lots and these lands were thus conveyed Ths
city authorities then had the property covering tho
entire block laid out into lots, and sold the whole Of
public auction in 1915 for S15s,450. Some Of the
BUYERS at this sale rcsold their purchases at good
profit in short time.
It also interesting t. note, Just at this time when
the subject of encroachment by prvare owners upon
portions of riie Battery is under discussion, that all
the deeds from the Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty
to the purchasers at this sale contain the covenant
that the Battery and Bowling Green shall never b
appropriated for private purposes.
There was also restriction that the buildings TO b
erected on Bowling Green and state-st should be uni
form In height, character, etc. but this has since been
released.
on the erection Of houses upon Bowling Green espe
cially they became the homes Of number Of New.
Yoras most prominent merchants and citizens, among
them John Hone who occupied No. 1 Bowling Green;
stephen Whitney, No. Z; Matthias p. Tamadge, who
married daughter Of Vice-Pesident Clinton, No. 8;
Elisha Riggs No. 6, and between them Peter Remsen,
James Byers and Ebert Anderson.
These gentlemen had yards in front Of their houses,
and their stables were in the rear The alley, some.
times called Stable Alley and Whltney-st.. with tho
rear entrance on Bdges still remains an open space
or alev and still belongs to the city, And now, after
II hn
land will come back 10 be used once more as 1t wS
originally for a customh0use.