The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-06
WEST FARMS ON THE BRONX
QUIET EDDr IN THE WHIRLPOOL,
OF 7HE METROPOLIa
Kicking Path, and A,m,,.. M..,a.
Streets Lead A mid Ola .,tr,. - nr-.s

'N'S"""rN inner TO Talk ana white.
Although West Farms came into New Yort
city with all tho other villages ct the annex.a
district. now nearly twenty years ago. II RI.
.a'hs III mos. lhlhgs its early self OF half cen.
fury before the metropolis crossed the Harlan.
and Is still an Isolated village browsing bss,d.
the lowest dam o. the Bronx Scarce any other
local community within tho city limits ba,
yielded so ii'tlo TO tho metropolitan spirit. A
wido area 81 Open lots. pooplod with geese and
crossed by few streets and many knkinp
iootfaths. SEPARATES tho stu m berous old.fash.
Toned village from tho bustling community 70
tho west along tho limo Of tho Harlem Rail.
road Fire plugs. gas lamps. land house mum.
bers seem urban imrcrtincnces within the
boundary OF West Farms Tho last named OF
these. running up into tho l.7O0's, might
easily be mistakcn Tor dates upon some OF the
buildings that they decorate The VILLAGE
climbs about over several hills NV mama NJ
aimless streets that sometimes cross ons
another at unexpected angles and som etim..
end at q farm fenco bordering woodland or
pasture. From the main street bordering the
Bronx the village school. rerched high upon
another thoroughfare. IL visible above the in.
tcrvening roofs. The tagged sidewalks. some
times curbcd and sometimes not. are bordered
with grass. No street Is paved. and only two
or three are macadamzed.
The vista of Main street suggests somewhat
the chief thoroughfare OF Pennsylvania
Dutch village. The lawns are separated from
the street by sustaining walls capped with
wntewooden fences. Two-thirds ofthe houses
are less than two full stories In height. and
nearly oil are built OF wood. Here and there
Furnished brass knocker hangs In seeming
conscious dignity upon the doorway Of sim.
pie dwelling There IL suggestion half
Southern half Colonial. In the Astounding
porches. some with tho slender swelling pil.
lars, now again in fashion. others with the
Doric and Ionic columns Of the last century.
Such columns adorn nearly every house that
boasts the dignity Of lawn. The
fat and tho tenement are unknown In
West Farms. and the Queen Anne's cot-
tagc. with the splendor Of paint and wood
en- gew-Gaws. scarce as yet shows its
head within the village limits. An old hotel
turned into charitable asylum is the twin Of
any one OF one thousand such in villages from
Delaware to Florida. Its two.story pilared
verGnda is oddly out Of keeping with the
iron fire escapes. attached to the gable BY way
oIconcession to metropolitan prejudice. An:
S Its ' hos Stands saa Vide
lawn, dotted with some OF the noblest elms
to be found anywhere In or about the city.
family which takes the risk for the sake Of the
There is Nowhere in West Farms any lack o,
elbow room. Cnnretentious little houses
dwellings, that front close unon the street have
kitchen gardens in the rear. ,Old-fashioned
o3 il lawns ana and
lawn ornament beside one, Of the more pre-
tentious homes is great Eilded wooden eagle
ametsr It looks as i it might lave Been III.
llgurehend Of an old East indiaman or the
street his ear is suddenly astonished by the
urnan click OF Typewriter. and he looks
va lc-end to the street and clad with ivy It
$ INT 1Ss q Ct
tdres in drowsy country towns below Mason
aPh nn tsd Gns f y Ts
tied old arm chairs upon the sidewalk. cheW.
in= tobacco or talking politics; to complete
A wooden Gothic church. mere wreck OF
chcap stained gInss,. faces the village highway
to ndi"ate some et sort Of relation between the
deserted building and neglected graveyard
sravaston U here are overturned. and othsTs
are mani!estly soon to break down under the
IA sV t
stones are dated about the middle of the oen:
Near Harp ,s IS Fesry 1854 s' ThrouaS the
ov"rgrown graveyard persistent footpath
bnrDed wire fence manifestly intended to pro-
claim u" thoroughfare. The builders Of the
esr Ss with .os
whore the, footpath crosses. and pedestrians
have quietly, taken advantage OF the stiie thus
ssniiieance in i tie iootraths that charsctsrise
tic suburbs OF New York: They are models of
%' arraSsins obstacies choose the least DIM
cult ascents, and lead unerringly BY the short
tive point sought by those whose daily goines
and 'onrinS,s they record: II mus! be hsr::
%nen and ystm rass TsSs sea
bald unduations. The graveyard path as
hill. skirts n woodland. and sights the slender
gray tower at High Bridge. which to the wan;
distric Il proclaims the triumphant presence Of
III $sly IT, otwsst rsFT y. nts perfect,
smart equipase dazzles the quiet inhabitanta.
The gas Company. as i in apology for ths nr.
and "reeping vines about the works. There is
no noise In The village streets save ths Scfs.
tants dress soherly and salute one another il,
nelghborly. familiar fashion with exchange OF
G c1%aam. ss %st
polio" station is simple old dwelling out
mer self. The engine house somewhat more
pnintedy proclaims relationship 70 the ely.
since tho names OF three men mighty In poll
ties aiorn its front. an
The Bronx. at West Farms. is in one OK its
most picturesque moods. for here It leapsth
last dam that separates it from salt water. aAd
Incomes tidal stream. Above the dam 1t
broadcns into placid pool. edged With crlni'
son and golden drift from overhanCing trees res
Below little boats are moored several with
masts and sails. to signify that henceforth ths u,
nuvigable waters. A laden barge hall blocks
the stream n dozen rods below it's ilnal leap
to idal liberty.
West Farms has Bronx Park hard BY to The
north. and u corner of CrotOnn Park 70 the
southwest. but the village rerrks not OF thess
supcrfuouS luNurios. sinna there are Wooay
tangics and green vacant slopes witnlh the
yiiluge itself and lusi across the tronx spread
the nnccfll and inviting fields OF Westchester
county. IA" whole ton" OF me place - one q
Wn-'rhnstrr responsibility, but there ar9 nail
dG2cn We,r"hnr"r villases more ds, s ~ sS
10 the world than this curious still edny IN tDe
wLiTllOH Of the metropolis Inc nIoollng
iIt'',, OF Indian summer exactly suits the fhsr-
nrirr Of West farms. and tho village would ~
"vrr n ono with the weather coIla
tnnt season last III. yeAr ionnd. ne peopIs
"Gs s"g"wIat lNngnh interest IN u b nSx
an hour OF lhr Il,y Hall. and there is sope
""m".nulsiinu rs 10 whether the serenity. o.
l., ant, IA, Ia tr ken nv OF IN.