The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-25


. French merchant OF great wealth. who mar
ried the daughter OF Balthazer Bayard. an
was tho grandfather Of John jaw.
fII.
The chapter Of this volume upon which We
have dwelt with the most pleasure is that In
which Mr.. John Austin Stevens describes life
in New York at tho close OF the Colonial period
We are reminded that In the eyes Of the
Tories whose mouthpiece was tho loyalist his
torian. Judge Thomas Jones. New York reach
cd the acme OF it's happiness In lIo2' Aitei
that came the French and Indian war. followed
by tho Stamp act and the troubles which cui'
minated in tho Revolution. Mr.. Stevens shows
that the marks Of Improvement in tho city
went steadily on after Judge Joncs's golden
age. Before 1854 the only buildings OF any
public consequence werc the City Hall In wall
street. tho Province House. opposite the BOWL
ing Green. and the Morchants' or loyal
Exchange. n building constructed upon arch
es at tho lower end OF Broad street. The
growth and prosperity Of the town during tho
next eight years are at.ested by tho fact that
no fewer than eight structures for religious
purposes were rcmodelled or newly erected
within that period. It was also in 1906 that
Kings College was begun on the beautiful
grounds bounded by Church street. Chapel
| street tnow West Broadway Murray. and
Mortlike NOW Barclay streets. This was nm
impressive stone structure three stories high,
comprising n chapel. hall. library. museum.
| anatomical theatre. md school for experiment
tai philosophy. On the north side OF John street.
between broadway aud Nassau street. stood a
theatre. It was opened Doc. z. 116o. by Tho
American Company" with Far1uhar's comedy
OF "The Strategy" and Garrick's farce OF
"I.ethe." Besides this theatre and the tav-
erns there were but few places OF public en-
tertainment. Tho RanelaCh was a sum-
mer garden on tho west side OF Broad
way. between the present Duane and Worth
streets. Tho VauShall was also u large garden.
situated at the foot OF Warren street, and COM
manding a view OF tho Hudson River. De-
stroyed during the Stamp Act excitement 1t
was afterward rellttsd by Sam Fraunces. the
landlord Of the Queens Head tavern. 1t was
at this tavern. by the way. that on April 8.
1903. twenty-four merchants met and formed
themselves into a society which they styled
the New York chamber Of Commerce." elect
ing for their first President. John Cruger. and
for their first Treasurer. Elias Desbrossss.
This was the FIRST society OF tho kind formed
In the colonies.
The most noteworthy private houses at the
close OF the Colonial epoch were the Kennedy
mansion at No. 1 Broadway and the Walton
house in franklin square. With the exception
OF the double balustrades on the roof. the cary.
lnes anu tne Armorlat DearluSSs tHo 1tCnltoC-
ture OF the Walton house did not differ greatly
from that OF other fine dwellings which pre-
ceded it. 1t exemplihed the Anglo Dutch type.
specimens OF which were until quite
recently to be seen In the four buildings on the
corners OF Broad and Pearl streets. These
were all built about the beginning OF
the last century by the Delaney and
families on the old Van Cortlandt prop
erty. were two stories high with a double
pitched roof. and were constructed Of small.
yellow bricks which it is customary to call
Holland" though they were not necessarily
OF Dutch make. In connection with tho out
ward aspect OF the Colonial houses. Mr..
Stevens throws some light upon the exrendi-
ture Of their inmates by referring to a list Of
the citizens who kent their coaches. chariots.
or post-chaises. and phaetons in 1910. There
twenty-six OF the former. thirty three Of
the second GLASS. and twenty-six Of the last. o
total of eichty-flve private vehicles.
Now York hospitality had been proverbial
rom the time OF the early Dutch settlers. In
his colony good living was the rule. not the
for what are now termed luXuries
we're then within reach OF the poor. From tho
ocean. the bay. and the rivers came salt water
ish OF the choicest kind: the principal catch
vas OF goldfish. sheepshead. and mackerel. but
abundant were the kingtish. most es.
Of all varieties by tho old eplcures.
md the sea bass. now pronounced by foreign
'rs the best OF our salt water fish. From the
long Island ponds and streams came trout
md perch: from the South Bay the blue point
'yster. which We still possess. but other varie-
les Of tho bivalve once equally priced from the
Duyvil and the Harlem Creek have now
HOLSTERS. which are now strangers
o our waters. grew to great size about tho
Black Rock. OF Ninety second street. East
and have been sold within tho memory
I the present generation at two cents a pound.
both OF flesh and fowl was equally
On Long Island were deer. hares.
abbits. partridge and quail. plover and snipe:
OF wild ducks hung over the Harlem
lats. and woodcock thronGed the coverts
bout Jones's Wood and the line OF tho pres
ent Elghty-sixth street. The taste for. veg
tables and skill n their cultivation had been
from tho Dutch: the Born uda po-
alto was already domesticated. and delicate
noted for its peculiar aroma. was
o " on tho Coney Island marsh. Fruit also
'as abundant: the most priced Of APP
les was the golden variety OF tho
pippln. but the Dutch were
artial to the russell also. Among
ears tho ~favorite variety was tho seckeI.
'hich grew to perfection on Long Island. The
trade with tho West India islands
ept the city supplied with tropical products.
18th pineapples. oranges. and plantains. and
18th sugar and molasses-the sugar destined
'r the refneries which the Bayards and the ]
ivingstons. the Cuylers. tho Roosevelts. and
10 Van Cortlandts had for years conducted to {
,eir great profit. while the molasses was i'm {
orted for tho numerous distillerles which Z
applied the city and the Indian traders with
10 staple drink OF the century. rum. Rarely a
as even a political. professional. or I
lsiness meeting held without q bowl !
some fragrant beverage In which
I'm was the main ingredient. This. how
YER. was the convivlal. not tho customary '
rink OF the day. AT the tables OF the .
entry madeira reiGned supreme. No doubt
lere were always to DO found also the ]
ines OF Sicily and tho Canary Isles. the red
ntages OF Oporto and bordeaux. and the aro- =
attic product OF the Here's district; cham G
agne. too. would occasionally appear. But I
n the sta ple everyday drink. as well as for c
10 more important occasions in family and n
'cial life. madeira. and madeira only. was the q
ma n~l -...k k-tia ~-tI -