The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-22
THE BEGINNINGS OF NEW YORK.
How Peter Stuyyesant and His Colleagues
Laid the Foundations Of the Metropolis.

nv" iotcE otutNesanl aDd Ills IOilebEuH
Laid the Foundations Of the Metropolis.
In these Columbia days. when there 10
so much exploiting of our national great
ness. IL is worth while 10 look backward
and study Its origin. A recently pu blished
work entitled Peter Stuyvesant" relates
some interesting passages in early Ameri-
can history. and shows in what small be-
ginnings the great city of New York had
it's origin.
Peter Stnyvesant was one OF the earliest
Dutch Governors OF New Netherland.
afterwards New York. his Official title
being Director general for the West Indis
Company in New Netherlsnd." Mauhat.
tan island was first discovered by a Dutch
exploring vessel in 1eO9. but IL was four.
teen years later before an attempt was
made TO colonize the island. This was
three years after the Landing at Plymouth
Rock. The Dutch colony was called New
Netherland, and the principal settlements
New Amsterdam. The early history of the
colony. like that of the New England aud
Virginia colonies consisted mainly of a
struggle with the forces of nature and
wars with the Indians. In those dSys the
Dutch were bold sailors and shrewd
traders, and once they got a foot
hold they were not easily dis
lodged. They impressed themselves
very deeply on the early history of New
York. and many traces Of their supremacy
still remain in the social conditions. ln-
deed. during the hrst half of the seven
teenth century IL was close question
whether Holland or England would be-
come the pTedomlnating power on this con.
tinent, and IL was only settled in favor of
the latter by the stronger disposition OF its
people TO emigrate and their greater az
gresslveness
1t was on the 9th of May, 1917, few
days less than 246 years ago. that Peter
StuyvesaDt arrived at Now Amsterdam TO
assume the duties of Governor of New
Netherland. lie came out as n reform"
Governor. Matters had been going badly
In the colony. and it was determined To
brace up Gnd take a fresh start Inc new
Governor found Oh Manhattan island q
fort, n small Struggling village with rudely
constructed wooden houses occupied by q
people who were considerably demoralIzed
by Indian wars aud civilized vices lie az
once set about establishing reforms. and
kept 1t ND with Dutch yigor during the en-
tire period of his administration. When
he was not lighting with the Indians or
with the English colonies on the north
about boundary lines. or driving away IN
trudiDg vessels that tried 10 enter the
barbor he was institutlng moral re-
forms aud proclaimlDz fast days.
One of his proclamstions setting apart :.
day OF thanksgiving In 1904 ran. Praise
the Lord, . England's Jerusalem. and
Netherlands Zion, praise ye the Lord! he
hath secured your gates and blessed yonr
possessions with peace, even here where
the threatened torch OF war was lighted;
where the waves reached our lips. and SUBJ
sided only through the power of the AL
mighty" Querv: Was not this the 1rst
thanksgiving proclamation issuedS Stuy-
vesant vas q devout member of the Re-
formed Church and great stickler Tor
-. .-ts Ia Ia IN Inf IAR
ant OF dissenters. He particularly hated
Quakers and prosecuted them relentlessly.
On one occaslon he had d Quaker preacher
chained TO IA wheel0arrow and compelled
him TO work on the roads. accompanied by
a ne gro oyerseer armed with a whip, and
when the Quaker persisted in preaching
along the road stuyvesaDt had him hung
up by the hands apd severely whipped.
From this II will be seen that he was
very Jealous pr0selyter.
Stuyvessnl's administration in New
Netherland lasted from l647 TO 1868.
when the country was conquered by
the English. and Oh the whole 10
was q period of prosperity and progress.
The New Amsterdam of that day WAS not
very suggestive OF tho New ork OF to-day.
On Stnvesant's arrival there in l047 ne
found about 80 houses and 200 people. and
In 1901, when his administration ended.
there were 20 houses and "a population of
l,4O0. Cows and pigs ran in the streets,
and as nearly every house had It's cow.
which had TO 70 daily TO the common
pastures. It was found convenient TO have
a town herdsman. This Official went each
morning from house to house. collected the
cows and drove them 10 the commons. AZ
night he drove them back. aud as each cow
stopped before it's own gate be sounded
horn TO announce the arrival This was
the beginning of New York's dairy service.
The first municipal government estab-
Hsbed IN America was III lG63. by the Dutch.
in New Amsterdam. lt consisted OF two
buTgomasters, five schepens aud q schonS.
or sheriff after the manner of the towns OF
the fatherland. These officials had no spe-
cial titles. and when Governor stuvesans
addressed them he adopted form which
suited the Importance OF the communica-
tion or his own particular humor. inns.
In announcing to the magistrates last
day be- directed his letter To The Most
Worshlpful, Most Prudent and Very Dis
Greet, their High Nightinesses. the
Burgomasters aud Schepens OF New
Amsterdam" When he had occasion TO
request them to adopt regulations TO keep
Digs out of the streets b addressed them as
RESPECTED and particularly dear friends.
But when quarrel had arisen between the
Governor and the municlpal authorities In
regard 10 the popularity oil game
called Riding the Goose" stuyyesans
addressed his angry reproofs TO the
small bench of Justices On one occasion
the sohont. or sheriff. complained that when
lie made his rounds alter dark the boys
would annoy him by shouting Indians"
from behind the fences and raising false
alarms They had bad boys IN New Amster-
dam.
When the English flag was hoisted as
New Amsterdam in 1894 the infant city had
already stamped upon it the characteristics
of commercial enterprise. OF a cosmo polIJaa
spirit of religious liberation. of free pub
municipal government The New Amster-
dam of the Dutch regime was the true boz