The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-05-04
THE FLEETING SHOIY.
some of Its Facts and Fancies.
Written for the JOURNAL AND CoURIER.l FROM "DRAGON' TO "DITCH COR
NER."

l
 NER."
 An interesting article on New Haven
 streets and the manner of their nam
 Ing, which appeared in the Register of
 April 2S, gave few of the quaint and
 suggestive names which in olden times
 were applied to certain streets and To-
 calities.
 l Here are a few more, some of which
 were in use within the present century: Poverty Square," applied to Goffe
 street just above Broadway rather than to Broadway itself, as stated in
 the article alluded to, A street at right
 angles to Poverty Square," probably
 what is now known as Sperry street,
 was called "Drundard's Lane." The
 little girl who, when asked the place of
 her residence on her first appearance at
 school replied: "On the corner of Pow
 erty Square and Drunkard's Lane"
 did so, perhaps, without any humilia-
 ton of spirit over a combination of
 names that would now suggest a
 'slum" of the slummiest description.
 York street, from Broadway to Grove street was slightingly alluded to as Pig Alley" It will be of no use for York streeters to claim that it must
 have been so named from ownership therein of Robert Pigg, one of the sturdy and dauntless seven who "held the fort" through the winter of 1637-3S, pending the arrival of the main body of colonists. Robert Pigg's land was dcwn on the "bankside," now East Wa 4ay, -.t. .1 ~ .f Is, flo rived from some association with va grant swine, once allowed to wander. at their own sweet will through the highways and byways of our city.
 Prout street was once known as ''Peggy's Elbow" A glance at the map will show the poetic fitness of the eX- presslon. An angular "elbow," it is true, but New England elbows were ever apt to be angular. And there may have been some resident Peggy for whom this specific name was given If an inhabitant of that neighborhood in good-humored banter derided an up- town crony concerning his place of residence, the retort was usually that Poverty Square" or Pig Alley" was as good as "Peggy's Elbow" any day.
 As for Fair Haven--its euphonious title was Dragon" Gay young gen tlemen of New Haven, when in par tlcularly rlotous mood, would hie over | to Dragon" there to consume unnum- bered oysters and to fiirt with fair oys- ter shuckers. But why "Dragon?" Can | anyone give us the clue to this mys | terry? Somewhere in the same direc- ton too, was Bean Hill" a name of | pleasing agricultural suggestions,
 In good old colony times, when we | were under the king, the plot of land | between Chapel, Union and Water streets was called "Oyster-shell Field" It was reserved by the freemen of New Haven flor the use and benefit of a college" to be "set up as soon as their ability will reach thereunto." In 1860 Rev. John Davenport in an appeal to the Honored General Court" asked that "the rent of the oyster-shell field | be paid toward the making of some stock for disbursement of necessary charges toward the college till 1t be set up, and afterward to continue for a yearly rent as belonging to 1t, under the name and title of college land" Later still the same field was put into the hand of the school committee known as he Hopkins committee, to be improved Or the upholding of a grammar school. f sold, the money was to be applied Or the same purpose, and Ito no other lse whatsoever" Classic land Is "Oys- er-shell Field"
 When, owing to our rebellious and lnfllial conduct, detachment of the British army was sent to punish us, lnd our city (even then "too pretty ! place to burn," as General Garth re- marked on taking a birds eye view # it), was invaded, our red-coated met everywhere a determined assistance. And even after they had aken possession of the town the lem ,attled farmers" merchants and col I ege professors made their occupation f it anything but peaceful. Said the Jity Editor of the Connecticut Journal now the weekly edition of the Journal md Courier) under date of July z, t779: We were obliged to content ourselves yith giving the enemy every annoyance n our power, which was done with great pirlt, for most of the afternoon, at or I bout the Ditch Corner" This i've" ( 5 not merely editorial. And President e titles records in his diary; "At the ast place Ditch Corner) was incessant r ring on both sides all the afternoon, ' nd sundry were slain," The very e lace where "sundry were slain" is { lainly marked on President Stiles orig I nal war map, showing 1t to be located n Broadway where is now the junction 5 the three streets with regicidal a ames. Historic ground is Ditch Cor o er," wet with the blood of patriots F 'ho were ready to "die in the last T itch" if so they might save their fair ty.
 These curious old names, now only p are of interest to many. Are e lere not some of the town-born with tendencies who can furnish n 5 with others, or correct any misap- u rehension of those already given? nd by the way, could not the very ts 'osalc names given to our two mag H fcent parks. East Rock Park and = lest Rock Park, suggestive only of )ints of the compass, be exchanged r better-sounding, older names, of storic meaning. The situation of ew Haven was known to the Dutch me years before the English set CTS arrived and they called it "Roden- lrg," Redmount, from the reddish