New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-11

Union has had such curious social past. and has
such present. In comparison the society OF New
York Baltimore Boston and Philadelphia are sim
pie problems, easy OF understanding. An odd say
ing was current I'm Brooklyn quarter OF a cen
tury ago TO the effect that in directing let
ter could spell the name Joralemon correctly I'M
less he had actually lived that street. So II Is
that except among d few the meaning ana INC
history OF these sets has been misinterpreted
None Of the sets" are old, matter OF fact
While New-York society. and that OF some otheT
cities az well. dates back fully TO the Revolution I"
is difficult TO 20 further into the past when !! comes
10 Brooklyn than isio And at that time the tcish,s'
earliest Of all the sections 10 take on social me-
was not yet III $40 that locality was clover
HILL" a picturesque bluff covered with groves or
cedar and locust overlooking the Bay, with not
sign Of a house upon H. II was not until early IN
the 6fties that the substantial East INDIA ana
Oriental traders began 10 erect their mansions
there Clinton-ave. did not come into being unul
tust before the war and not fully built up
much prior 10 1870. South Brooklyn. famous DIS
trict a generation ago. first attracted attention by
It's entertaining somewhere about 1855. The East
ern District or as IL is better located. BEDFORD
avenue by tho Fountain" cannot he said TO nave
been Of Importance before 1875. and the Park slope
prospect Heights" IL brick. stone and social
creation OF the las, ten years.
Measurably by this time these various clements
have fused and the lines Of locality are more ana
more loosely drawn South Brooklyn has dropped
out OF existence as social force, and the ola
Hill and Park Slope one in matters OF enter
tanning. The Hi and Heights meet frequently !"
various balls and dances. and while each mas Hs
Assemblies and the Heights still It's famous
lphetonga there is a mixing OF the two now 'ha'
would not have been possible in the later seventies
when each set was as distinct II there had been
thousand miles between them. From 1870 10 ioo'
was the heyday OF the Ill., when more homes III
that district kept open house" than have al any
tine since and when the young leaders thought
they could rival the Heights and build up a social
fabric all their own.
Not 80 much with individuals az with families
Goes the story of the Heights deal. 1t has com
parstIvsv ,t,le TO do with the old Dutch families
Who founded the county and the village. though
several Of the descendants or the brave ana pioneer
Ing old burghers have always been In the inner
circle But the great families OF the heghts' those
IN the main who have stood ana 90 s'a"o at '"o
head and front OF Brooklyn society came ~ az a
much later date Quaker. English and New England
stock poured In. and made even more ',a" " pa
fss Itself J,p to perhaps 1925 the Knickerbocker was
supreme In Kings County, but with the mah'hs y.
q city out of the town and village ne lost MS hoiu
and grip. The forerunners OF Inc soe'a' ~ ~
Gay came from outside ,u,
Save In the erection OF a Few coniHei S'"'
ngs and apartment- houses. the gradual creepi''s
h Of stores on residence blocks and the witii"'"
d some famous old families. the Hegh's y "','e
changed outwardly from what 1t was III io'
this particular IL much resembles the Nni' 49,
booker set OF New-York Scores OF 'he ie'u.''
men are gone moved away or dead Do. '"e'' 80
younger brothers cousins have rep'ae.u 80
inwardy. OF course these changes are ,''''
the Heights knows II is no longer quite the saiie
Yet It keeps on in tire same old way. hihe up .''
gaps cautiously and conservatively. with gooo s"'
cess
TO give even a hare Est OF the men VINO ii''u. 80.
Heights what I, was for n period OF forty years
forty long ana brilJ,an, years would All columns
Out of the number. however. a score stand out VINO
we're leaders In the various decades Ana no' v..,
asu. but vemsn II must not be forso''e" '
sensn quite q veil ~ men were makers os 'ns