The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
FERnIEs 10 BRoonLrx.
Rrsrisiens OF Early Leases asa the ouestton
Hnised by Gao BebrtnE.

Brooklyn was n Dutch settlement as we'll rs
New York, and there are some Brooklynites
VINO claim even that it was nm earlier Dutch
settlement than New York. though there Is lit
Ito evidence 10 odduco in support Of that claim.
In tho old Dutch times preceding tho colonial
period n trip to Long Island by q resident New
Yorker was considered q matter OF some peril
and great Importance. and usually the trip
had TO be made by private conveyance In
a sloop. In 1854 tho city authorities
called for proposals for tho establishment of q
Terry to brooklyn, and one William Merritt, n
man OF English ancestry, presumably. secured
the franchise by the payment OF $50 a year for
twenty years, no TO erect, under the conditions
OF his lease. houses on each side OF the river,
and to have two boats for cattle and horses and
two boats for passengers. the rates of fare to BIO
established rs follows: Sixpcnco each for cat
tie and horses and one penny for passengers"
Fifteen years after Merritt had entered upon
this contract and fvo years before its oxpira.
tion no was encouraged to build what was prob
ably tho first BROOKLYN fcrryhouse, an elaborate
structure tfor that period) of brick. two stories
IN n height. 20 feet front and 40 feet deep:
Ihese improved facilities led to an increase OF
the transportation charges ms follows, Single
persons, 8 %stuyvcrs in wampum or n silver two.
!%singlel, one shilling;, cattle In company.
ninepence; colts and calves. thrcepencc.
travelling al er sunset, doa6lc y ferriose." Tie
unwonted enterprise OF Merritt seems TO have
proved his undoing. for before the, expiration OF
years to q, local functionnry afterward .cele-
brated IN tho field Of statccratt, Rip. Van Dam.
was from him that Vanaam street gained It's
name, and he is better remembered on that
S SSSSS1 %ihRIs ihhDRn pS co ensn Sa sit on the O. N ssS ' Soff
size; 1t appears TO- have been an elaborate
d des,hh' S!'h 40 t trSn'af and of /. "a eel fsp'' Of Z
s seeoaa the s1er9 first Mo story y, T yss, s hIg feet a hiFhil b the
ismSs: In addition tc, these a.traetiVS features
there was u tavern in the ferryhouse. besides a
tie, colts and calves. The necessity for these
additions is seen by the schedule Of trips. On
from Maiden lanei on Tuesdays and Fridays.
from the Burghers' path. now Hanover Square,
and %odr,; on s Wednesdoss and sot, U from
ton. pending these voyages to Brooklyn, for the
RECOMMENDATION OF man and beast.
ferry to Brooklyn. for it was sold over his head
to n liquor dealer named Harding, who offered
but he kept the inn open, and he did go well that
his prosperity made MIN an object Of envy, and
sG%s Of 5h9 to n sS% q yInb bss af iersi SSsan . e %Hke
u Long Island resident" applied to the Govern.
or O. direct for u ferry grant. starting TIA, at the foot
provoked the opposition Of the Corporation of
Now York and tho local authorities drew up a
had for seventy years previous enjoyed the
right OF ferry and that the landing place on
Long Island had been esteemed to extend from
the wharf ut what is now the foot OF Fulton
street to the west end of the hill to the west
ward and from high water to low water mark.
This controversy prccipitated bv Scbring led to
a provision in the charter Of 17os. which has
frequently, since that time been referred TO and
by which the corporation of New York received
n grant of all the land between high and low
water mark from the Wallahout to Red
Hook, thus cutting Off all claim or right
of tho Brooklynitcs to land boats, OK
cept for private purposes. between these
points. As u result Of this provision Of the
charter the exclusive interest In all ferries be
tween New York and Brooklyn became vested
in the city. OF New York. Whether Sebrinl
knew what he was doing when he started this
dispute is a question, but. ut all events, he &C
comp!ished probably more than he had intended
though 1t docs not seem that the interests OF the
Brooklynites. or OF New Workers either, were
much served by his proposition to run a boa
six times q week from Brooklyn to New York.