Daily camera., 1897-08-04
OLD NEW YORK MARKETS.
They Did Things Differently in Town
Three Hundred Years Ago.

They Did Things Differently in Town
Three Hundred Years Ago.
1t is more than 800 years since the au-
thorities of New Amsterdam resolved
rto erect a meat market and cover it
with tiles, to have block boughtthere-
in, and to leave the KEY with Andries,
the baker, who shall have temporary
charge thereof" This was the pioneer
New York market, established on the
green in what is now Battery park,
and it was resolved by the authorities
of the same tirle that the cattle should
be hitched 'beside the churchyard,
where some stakes were fixed "on Broad
way, a litt1e ABOVE Morris street. For
a few years this was the only market
in New York. but the local retormers
of the time, insisting presumably upon
a change, it was determined to open a
fair or market Tor the sale of "store and
fat cattle, steers, cows, sheep, goats,
hogs, bucks, and such like" and to that
end stalls were built. This market was
opened on October 20 of each year, and
was kept open until the last day Of No.
vember. Twenty years later market
was opened on what was called the
water side" near the bridge which
spanned Wall street, and it was thrown
open to the public on March "a, 1877,
and continued open every Saturday fol-
lowing for three years. At the eXplra-
ton Of three years market day was
changed to Wednesday, and in 1858 an
other step in advance was taken. There
were three market days in each week
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. But
the precipitate zeal and energy of the
, old Dutch inhabitants could not be re-
strained even by the conservative
burgomasters, and so in 1854 it was
ordered that thereafter fish shall be
/ brought for sale to the dock opposite
the City hall and may also be sold in
the house that Long Mary formerly
lived in-likewise herbs, fruits, roots,
&C." Afterward the Broadway market
{ house was leased out to Henry Cross
ley, a butcher, who stipulated to pay
for it for seven years Il rental of one
pound per annum, and keep it in good
repair.
AS the city OF New Amsterdam was
at that time somewhat short of funds,
plan was adopted which, in these
days. would never obtain the favor of
the board Of estimate ana appOrtiOr-
ment. 1t was arranged that each mar
ket should be built and kept in repair
by the neighbors, and at the end of so
years it was to belong to the city. In
this manner two-story building was
erected by the neighbors at the foot of
Broad street. Another was put up on
Hanover square-not then Hanover
square-and third at the foot ofMaid-
en- lane The latter subsequently came
to be known as the Fly market and had
practical monopoly of the business of
the city on that side of the town until
the establishment by the neighbors Of
a market at the foot of Wall street, to
be known as the Meal market. 1t was
"establshed exclusively for the sale of
corn and NEAL and also ''slaves stood
for sale or to be let to hire" at this
point. In 1875 these primitive market
arrangements were done away with and
the present system, since enlarged and
| improved. superseded it. The city now
receives in year in market lents $780,
00C, exclusive of vault rents and market
permits. The whole public revenue
from this source is about 100000 a
year, and Comptroller Fitch has in
creased it beyond the receipts of any
of his predecessors.-N. Y. Sun.