The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-26
BOOMED BY rELLOW FEVER.
The Epidemic In 1923 Made Greenwich VII
lnEe IL Temporary Business Centre.

1t is one of the few facts about the Greenwich
village, now the Ninth ward. not generally
known, that its carly celebrity was due not to the
hospitablc character of its inhabitants, tho salu.
brity of the ncighburhood, or the exclusive char.
aCter of some of its social ohscrvancos. but to an
epidemic of yellow fever. There had been vista
lions Of that disease in 1891, 1898, and 1898.
After this last epidemic, in the spring of 1899.
the Bank of New York md the Branch Bank Of
the Omitted States bought two plots of ground in
Greenwich village on what is now Bank street
and put up bank buildings on them. They had
to use these buildings in September, Il 100, when a
fourth epidemic of the fever came upon the city.
Notice was given in the papers that notes and
bills for discount might be left for the cashier at
the Tontine Tavern in the city on Mondays and
Wednesdays, and would be called for by a bank
| messenger and offered for discount at the bank
the following days. -,
There were epidcmics in 1919, 1925. md
1898. but the epidemic of ls23 was most
serious of all, and it had the effect of almost lie:
popnletins whH u, are 2rsr nov rt the in lower nonN T IMrIty OF
Greenwich, then nm outlying yiilSE'; A ,bi a
shops and fed from their houses into
on account Of business removed to Greenwich,
n small village situated on the border OF the
Hudson River, about two or three miles from
town. Here the merchants and others had
their offices and carried ON their concerns, with
little danger from the fever, which did not seem
to be contagious beyond n certain distance.
Very few were left in the confined parts o. the
town except the poorer classes an the negroes. y
Persons familiar with the Ninth ward OF
New York as at present, and westsidcrs
who have grown to be accustomed TO Its
irrcgularity of geographical construction md
plaCidity of existence, may feel emotions
of surprise when they rcOd this authentic and
vcracious narrative of what happened in 1929,
when, so to speak. Greenwich village was boom
ing: One Saturday-not n half.holday either
in August, wrote II local observer, our city
presented the appearance Of n town bcsicgcd.
From inybrcak til night one line of carts con
tanning boxes, merchandise and effects was seen
movingtOwnr Greenwich village. Carriages and
hacks, wagons ana hursemen, were securing the
streets and filling the roads; persons with anN-
icty strongly marked upon their cOuntcnances
and with hurried gait were hustilng through
the streets. Temporary stores and offices were
erected. and even on the ensuing day Sunday
carts were in motion and the saw and hammer
busily at work. Within n few days thereafter
the Custom House, the Post Office, the banks
and the insurance offices and the printers of
newspapers located themselves in Greenwich
village" Since 1898 the banks have not had
to fly to Greenwich, and the only trace of their
former nUmauic visits there is Bank street.
cradle time nftcrwRrd the scat OF the State
prison and the landing place of n ferry from
New Jersey. Doomed by the incident of the vel
low fever epidemic, II became an established
place of residence for many wcll-tu-dO New
Workers, and Tor srveuty.iiyc years since has
retained many of the characteristic then frs
| secured to it,