New-York tribune., 1902-07-20
THE NEWS OF BROOKLYN.
FIRE IN SONOMA WINE AND BRANDY COMPANYS BUILD
CAUSES EXPLOSION.
GOSSIP OF THE BOROUGH,

Bearing in mind the present topograp ply OF the
horoush or Brooklyn, which now includes many
OLD towns and settlements in Kings County, il is
rather surprising. 20 those unfamiliar with the
early history of Long Island. to learn that the
towns of Midwout F'latbush) and New-Amersfoort
(Flatiands) were settled some years before the
other parts of the county. The reasons for this
are still more surprising. The territory which
constituted the old town OF Brooklyn was rough
and rugged and heavily wooded. On the other
hand' there were in Flatbush and FIatlands open
savannas, free from stone and timber, which had
been cultivated by the Indian women for years
before the settlement of Long Island by the Dutch.
To-day. of course old Brooklyn Is thickly built
up and almost trees remain. whereas FIatbush
# Is po.ed @ b for the and beauty Of its trees
od vsr 10 and emerge dF9m pm the quaint and sleepy
Vulnerable residential sections some of the choicest
in the borough.
After the early traders in New-Amsterdam came
those immigrants who were looking for a perma-
nent settlement and fields to cultivate Some of
tnem' crossing to Long Island Nassau Island,
as IL was called then, struck old Indian trail
near what is now Fulton Ferry. This trail led out
through the woods along much of the same course
now taken by Fulton-st. and Flatbush-ave.. until
1t reached jamaica Bay Canarsie so called
after tribe of Indians by that name. Three level
ana open tracts along this route were chosen by
the settlers and the deeds for them obtained from
s Fsts Gtts The deeds for these atsCorlears
he
deeds was dated June 6, 1886.
The settlement grew rapidly UP TO the time Of the
revolution when many Of the old homes were used
as headquarters by various divisions OF the con-
tending forces. Some of the houses built In that
early period still remain. One OF the Oldest houses
stH standing in any part of the country is that
built in Fatlands by Jan Martense Schenck about
1900 1t was built on tidewater creek. nayisabIe
Up to that point by the average ship OF that day.
AT a later date tide mill was added to the prop
gTty. which was used by all the early settlers.
wnIIe orr tn the & hSme remains Rough hswn timbers
from Holland were also used in its construction.
0id DUTCH tiles are set In the mansel in the main
GarPe9tssr s as the beams Of the ceiling are sup
ship. Money has been dug up in the vicinity. and
S6a mas Il fhas the earliest occupant of the
Another one OF Kings County's historic places is
Melrose Hall. now owned by DR.. Homer L. Bart
lett Mr.. Lane. EnglIshman OF great means.
built IL in i749 1t was at time elegant
structure with gilded cornices wide Eainscoted
halls and a ballroom. Colonel William Axtell.
Loyalist the second owner. He was mem
Der Of the Kings council. and his home became
OF social and military life. After the Revo
luton Axtell banshed from the country and
his property was conhscated strangely enough.
count OF political differences. He was Aqua Giles.
sister The then 9sssfd IN into S2asr ysISgs ta
Dos not be be- destroyed The wings were removed and
many interesting legends and traditions con-
nected with this house
There are other old and historic homesteads in
Flatbush and south toward New-Utrecht but they
are rapidly disappearing before the onslaught OF
the real estate promoter. In a short time now the
old farms OF the early Dutch settlers viii be
thing OF the past. Many OF them have already
gsn Mg oes 20 are Ge aS h dd' m h y
Gates for future development
William Berrt. formerly president OF the Brook
lyn Bridge Commission. who not long ago declared
that after all. the only genuine club the
home club Is about TO begin building operations
the home OF which he has dreamed for
years. Mr. Berrl at one time belonged to all the
prominent clubs in Brooklyn and was one OF the
best known clubmen IN the city. He decided. how
ever that comfortable and luxurious home would
suit him much better In his declining years than
any OF the clubs. So he sent in his resignation 20
many OF the ORGANIZATIONS and planned
home. He purchased the old property Of General
Gates aves. and also the ground adjoining IT. The
erty might not fall into the hands Of persons Who
would put up building tneonsrUous with the neigh
who intended to build there but Mr.. Berri after
IT, with rigid restrictions, TO Maria l. Bogart who
IS to put up house in architectural harmony with
Mr Berri's home For many years Mr.. Berri has
lived in Grand-ave.
taverns OF the old days are passing away. James
McCilone. who many years ago famous as the
proprietor OF The Ivy Green" in Concord-st near
Jay-st died last week. at his home. No. 27SO
Fulton-st. For forty years his tavern was the re-
sort OF Brooklyn politicians and men about town
who loved musty old English ale and the chops and
rarebits that accompanied IL. At that time the
tavern near the heart OF Brooklyn. Fifteen
years ago Mr.. McGlOne retired His friends say
that his death was due to a broken heart. 1t is
true that he never fully recovered from the death
of his wife last November. They had never been
separated before for even day.
Give Livingston Du Val. the son OF Horace c.
Du Val, Of Monroe Place, whose active interest In
athletic sports is we'll known, recently
elected president and manager OF the Yale Athletic
Association. In boyhood Mr.. Du Val made a
record at the Brooklyn Latin School in interscho-
lastic athletics notably a high jumper, and I'm
the same branch of sport afterward honors
for Yale. From the Latin School he went to The
Berkeley School. in Manhattan. and from there 10
Yale, where he was elected TO membership in the
senior society OF Scroll and Keys, the sophomore
Upsilon. He member of the junior prom
committee OF '9S. is treasurer OF the Yale Univer
sity Athletic Subscription Fund. and member OF
the Yale University Club. the New-York Athletic
Club and the Society of Colonial Wars.
FOUND INTRUDERS ON HIS DOORSTEP.
Biggs is a newspaper reporter. His profession
has made necessary the turning upside down OF his
habits and Biggs works while most honest people
sleep and slumbers while other folks are earning
their daily bread. Biggs quits work about O'Clock
in the morning. and arrives at his Brooklyn home,
in the most peaceful and respectable mart a he