New-York tribune., 1902-05-14
THE METROPOLIS.
GLEANINGs FROM OUR TYPOGRAPHICAL
HISTORY.

Charles Hemstreet. Illustrated. Octave, PIP
xi 354. Charles scribners Sons
Mr.. Hemstreet is a companionab BILE and usefu
cicerone. He knows his NewYork, but he does
not crowd too many facts upon the reader, pre-
ferring to state those that are essential and Il
envelop them in an atmosphere. This latter
virtue he achieves by dint Of throwing his ma
teriaI into simple and even conversational form
His book is divided into twenty-five chapters
and these are all brief. When he invites us
TO stroll about Bowling Green he manages to
make us feel the history Of the neighborhood in
few vivid touches. These are enhanced, we
may add, by capital Illustrations derived from
Did sources. The pictures throughout the vol
dme are admirably chosen, and are given IN
good reproductions. Mr. Hemstreet does not
confine himself to the most important historical
landmarks but brings within the scope OF ms
notes everything that is really characteristic,
Thus he offers in his chapter on Greenwich Vii
lage these interesting passages:
Some streets are like pages Of history, and
aone more so than those of Greenwich Village;
so that II is quite delight to walk among them
Whenever do so ] am sure to end up In one
particular spot. 1t is a part that have chris
tened the ''Mousetrap'-a labyrinth of quiet
narrow streets. There is one that is lined with
sleepy looking shops, and others with irregular
dwellings Of the kind that were plenuIul
enough seventy and eighty and a hundred years
ago. but of which there are few TO be found
now, except here in the "Mousetrap."
In these side streets you can find ancient
toorways with carved sideposts; find wrought
tron fences and gates: find dormer windows
hat went out of fashion before most Of us were
porn; find circular windows jammed in between
tquare ones; find everything that is old and
quaint but nothing that is of this day ana
generation.
1t is curious to note the different ways in
which the streets Of the 'MouSetrap dlsap-
pear Sometimes they end abruptly in a court;
haXv flK-iS a
row of houses against which they are brought
with a sudden halt; sometimes they slip into
another street and become one with il; some
times they are cut short by little open spaces
which are called parks. and in which there are
few decaying trees.
The main street Of the "Mousetrap." lined
With quiet shops is called Bleecker-st. now,
although ii has had several other names. In
fits early days il a country road leading
from Minetta Brook 10 Greenwich One of the
outlets is Grove-st. If you stand in Beecker-
St and count four houses east from Grove.
you will find a low frame house. with shop
en the first floor. having door beside ii which
Is the entrance to the rooms above-a door
quite worn away with much scrubbing, and
neat as any neW-made pin. This house stood
light here in the year 1909 Examine it while
tell you what the "Mousetrap" was like in
those days.
The house stood in the midst Of farm lands
close by Greenwich Village, and more than
mile from town on this mile Of sandy stretch
there were several country houses with their
surrounding grounds One the Richmond
Hill house, in which Aaron Burr lived at the
time he killed Alexander Hamilton. Just lit
tie way north Of this old place the house
which Admiral Peter Warren built when he
married Susannah De Lancey. in 1141. and gave
the Greenwich district its tone a fashionable
environment for country houses; and near by,
on the waterside, the State Penitentiary,
with high wall inclosing its stone buildings.
All these fine houses have been swept away
but the humble little dwelling Beecker-st.
has endured. 1t was pointed out as a place Of
interest even in the wear 1909 for there lived
IN ma old T1Ea EIrfn
famous. In this house Thomas Paine. the
thor of the Age of Reason" passed all but
few of the last days Of his life. He lived there
, cared for by a Frenchwoman named Nine.
Bonneville whose two also lived with her.
u fair1e room ~~a- ON tho sround Hoor where
the shop is now and on any mild day in sum-
2 gner the passerby could see him sitting at the
south window, reading in book which
open on a small table before him. He was
seventy-two years old when, in May, 1909, the
household removed to a dwelling close by their
old home. There Paine became i'll, and was
visited by two clergymen, who sought TO
vince him Of the error Of his beliefs. But Paine
would not even listen to them and when they
had gone he said TO Nine Bonneville: Don't
let them come here again: they trouble me-"
But they did come again, nevertheless, and
were met at the door by Nine Bonneville who
refused to admit them. IF God does not
change his mind, sure human power
can.'' said she. In a few days Paine died.
Mr.. Hemstreet enriches his text with many
little odds and ends OF information Treating
of Chatham Square and Chatham-st. named
for the great Earl, he tells us about the statue
TO the latter which once stood in Wall-st. and
how, for twenty-five years after British SOL
diers dragged il down and knocked off its head
in 1116 it lay neglected with the city's cast
of relics Then it placed beside the door
OF Riley's Fifth Ward Hotel. at West Broad
way and Franklin-st. All that remains of it
can be seen now, he says in the rooms of the
Historical Society. The British frigate Huzzar
is recalled, the vessel that for more than a
century was believed TO have a million pounds
In her Of British gold when she went down in
the East River in 1880 Various searching par
ties spent 100000 in the effort to secure the
money, but in 1894 New-York lawyer found
In the British archives proof that there had
been no treasure at all on board the boat One
Of Mr.. Hemstreets best chapters is that entitled
Where Silence Reigns." 1t is devoted to a for
gotten graveyard, the old Marble Cemetery"
which is hemmed in over on the East Side by
the rear walls OF squalid tenements. But there
is not a dull chapter in this book. Mr. Hem
street has written two others on New-York and
Its past We hope he will go writing in
definitely.