The evening world., 1903-05-20
Going Into the New York His
toricai Society's Exhibit Is
Like Dropping Back Two Gen.
turtles.
ODD MAPS AND BR0ADSIDES.
"AIex," Who Has II All at He Finger
Tips, Pilots Ono About Among
the Queer Relics of the clty's
iataney.

self for something that will I'LL you,
soul with awe. You ore going to steT
back so years and get q passing glimpse
Of old New York when 1t was In 1T
infancy.
You take O Second AVENUE car, 60 VI
along the Bowery. through the mos
squalid part OF the city. and finally gel
of in front Of a e~evere-looling stone
building. 1t is the quarters of the New
York Historical Society. at No. ITO Sec
ond avenue.
As YOU pen the front door a bell
rings very much after the fashion OF
the alarms on the little stores In the
Ghetto distsict
You walk upstairs. peeping mean
while at oil paintings by famous mas
ters. and on the second floor a polite
young man. Alex by name, steps for
ward. He is a sort Of an encyclopaedia
OF New York's history. and accordingly
is a much sought after individual. He is
kept on the jump from dawn till dark.
This is the period when the New York
Historical Society is having its own
exclusive celebration Of the Both an
niversary OF the city's Incorporation. It
10 in the form Of an exhibit OF pictures
n old documents. and the AFFAIR will
last until May %. Alex Is presiding
YER 1t. {.
"Just follow me around the exhibit,''
W Alex, land you will learn more
about the history of New York than
you could Gull out Of. books II you
worked at 1t for six months. See this
old drawing? Looks like the work Of
u ~schoolboy, doesn't 1t? Well, that's the
oldest engraved nap of New York in
existence. 1t was drawn In 1871 by will
lam Bradford. William Loring An
drews, OF the Metropolitan Museum OF
Art. has a duplicate of It. but this n
and his are the only prints in exist
ence,"
Beekmnn Street the Limit.
The map was indeed a quaint AFFAIR.
1t shows Beekman street as the up
town limit OF the old olty. Beyond that
everything was a wilderness.
Next to the Bradford print was the
second oldest engraved map OF the city.
i was made by Duyckinck In Its. Both
maps were presented to the society by
John Pintard. the founder Of the or
ganization.
Near the two maps q few scraps OF
lead attract attention. They are the
fragments OF the equestrian statue of
George ILL.,, which was pulled down by
the patriots and most OMIT made into
bullets. The leaden tail OF the horse
upon which the image OF the naughty
king held forth Is the only portion OF
the relies showing any form. The other
bits OF metal still have faint traces of
gilt on them. One fragment seems I o
be part Of a nose-whether of Georges
or the horses Is a question not yet de-
termined-and another resembles a tag
ment OF an epaulet-
These relics are the especial pets Of
Alex. After he has shown them he Will
begin pointing out musty documents
Among these are broadsides. prints and
paintings. The prizes OF the print col
lection are two long views OF the city,
each about six feet in length, showing
New York along the East River bank
Chatham Square. The earlier Of the
views Is dated iii, The other Is dated
III; and up to a few Years vas
w. existence. III earlier print was pre-
sented to the society about fifteen years
&c
q clear idea of the appearance OF the
little town 200 years ago. The old fort
and chapel stand out prominently OF
tive Battery, while near by is a ship in
iaore ships in various stages OF COM
Fietiou.
Cattle of Long Apo
Men are driving. cattle along the
Uhore. The open markets are classified
as 'lower market" and "the great flesh
market" AL of the public buildings
and churches maintain large weather
growing roosters. On the Brooklyn side
near which is a long barge laden with
cattle, 4 cart drawn by four oxen Is
coming down a hill, evidently for the
A most prominent part OF the exhibit
are h colonial broadsides. Some OF
these faSedIooking papers. printed IN
infiamed mems minds just before the
outbresk of the revolution. The earliest
~oroadside Is a proclamation OF peace be-
t I've nh nps5ap Ne and sss state; General q
BY King Charles.
Among the faded old broadsides "a 70
Pc seen a large memorandum book con
trdes reads as Follows:
Sept. %. 1S76,-A spy from the enemy
by his own full confession approved last
night was this day executed at III
O'clock In front OF the artillery park"
This. says Alex, is the only oficdal
record of the execution OF Nathan Hais
The memorandum book belonged 10 a
British guard "
Never before has the history of New
York been presented in as compact and
Interesting form as 1t is now being
shown by tho Historical Society.