New-York tribune., 1903-03-15
HISTORIC PLACES OBLITERATED.
The First City Hall-The Old Kennedy
Mansion.

The demolition Of the old Hall of Records. used
in the days of the Revolution as one Of the British
prisons. following soon after the removal or
other historical buildings has excited a great deal
Of interest among descendants Of carly citizens.
but not enough 10 secure their preservation In
any form. Many have wondered why some parts
Of the old buildings could not have been utilized
in the construction of The new buildings. If only
that Trey might have been preserved as relics
The first City Hall of NeW-It rk was the 'Stadt
IIuys" erected by the Dutch inhabitants In 1912.
at head OF toenties Slip. the waters OF which
extended as far as what Pearl-st- It was
n very primitive structure, but sufficeh for the
needs of the city until 17CO wh'r a new City han
was built at the head of Broad St. fronting
on Wal1-st. The year before the common '"uncii
had voted f3nD (about $l3Hr0 in addition I" ABOUT
s;sea received from John R"dman m"rchant
for tho old Stad Hugs. for the new hail. and 1t
o,.cur,i,d Tho site Of one OF the stout baStlOnS
which erected when the defensive wall, or
wooden palfsade (Which gave Wall-st ITS present
namc, built across the island The stone "'
this hastion was used in constructing the new
,,iIding The front of the building embel-
lshed with Of the King and those Of the
L-arl of I,e1lomout These ornaments were de-
farad and destroyed Immediately after the clos"
of the Revolution by vote Of the Common f0un-
oil. ,,d ubcn tEo Declaration Of Independence
WAS ~ead to the people in 1Ts from the steps Of
the civ Hall painted coat "f arms that hnnE
ON the wall of the main room was hr"nSh' out
and thrown into the nfirr made by III" citizens
10
f,tv Hall was occupied 10y the British troops ana
they were accused of ruthesslH riuni"rlnS IN"
,,r,rv and using many valuable books in making
cartridges. ,.
The CITY Hall then passed into III" hands "f Con
er.ss and after extensive changes became known
as the Federal Building 1t WAS III IN" Rahe'E ~
tho Senate chamber Washington took the ohth
f oe,ca AZ President on April 20. 1'Sa The site lS
,on- p,ark,, l,y tka Washington statue. Whiril
., ,rds in front Of the Suh-Treasury Building
Another building connected with the career OF
Washington stood the site now occupied oH
,b,, mas known as the Field Building when II was
e-octed hv CYRUS W. Field. and now the Nasn1ng-
20, puiIdinc at Broadway and Battery Place IL
was mansion owned by British "r'er k'"" Il
ga .IIonorabIe Captain Kennedy. The garden "f
,bis mansion extended TO the bank or the NOT III
River then on the line Of Green"l'h-s1 l"ns r. r.
fnre th+ Revolution Kennedy succeeded 10 me
state Of the Earl of Cass4. when he returned 10
Eefsrd after Transferring his New-Y"rk property
60 = son II was subsequently, sold 10 Na.f'ahi'i
Prime and At time of III" Dec 'inn nI lli'i M
bil h.adouart.rs. During the occupancy oI tne
city hy the British the mansion WAS us+h tIS 't ~,
various commanding generals ana ]. was 81 I3i nihhs he
portals that Sir GU GU Gnersi Washtneton OH No
nher "a l7s3 yhen they arranged the details OF
The evacuation Of New-Ynrk and the embarkatlon
OF the British troops After tne r var 'h tpnun a.
mansion was occupied by MI sears. :in,s Kln"h aS
.iKine scars" and his daughters were mentoned
. .n,nresses Later II became Il girls boarding
school and then fashionaots uIr,s "tonnen
", "r time II was here that Talleyrand sta'idins
l., front of d hot ire. had par OF puchsk i kt
hreerhes destroyed tho Intense neat ana had MS
flesh Scorched- ,h, L-o,,.d
I7ntil us demolition a few years ag" the hehneoy
r,a sion was occupied AS A hotel. anu IL tnlHleu d
nronin. Mt landmark In that part OF the ciO.