New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-01

the city. 1885 II SOlQ NaSSAu-sL- p1OpeAly
for S442O and with this and ether moneys de-
rived from the New-York Athenssum, spoken OF
before. which had merged with II, purchased
the site on Broadway. so feet front and 100 feet /
deep. for S47, 500. The building was completed
in 1885, at a cost Of $4,000. and was occupied |
by the association until 1853, when It was sold |
TO Appleton & Co. publishers. for $4,000. The |
New-York Life Insurance Building stands on /
the ground.
What was before the Revolution the privats |
dairy farm Of Mrs. Margaret Depeyster is now
the block between Leonard and Franklin SITS.
Originally a portion of the Kalckhook south OF
the Van Cortland property. it had passed into
the hands Of the Depeysters, who used it as
pasture land to supply themselves with home
made butter and fresh milk. as was the custom
among the wealthy families at the time. After
the death Of Mrs. Depeyster and the partition OF
the estate this ground was put on the market
and sold by the heirs. one Of whom married
David N. Garrison. New-YOrk merchant. who
soon after the Revolution erected q residence
about midway between the two streets, on the
easterly side OF Broadway. The house stood
fifty feet back from the street. and was sur
rounded by a large garden. which extended
along the present Leonard-st. to about the
line Of Elm. Early in 1900 the owner OF this
property. which was about 100 feet on Broad
way and $50 feet deep, sold II to Rufus King
and John Lawrence for $4,000. In 1913 three
years after the partition Of the various lots had
been made by King and Lawrence, houses Of a
superior class were constructed on this block.
and toward the middle Of the last century the
Carlton House was built on the site Of two Of
them. Nos. $50 and $50.
Old newspaper advertisements Of 1895 tell
US that Ricketts, Amphitheatre Is to rent for
circus and theatrical performances and for
al
Broadway, north Of White-ss. and its site
many years before was used by itlnerant cir
Gus performers who found their way t. New
York ''and were accustomed to exhibit on the
hill above the Collect
North Of Franklin-st. improvements were de-
ferred soma years. A great part OF the prop
erty was held by old Van Cortland representa-
tives and some by the Corporation. especially
the lots which had been used for reservoir pur-
poses. The few disconnected cottages occupy
ing the east side OF Broadway, between Frank
lin and Canal SITS. went down before the march
OF improvement in 1916 or 1917. and handsome
residences took their places. Some Of these
were between Franklin and White sts, and
were owned and occupied by William NJ. Cut
ting. John NJ. Bradhurst and Richard Kings
land. The Cutting residence was occupied later
by John Jacob As.or and remained until the
middle Of the century. Between the two streets
north the first improvement was made by the
widow OF Goldsborough Banyar and by Peter
A Jay
The site occupied during a part Of the last
century by Florence's Hotel. on the northeast
corner Of Walker-st.. was the beginning OF the
permanent Improvement the block between
Walker and Canal SITS, George Bruce after
ward improving the corner Of the latter
street. Many buildings OF a public character
were later erected in this Observation-Disclosures
Minerva Rooms. at No 4O4: Enterprise Hall.
at No. 40 and the Apollo Gallery at No. 412
Before the opening OF the last century the
west side OF the thoroughfare in this locality
had twenty-five houses, beginning with the
public house and garden OF Conrad Wander
beck on the northwest corner OF Duane-st.. and
ending with the tannery OF Thomas Duggan.
near the stone bridge which was afterward the
line OF Canal-st.
The White Conduit House had a history all
its own 1t was one OF the old city's suburban
gardens. and stood on the top OF the Kalckhook
hill before Broadway was cut through. with an
extensive view from it's high stoop Of the sur
rounding country. II was the scene OF many
quiet gatherings OF the middle class citizens. IL
appears. until near the beginning OF the year
1900 1t occupied what is now the west side
OF Broadway. between Leonard and Worth SITS.
Another public garden may also be mentioned
which stood near LeonRrd-st In 1896, and was
kept by a Frenchman, NJ CORR. who figured
early in The chronology as the pioneer seller
OF mead and cakes on the Battery. and after
ward obtained the permission OF the Corpora
ton to illumine his stand with colored lamps
a novelty to the citizens OF the old town. In
1905 II was known al Mount Vernon Garden.
and, not having been displaced by the cut
ting through OF the street, stood high above
the neighboring structures Flying horses and
other amusements were furnished by NJ. CORR
to his patrons. 1t was near this house that
John H Contoit in 1909 established his second
New-York Garden, after leaving the site oppo-
site the park Its plain wooden entrance was
overshadowed with trees. and inside were shady
nooks dimly lit by colored lanterns. An old
New-Yorker says: Many a match was made
in these old gardens. which to-day would seem
to the eye but the acme OF rural simplicity. but
to the older city offered all that was enjoyable
on a moonlight night in the island OF Man
haitian" The famous TayIors restaurant, frs-
quented by all the society bellies Of the day,
stood on the north corner OF FrNnklin-st in the
early forties.
Up to 1915 the limit OF improvements OF
Broadway was the section written of. Five
years afterward. however, the street was al
most entirely lined with fair class OF build
ines, Whlch remained uillA TIC Hlluul0 U 4OOO
The introduction OF gas south OF Canal-st. In
1925 gave an impetus to business In the thor
oughfare. At this period its west side was ex-
tensiyely patronized as the fashionable shop
ping mart, and many OF the drygoods stores had
been transferred from the section below st.
Paurs Church. and were following the popu-
lation which was filling up the cross streets
below Canal-st.. so that it became the busy part
OF the city.
The one thing that causes the deliver into the
0fka d