New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-17

a short address from the dominic took each a
long pole with black velvet bag attached to
the end, from which a small alarm bell was sus-
pended. and passed about the church TO collect
aims for the poor. At the Lords Supper the
communicates. invariably dressed in black. stood
round the communion table at the foot OF the
pulpit and received the emblems from the min
ister's own hands, while the clerk read a suita-
BILE selection from the Scriptures" Many OF
these customs still exist among the denomina-
ton. and the traditions of none wholly lost
The last sermon In the Dutch language was
preached in 1908. The history OF the next Oldest
religious organization. the Episcopalian. will be
told next week.
Between 17S6 and the sequentiaI year of the
chronology, 1876, the population of New-York
City had nearly doubled. and with this increase
came a desire on the part Of the people to OBJ
literate what they considered old conditions
newspapers of the period. some of which are
before the writer contain advertisements OF
rewards for the capture of runaway slaves.
notices of slave sales. offers of exchange of
slaves who had grown DID, etc. The efforts
Of the Manumission Society told of In a pre-
vious part Of the chronology, were having
good effect. however, so that Governor Jay. while
himself slave owner. had a bill introduced in
the Assembly for the gradual abolition of slave
holding. 1t may be said to jays credit that he
manumitted his slaves at an age when he con-
sidered they had repaid him for whatever ex-
pense they had caused him. The bill for the
gradual abolition of slavery in New-York was
fought with bitterness by many OF the slave
holders, who insisted on the insertion of a
clause giving them compensation for the release
so. The Manumssion Society still persevered.
however, and gradually, year after year, reduced
the number of slaves until In 1925 many OF
them were enjoying the privileges of freemen.
Another problem, but OF civic nature en-
gagged the attention this year of the people-the
condition of the Collect Fresh Water Pond
Surveys of streets had been made about It, but
the water in 1t was sixty feet deep, and while
In the winter favorite resort OF skaters, pleas
ure was, as II should be, a secondary consid-
Grafton to the NEWCOMERS, and the increasing
population of the city urged them to improve 1t.
Committee after committee reported measures to
this effect and negotiations entered into
with the owners OF the swamps to reduce the
width of the Collect and make street on each
side OF II. but 1t not until 1899 that i'm
provements were begun. nor until 1905 that the
condition Of the pond was declared dangerous to
public health.
Tombs. is memorable as having been. In the
summer OF 1196. the water which the first
trial Of q steamboat with screw propeller
took place. Its inventor was John Fitch to
whose genius is due the first double acting con-
dersing engine. which transmitted power by
means OF cranks The boat mentioned was eigh-
teen feet long and six feet beam, with square
stern and round bows. The boiler was a twelve
gallon iron pot. The trial was successful. the
little boat circling the pond at speed which 1t
was said would develop six miles an hour. Fitch
cleo IN 1910. AFTER unsuccessful attempts to
prove the priority Of his inventions, 1t was said.