New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-27
THREE OLD MILESTONES.
Appeal to Mayor to Preserve Relics
of City'S Youth.

The City History Club has undertaken 10 rescue
from neglect and Oblivion the three old milestones
which stand, IN the Bowery Rivington-
st: another in Third-ave, near Seventeenth-st.,
enth-st. In the olden times these stones. and
eral others. which disappeared long ago. marked
the miles the tree lined highway that connected
the little city with the upper part Of Manhattan
Island-the Boston Post Road. The surviving
Etones in too good state Of preservation.
Their inscriptions are almost illegible one of the
granite shafts-tlley seem 20 be granite-shcws
that large piece has been broken from it. and all
OF them used frequently by biposters
spicuous places for the display Of haring advertise
rnents.
Mrs. Robert Able, Of No. 13 West Fiftieth-st. as
president OF the City History Club. Forwarded
Saturday Mayor Mcclellan a letter in which,
after pointing the neglected. condition of these
venerable monuments of New-York. slle asks that
the duty Of caring for the stones BE delegated 10
the organization OF which she is president The
plan OF the club is. however. much larger than
merely 70 protect the miIestones- from possible
injury. Il includes q proposal make the mile
stones do actual service, utilize them in
OF the far-reaching ways. suggested IN a letter
ceived by Mrs Able from OF the advisory
members Of the club. The large scope OF the pro-
posed utilization is shown by the following X
tracts from the communication, upon which Mrs.
Able has made IN the name OF the City History
Club the request just sent TO the Mayor
Il cannot help feeling that these ignored, abused
relics worthy OF the attention OF the City
History Club and that the time 10 take
steps not only for their preservation, but for their
utilization teachers ever facing the uncounted
throngs thai pass them daily. Il would be fitting
Deg suggest your society take the inftia-
tive in The matter. because IL by your society
that there has been organized in New-YOrk move
10 the deveIopment of cur country a movement
that has reached INTO the pubic school system and
Us history courses the teaching OF this ctys Els-
tory 10 this city's children.
these
present wctls rather than later time. proper
regard for these venerable stones, because in 80
doing honor the memory Of great citizen
who travelled often the old Bouwerie and the old
Boston Post Road, whose eve, may imagine
often these stones il their first clear marking,
a citizen whose death centenary We shall com
mennonite on July = OF ms year, a Sl.lLen ~I0In
we must ever esteem IS the greatest 81 New OK
tect Of the Constitution. The mentor Of the first
Instrumentation that incorruptible public servant
''Fraunces' Tavern, St Paurs. the Jumel Man
sion the Van Cort.audt manor house. Han1ilton's
trees. these three milestonesi What else. how
little else. is Ieft OF the New-York that Hamilton
who knows but that II was on the country high
that Hamilton, uraccompanled, riding his horse
out into the solitude OF the fields, medtated most
deeply and long on vexing problems of Constitu-
was near one Of these stones that Hamilton reached
finally some decision. which being impressed later
by him on Washington end then on Congress, re-
that endures even now in or national life!
York needs most now is some Of this very senti-
Inent; that finer feeling which made Hamilton
science that civic loyalty, for the having OF which
revere him. and for the rot having of which
execrate Burr.
There is to-day in some quarters too much OF
the selfish and anti--ocial ambition which char
actertzed Burr: and in other quarters there is so
much that spirit which IS only commercial that
with them both leading feverishly 10 the goal
Of merely material wealth We lose sight Of the
grander things OF the higher life. Especially is
sight lost often OF these things as they concern
affairs OF city and Of State.
''If row the City History Club viii take upon
i.selS the duty Of rescling these menentoes OF a
great past from the improper use which impudent
or hou less
sake Of their pocketbooks, and II then the So
ciefy will inculcate from year 10 year among It's
young members the varied lessons which these
sacred stones suggest perhaps some added strength
viii be given the forces working FOR civic
betterrnent. Perhaps there viii be n clearer per
ceptiou Of the fact that the truest glory OF New
York is not in augllt OF spenGor that the eye may
rest upon but IN the virtues Of her people when
that fact shall be fixed in the consciousness OF this
city then. indeed. but not TIL then, may we justly
exclairr This the City Imperial Hero, then, 70
hasten tie coming Of the days when these nobler
sentiments shall dominate is special task Tor
your organization forthwith 10 do.
o various historical and patriotic societies there