New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-21
LITTLE OLD NEW YORK.
Some odd Phases of Her March
to Greatness.


II was the intention OF the writer to completes
this week the series Of articles on the religious
bodies OF the old city with history OF the
Catholics. The data regarding their coming 70
New-York. their place OF worship and the num-
Der OF communicates IN the city prior 20 the
Revolution are not easily obtained, and should
not be guessed at. 1t Is thought that by next
week enough material Will have been gathered
10 make their history interesting 10 the read
ers OF The Tribune as # IS hoped the histories
OF the other denominations we're. After their
completion the chronology VIII be resumed.
While this series OF old New-York articles has
been appearing. requests have come TO the writer
from three old citizens for information regard
ing the progress OF New-York between 1885 and
1S75-the period they say. when she began to
sit up and take notice OF tine progress OF her
sister cities and when she dofred her swaddling
clothes One Of the old citizens agreed TO give
his knowledge OF occurrences. and. with the
readers permission we will digTess once more
from the chronological order Of this narrative to
make room for an interview with him. He has
seen many OF the odd phases OF Little Old Ssw
York in her march TO greatness. and. IN fact. he
is considered by many an odd phase" himself
This IS the President OF the Cromwellian Board
Of Aldermen. William f. Demarest. This board
got It's name because It suggested to some mis-
guided newspaper man Cromwers Rump Parlia-
ment The CromweIlian board had its origin IN
the legislation passed I'm 1878 establishing minor
fly representation in the Board OF Aldermen
Then. as now New-York was hopelessly Demo-
cratic and a law was enacted electing three
aldermen from each Senate district. for which no
voter could vote for more than two, As the
State Constitution gives every citizen the right
10 vote for all officers elected in his district. Mr..
urfffC eli
aldermanic ticket under the law existing prior
TO 1873. These aldermen organized regularly
and reported TO the Mayor that the board was
ready for business on the date specified In the
law with the result so we'll known.
The Cromwellan aldcrmanic question set
tled?" said Mr.. Demarest. NO. and IL never
will be until It is settled right. have spent
about twenty-five years lighting for the consti-
tutionaI principle that every citizen has the
right to vote for every elective officer in his dis
trict. and have arranged my affairs so that the
question will be fought for twenty-five years
more n necessary. I have carried II up TO the
Court OF Appeals six times. and each time the
court has avoided the constitutional question In
volved. But I viii yet have case before that
court where there can be no evading the ques-
ton and the sooner It is settled right the better
for Little Old New-York"
Speaking of New-YOTk, IL wasn't 50 mucn OF
a place when came here to live, in 1919. II
was two days drive from Elmira to Bing-
hamton; there we took the New-York and
Erie Railroad to Piermont, and from there the
steamer Thomas Powell This boat was named
after its cwner and shortly afterward he built
the Mary Powell-named after his daughter
which has been feature OF the landscape ever
since The only alternative route was by line
boat to Albany. and from there by steamer
Horace Greeley and I had the same opinion OF
these line boats whose 'cent-and-a-half-a-mile
mile-and- a-half-an-h hour haven't forgotten
yet. You slept in the cabin, and In the morn
ing you had to leave the wooden slab that an
swered for bed. and go on deck. I'm all kinds
of weather. while the cabin was being fixed for
breakfast Walking was more 20 my fancy.
1T was this very matter Of passenger trans
portation, together with the introduction OF Gro
ton water the establishment OF sewers. and the
invention OF the fiathouse. that made New-Yorl<
a metropolis. You wouldn't believe IL. young
man. but there considerable opposition to
al OF these at the start.
The first local stage line was started by Kipp
& Brown in 1898. 1t ran from the South Ferry