New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-20
LITTLE OLD NETWORK
Some odd Phases of Her March
to Greatness.


A most interesting history is that which sur
rounds the locality bounded by Broadway. Ann
St, Pearl-st and the east side OF the pres
ent Park Row. The first section. from
Beelcman-st 10 Ann-st. and from Park Row
to Nassau-st was owned by Governor DON
gan, and was known as the Governors Car
den. subsequently the Vineyard 1t was
place Of public resort or pleasure garden until
1862 when the Dongan heirs sold it 20 Thomas
White. who divided It into building lots The
premises first occupied was the lot on the corner
Of Ann-st. with frontage Of - feet IN Park
Row and depth Of 81 feet in Ann-st.. the
occupant being Andrew Hopper. who had pur-
chased Il for l3-S in 1913. The following year
the street. beginning al the house Of Andre"
Hopper. nearly opposite ST. Paurs Church and
leading 10 the fresh water was by ordinance
named Chatham-st-. IN compliment TO the Brit
fish earl for his advocacy Of American inter
ests Up to the end OF the war several small
frame buildings were erected on this portion OF
Chatham-st.. and it commonly known as
Chatham Row. After the war footwalks were
first laid along #. and between 17s6 and 1906
sixteen parcels OF property between Ann and
Beekman SITS. were sold prices ranging from
1900 to 1880 the parcel OF three lots which
the Park Theatre was afterward erected. with
the building thereon being sold for $1,000. The
most elegant building for that purpose in Amer
ioa," as a writer Of 1898 described the new place
OF amusement for New-Yorkers. cost $1,000.
and sold at auction soon after to Messrs.
Astor and Beeltrnan for $50 600 After its second
destruction by fire I'm 1919 no attempt to
establish a theatre 80 far downtown" WAS
made. but on the site Mr.. Astor erected five
brownstone stores. Some Of these stood until
late in the last century.
Park Row, between Beekman and Spruce SITS.
was originally part Of the city commons. lying
open in the same manner as the present park
once did in the beginning Of the last century.
When Beelman-st. and other streets contiguous
10 It were opened In 1919 and the former was
laid out and paved the following year. the in
creasing population moved IN their direction
rather than westwardly. and aroused the min
listers and elders Of the English Presbyterian
Church to petition the city corporation for adj
dtional church accommodations. as the mem
bership had increased and the cemetery at
tached to the Wall-st church had become too
small They particularly favored the triangular
plot Of ground between Beekman and Spruce
SITS. The corporation favorable to the APP
plication. but preferred to give the Church
ground belonging TO the city in locality east
Of Chatham-st. between the present Chambers
and Pearl SITS. The Church authorities objected
TO the location proffered. the ground that
access 20 the lots inconvenient. as the street
leading TO them probably Duanel was so mar
row that two or three carriages would fill up the
passage and it was not likely that that part Of
the city would be paved for many years; that
the Dutch Church (which had obtained the grant
in fee OF twenty-eight lots ten Of which fronted
northeasterly to Queen GoearD st, eight south
easterly in Thomas Cnow Rose) st and ten west
ery in George CNilliam) st, at a rent of tIo per
annuml and the Presbyterian Church. If erected
at such little distance apart would interrupt
each other in service. and that church in that
locality would not be an ornament to the city.
hidden. as it would he, by surrounding build
inEs." Their arguments in favor Of the location
they sought were that IL WAS the populous
part Of the city that in its existing condition
the locality nuisance. and that It would
never be suitable for building purposes. the form
being a triangle. They finally offered tao
year for the ground and after some delibera-
ton the city authorities made them the grant
forever AT the sum offered. The property en-
braced about eight nine city lots In 400
they built their church and opened it for SER
vice the following year. 1t remained one OF the
most popular churches IN the city until 1856,
when II was closed to religious service and soon
after demolished the property having been sold
for the erection Of business buildings. The Pot
ter and Times buildings now occupy the site.
The second section east side OF Chatham-st,
from Spruce to william, a part Of the plan
tation originally granted to Covert LOCKER
mans a merchant OF New-Arnsterdam. In lo42.
I.oocxermans was the father-in-law Of Jacob
re,sler. who after the death Of the former. pur-
chased the property from his heirs. The south
erlv line ran about sixty feet north OF Spruce-st
and the northerly line began about the present
junction Of William-st- Near the southerly line
Of thisproperty. It may be remarked. not far from