Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-10

fine dry cellars, with good and excellent
ohices."
There were, OF course several very yell
lowed and ancient pictures Of the tavern
where the old sinners of New York used to
foregather for refreshment gossip and
politics, and various documents which de-
scribed the comforts that Sam Fraunce af-
forded his guests. The Sons Of the Revo-
luton searched long among old records,
books, letters and documents bearing on
the early history of New York before Mr..
Mesereau went to work. The result has
been very gratifying, they think.
Every bit of brick and lumber in the old
building was preserved and replaced as
nearly as possible in the restored tavern.
Bricks OF the size and shape Of those used
on the Broad street side were brought over
from Holland for the restoration.
From an old building in Baltimore, bricks
to match those on the Pearl street side OF
the tavern were obtained. The doors,
frames and woodwork OF the pattern used
altogether 15O years ago have been put
back, the original floor beams preserved
and the Interior as well as the exterior
made to look nearly as possible as II
looked at the time of the revolution.
Two bad fires did much to change the APP
pearance OF the old tavern. There was one
in 1882, by which much OF the building was
destroyed, particularly on the Pearl street
side. The restoration Of the building at
that time altered its exterior appearance
and a fiat roof took the place OF the old
mansard.
Again. In 1854, there was another FIRE,
and after that the building was altered
even more materially. Two stories were
added and two of the queer old chimneys
torn out.
In more recent years many changes
were made to make the ancient hosiery
into something like a modern hotel. Tho
nrst floor was dropped to the street level
and partitions were taken out or put in
here and there.
BY great good luck neither fire nor tho
hand OF man did much to change the fam
Gus Long room where the Social club met.
where, the New York Chamber of Com
msree was organized and where Wash
ington bade his oficers farewell AT the
close OF the revolution. The architect
and workmen have triumphed over most
OF these difficulties, and Fraunces Tavern
when finished will be what It was in the
old days.
Although perhaps the most famous and
interesting historically, IL was by no means
the oldest OF Manhattan's inns. Tho very
FIRST was a quaint stone building near the
present Pearl street and Coenties slips
which was called in later years the Stadt
Hugs, 1t was built in l6i2.
Then Martin Kriger open Krigier's
Tavern at Bowling Green which became
the fashionable resort for townspeople
and visitors from abroad. Many littlo
taverns sprang up about that time which
Direotor-Gencral stlyvesant compelled to
take out licenses
Their lawful charges read curiousiy in
these days: Lodging, and pence nisht;
meals, pence and l shilling; brandy .
pence q gill French wines, 10 ponce a
quart rum, pence a gill; cider pence a
quart beer. 8 pence a quart; mum, pence
a quart. Thirsty Indians were not well
coined In New Yorks earliest bars II an
Indian was found drunk I'm the street the
tavern keeper who sold him lduor was
aned, and when they couldn't put their
finger on the tavern keeper all the resi-
dents OF the street had to pay a fine
Il isn't clear Just when Fraunce's tavern
was started. II was. as It looks restored
today. originally a private residence. built
about 100 on land conveyed by Colonel SEE
phanus Van Cortland TO his son-in-law,
Etisnne dc Lancey.
The father OF Colonel Van Cortland was a
brewer In Brouwer street and his great
wagons raised so much dust that his wife,
Ann Lockermans. protested. She demanded
that Mynheer Van Cortland lay stone pave
ments before their porperty. The brewer
ola So the street became Stone street. the
arst paved street in New York, and Stone
street has remained ever since.
II was Etienne de Lancey that built the
house that became fraunoe's tavern. He