The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-20
TWO HUNDRED AND
FIFTY YEARS Ago
New York Had Its First Paved
Street in 1657-StageS
of Advance Since.
FORGOTTEN NAME OF CITY
DIAMONDS AT PRESENT THE
SIGN OF POVERTY.
Especial service.)

last week, the latest advance in New
York's transportation problem, which
marks the Inauguration of subaqueous
travel, comes curiously enough at the
end of two and one-half centuries
which have marked the growth of local
transit from its earliest beginnings.
Just $50 years ago Manhattan attained
its first paved street, known then as
Dehoogh street, but now as Stone. That
was in 1867, and the successive stages
of advance which have eliminated in
the opening of the East river tunnel
form an interesting review. After the
coming of the first paved street i'm 1861
no advance of note was made until
1897, the year which marked the first
lighting of streets al night by means
of lanterns. In 1755 the first ferryboat-
a sail boat-began operations between
New York and Staten Island. More than
half a century later, that is, i'm 1912,
came the first steam ferryboat between
this city and New Jersey Twenty
years later, i'm 1882. came the first horse
ear line, not only i'm New York, but
in the world, which ran through a
part of the Bowery. In 1886 came the
first steam railroad, running from
Brooklyn TO Jamaica, in Long Island.
The year 1851 saw the opening of the
first elevated line, a single track af-
fair for which the motive power was
furnished by cable. II operated be-
tween the Battery and Thirtieth street,
then an outlying suburb. In 1888 came
the opening of the Brooklyn bridge.
and three years later the first cable car
line. The first electric trolley lines be-
gan operations in Brooklyn i'm 1892,
while the subway was opened i'm 1904
The latest advance is the opening of
the first tunnel under the East river
in 1908, or $50 years after the city saw
its first paved street. To advance from
pavements TO under-river tunnels has
taken Father Knickerbocker nearly the
whole period of American history.
New York's Ancient Name.
The fact, long since forgotten, that
New York was once known as the
Towne of Mannados, is an interesting
discovery recently brought to light
through copy of an extremely ancient
and valuable map now in the possession
of the Old Guard of the city of New
York, itself the oldest military organi-
cation composed entirely of veterans in
the city, and one rich in historic mem
cries and honOrs. While the METROPOLIS
today is variously referred to as New
York, Manhattan and Gotham, and was
formerly known as New Amsterdam.
1t Is safe to assert that not one per-
son in ten thousand ever knew of its
still more ancient OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
dos. The map through which this new
old name was brought to light is enti-
tied "A Description of the Towne of
Mannados of New Amsterdam as II
Was in the Year 1854" and was dis
covered during the compilation of ma
terlal relating to the citys early his
tory for local historical society. It
was named by it's discOVerer the
Dukes Plan" The original is in the
British museum, but the copy i'm the
possession Of the Old Guard has been
certified as to its correctness in every
detail, and forms an interesting relic
of New York as il was nearly $50 wears
ago, with its forgotten name of Man
nadOs. Many historical relics of great
value, belonging to the Old Guard. were
destroyed when its armOry was burned
in 1893. Others which were saved. how
ever. still form a valuable and inter-
estinS collection in keeping with the
name of the most famous and bonoreI
military organization of the city. whose
annual ball held every January. to-
getner with the yearly parade on the
anniversary of the date on which the
English evacuated New York, form the
two greatest events of the year in To-
cal military circles.
No Demand for Diamonds.
Society will soon have to discover
something new in the way of Jewels if
diamonds continue to be the drug on
the market which the panic has made
them. As things go at present. the
demand for diamonds is almost at a
standstill, and as for prices, about all
that is necessary to obtain a stone is
to name your own price. Nobody wants
TO buy diamonds, and the seriousness
of the situation in this regard, which
has already brought about the fail
ure of several large diamond houses.
simply because trade was dead. is in
stanced b. the fact that the imDorta-
ton of these gems for 1907 was near
ly S12,G eco less than in 1906. when
prosperity was so much in evidence.
Diamonds which cannot be sold are
just so much UnDroductive capital. a
fact strikingly illustrated by the in
ability of the firm i'm whose possession
1t is to dispose of the world famous
Hope blue diamond, valued at $3.50 900.
A serious phase of the stagnatiOn is
found in the pawn shops. In New
York more than anywhere else I'm the
country people Of small means have
acquired the habit of purchasing dia-
monds with their savings instead of
banking them. on the theory, which
heretofore has always held good that
the stones would increase steadily in
value, could always be sold at profit,
and. most important of all. afforded a
certain means of raising cash through
the pawn shops. But where pawn shop
men formerly lent nearly so per cent
of its value on pledged stone. 10 per
cent is now about the limit. Conse-
quently those in New York who find
themselves in possession OF diamonds
are, curiously enough, the owners OF
about the least profitable and most ex-
pensiye luxury possible. Not the rich.
but the poor, are those who have dia-
monds now.
Female Suffrage Agitation.
one of the chief novelties OF 1898 IN
New York is a mild but interesting
agitation for female suffrage. On ior
yellow and black banners bearing the
words Vote for Women" various mn
passioned oratoresses, grieving al the
position to which woman is reiegated
in this country. are lecturing from soap
boxes and crowded corners. Just what
specific ends this sufragettc invasion
with demand for votes for wrman