The sun., 1908-05-10
BULL MCARTHr, HISTORIAN.
South street Legends as Related BY a
StudIOus Policeman.

A stoutsh man with a sober face empha-
sized by the reflective droop to the corners
Of his mouth stauds at the corner OF South
street and Peck Slip, II you are we'll ac-
quainted with the Swamp and the citys
eastern waterfront you recognize the red
dish mustache and the alert eye, and say
aloud:
There's Lieut. Bull Mccarthy
A sudden wheel and a hearty sailors
voice;
Hello, Johnny. how are you' Going dow n
the line' My day OF and I'm just looking
around here at the most historic part OF
New York city,
Dye see that old building on the north
side Of Peck slip here between Front and
South streets-the one with the big double
windows amidships1 That used to be a
boat loft, and not many years ago either,
Yes you can see the word Boats over the
second story now. can remember when
they built boats there and lifted EN- right
out the front with tackle into water.
Notice how broad Peck slip Is here all
the way up to Front street, and then 1t mar
rows 10 one half itswidth and We have Ferry
street. Years ago all this broad space be-
tween Front and South streets, two blocks
now, used 10 be water Front street was
the waterfront hen and twenty foot OF
brine. Then you took the ferry here at the
foot Of Ferry streetfor Breukelyn OF BROOKS 8
Village. There was an Englishman, New
Highlander, came here to New Amsterdam.
He and the Dutch settlers had q row and
they fired him out Of the colony, He went
across the East River and founded Brooks
Village. Pretty soon 90 many people
wanted to 70 over to Brooks Village that
they had to start up ferry TO take EN-
across. Later the Brooklyn Bridge arrived.
and believe we have a subway TO Brooks
Village now.
"In those times and later that old boat
loft you see now faced right on deep water.
The waterfront advanced TO Water street
and then to South street.
South street used to be a great place In
the old days. hundred ships lay along
there. their bowsprits arching the street
like 40 many girders. When a schooner
came in her crew would leave the martingale
down till a horse car came along. Then
they'd swarm out on the bowsprit and
drop aboard the car, the martingale would
be triced up and the held up car allowed to
pass along.
Come over here TO the southwest corner
Of Peck slip and Front street See this
old barrel sticking out Of the sidewalk
hard bv the lamp postl That's the end OF
an old British gun which fell on truck
when the redcoats we're ev9custing New
York via Peck slip. They didn't think
n worth while to haul her up Here's
about four feet above ground and there's
tUelye feet more below. She's a sixteen
loot run. what they called Long Tom.
Won see. instead OF increasing the charge
in those days they heightened the gum
thinking that would carry the charge further
and more truly.
sDd We notice the roof on that old boat
loft andthe neighboring buildings' They're
did rnaybe 200 years old for the most part,
Dutob buildings with bigh. sloping man.
sard Dutch roofs and gables.
aGot TO 20? Well. before ye CO. do you
know why the Dutch built those hi gh, soping
roofs and gables' No9 Well 1t was to
In the old days they taxed the property
according 20 the number OF stories in the
building BY fashioning those high pitched
roofs he old timers managed to get one or
two extra stories in without being taxed
for them for the stories were reckoned
from the front OF the building.
well. some time when you've the time
come down here and see real history. We
have It thick about us here SO long
tohnnyH