New-York tribune., 1909-01-10

h2pN
r,,a nossesses a faculty which is neither
D. lsr that Of licensed story teller nor that OF
eEso"s Hz sees facts storywise. but without
ing that they are facts In his Decisive
ire.. ~ fhe Law" he made first rate copy"
bA'1, s,stv old legal documents; snd now in
0H y 60 If a Street he has made his way
In' -,.Ilv sure scent through the bewildering
| 81" HISTORICAL facts and figures that cluster
&c, ..szr York's most famous thoroughfare.
s'-' ...ast dates back almost as far as New
va -s.,, and II has had its full quota of
.,.,ses- OF these Mr.. Hill has selected the
picturesque. and has given them just
= historical background SO that the reader
- - 1,ses the pleasant feeling Of observing the
,,,s evolutionary process
-. there IS old Cornelius van Tienhoven,
~ # the Council at New Amsterdam.
=. On raw spring morning Of 1914, tacks
= rail of the fort an official bulletin con-
,.ry the inhabitants TO the erection of a cattle
,,,s At the north Of the settlement This is,
20 sneak. Wall streets birthday, for the cattle
- later. under Governor Stuyvesant, de-
Ions into q s-foot Tsalisadc. and parallel with
-o1isa5e-or .-WaIT'-runs a thoroughfare.
: this thoroughfare constitutes the theme of
s.o-- Here is a description of it as il ap-
s7ed a century later:
, -. -be street presented a decidedly ragged
= active ASPECT Al its eastern end. or slip,
mi q the Long Island ferry stood the fiimsily
-sr-ucted Meal MarAet, whose transactions IN
= nd similar merchandise had been supplement-
bv a more profitable traffic IN negro slaves. and
-i-ber side Of this uDSaNoIN mart stretched
~ line Of mean little wooden buildings extend
rs far west as William street From this point
s--osDerr gradually improved. the Broadway
= ssSf;rg some dat iliucS Of neat and attractive
mel hut the north side remained entirely
-s-t save for four wholly dissimilar structures.
m. n these was a tavern. another a build
49, 5e5icated TO the mystery Of sugar refin-
-. then came the City Hall, quite the hand
-azt and most pretentious ediice in the city,
u last the Presbyterian Church. At the head
he street lust where its second successor
..rds today. "squatted the ugly, square little
a.5en building with Gisproperuonately tall
-srle which had sheltered the congregation
Il. 7-inity Church since 1886"
sgsh was the Wall street which, in 1884 wit
-asssd the public burning in front of the City
p.l near the pillory, OF certain issues Of The
w York Weekly Journal" Its editor, one
IN Zenger. was accused OF having set up,
--,ed and published divers and sundry nefarf-
: matters defsmatory OF the government and
L
,ss interest % the general public in this event
IS sgnified by its resolute absence; hut when.
81 rngths later, after & desperate legal battle.
ssdrF Hamilton the most distinguished ad-
--ze @. his day had won for the offending
s-a- verdict Of aequittal. the whole town
~, mad with enthusiasm. The first great
ri o. American soil for the freedom Of the
rs had been victorious. and the cause Of
,g,aar rights received al immense impetus
ths stirring years that followed Wall street
azazne very familiar with anti-royal demon
sratiors Promptly upon the arrival in No
unber I765, Of the first consignment of the
SENDS issued under the hated stamp act there
we're efigy burIinSs, torchlight professions and
-5ts Ct such alarming proportions that the
s-iiIg Governor had no choice bur TO surrender
he obnoxious documents TO the Mayor Of the
H
G-zncng briefly at the Revolutionary period, /
E1-ein New York fell into evil case, the au-
1r throws upon the screen a series Of brill
| 1t views presenting the heyday Of politics
l- seciety which dawncd fer Wall street with
LIZ establishment in the KnickerbocEer city of
r. Continental Congress in 1879. Perhaps the
-Tliest moment IN the city's history was the
l-y4i q Washington on April %.
| E2s O'clock n the afternoon before the roar
| -zzlCE and cashinE of bells announced to the /
--ea IlrUugS that MS ma guificeHt state barge
lz.Hee BY thirteen pilots il white uniforms had
| IN sighted n the East River, and by that time
| Rhele Waterfront was black with humanity /
] - sEt-E T00f ana window crowded its utmost |
| @-1-y As ihe barge swung alongside the Wall 1
/ - NI4rt IN tsrCS joined the bells and the |
-lol z tGTrultuous welcome. Al the same mo /
] II ne man upon whom all eyes centred rose /
/ z rs place N the stern. his plain unifOCm Of 4
= a1c oiGe contrasting sharply with the crimson 4
liaes q the stairs. and as his hand touched the /
ne t1uE0eI0uS roar Of cheers which greeted |
-Slelce1 Tie mIslc and the bells.