New-York tribune., 1909-09-25
/ AS MANHATTAN WAS
flooded ISLES BE-lJ'TY.
Ponds, Streams, Fruit Trees and
FIo,tcrs 4ppeaicd to Eycs If
the Dutch Pioneers.

Nauhatt, Island, as Henry Hudson and The
Dutch pion saw u first. possessed lectures
which coui. rot help making il attractive 60
sea-wsIry es-s The lower part Of II SISTED
OF Uood-csoUued hills and beautiful ct ~ val
leys. including a chain of swamps and .Tshes
and DIP pond Nortbvarl il rose into rocky.
high ground. TIE sole inhabitants were =. tribe
Of dIsky Irdiaus-5u 1fshoOt from the great
nation II th- I.-uui Lerape. who inhabited the
vast territory bounded by Tho Penobscot ard the
Potomac tl- Atlt7;i, and the Mississippi
dwelling lu %, clusters 80 rude wisWan4s that
dotted Here tn5 there TIE surface of The couHtrS,
The rivers that sird tas island were NJ IN
stirred by IN. I-~eis o. ships and the canoes OF
the native Manhattan held Sole possession cf
The peaceful waters
Tho face of ne island. mere particularly de
scribed in Miss ~ l. Booths "History Il New
York was gently undal&ting. presenting every
variety ~ hill and dsie of brook a,Do risulet-
Tho upper part ~ The stand wes rrcky and
covered By dense forest, the lower part was
grassy amt rich in Mild fruits aHd flowers.
Grape ana straw berries grew IN tbIrs.lRoe n
the uc.js md nuts oj vs.rsosls kinsl5 plen-
tful in The forests. which we've also hIIeI with
abundance of game Tn brooks and ponds were
syyarmnas With fish. an,i Tie >0ii vas ,.f luXlri-
ant fertility
In the vicinity If tls ToHlbs and tie criminal
Courts BuildiUg was leep. clear and beautiful
pond ~ fresh water, with pictwcs.l;-s little
island in the nliddie. deep. indeed hat it
could have hOatel the largest ship IL auF navy
This pond for a long time deemed bottom
less. Il fed by large springs. which kept
its water fresh and Gowing and haj its outlet
in d Iitue stream that Hoysrd into the East River
near the foot OF james street. Smaller ponds
dotted the island N various places. two ~ hieh
lying near each other iR the vicinity of Broad
way and Grand street collected the Waters Of
the high grounds that surrounded theu1.
=" th- northwest of tho fresh water panG or
"Kolck." the Dutch afJeTNsa ard called IT, was
an immense marsh. which began IN ths vicinity
"t what formerly IT Johns PARK and en-
tended to the north fOr more than - yrnty acres
hlled with reeds and brsanlbses and tenanted
with frogs aud water snakes. rivuIst con-
nected the marsh With the fresh watsr pond.
which was also contested, by Tho strvap which
formed its outlet. With another strip of marsh
land covering the region occupied b. James
Cherry and adjacent streets. AR uRbroken
chain OF waters thus stretched across the island
from James street at tie southeast to canal
street at the northwest Al inlet occupied the
place OF Broad street marsh covered the vi
cinity "f Ferry street. Rutgers street formed
the centre "f another marsh and Eong line Of
meadows and sNampy ground stretChe,. o. the
northward along the eastern shore.
Tie highest line ef lanGs lay alonS Broadway
from the Battery To the noTtherum0st part Of the
island. forming It's backbone. anI sIoplns grad
ualiy tn the east and the west On TIE .,,Fnsr
of Grand street and broadway was a high hiu.
commanding view Of The whole. island and
falling or gradually O. The fresh water pond
To the south and ives; the country in the in
tervals of the marshes of great bststy roll
ing, feitile. grassy and Wrn wat.rvd A hish
range of sand hills trs,ver, part % ths, isIans
from Narick and Charlton 70 StA and Greene
streets. To the north Il these LAY & valley
through which ran brook. which formed the
outlet of the sprinsy marshes az Ws-rtra.o,
Square and snpted into The North Riy.r