New-York tribune., 1910-10-09

uorovered but below, on the passenger
side a cabin had been fitted up for use IN
stormy weather The early ferry landing
was between York and Grand streets.
little south of the present Pennsyivaroa
ferry slips. 1t was moved to the corner OF
Hudson and Montgomery streets on Aps'il
I 1899. and at the time of the extension OF
Exchange Place was moved TO its present
location at the foot Of that street.
Long before the railroads we're dreamed OF
stages used to start from the ferry for Phil
sdelpt1ia One of the few relics of old ,Ier-
sew CITY is an ancient Dutch building. with
slatless shutters and paneless windows,
at No. 7s York street. which Is soon to go.
in order to make room for the new sl.e"'oe
posfofrfce building. This was tavern IN
those DAYS. the water coming up near its
door. II is generally believed TO be fhe
one built by the owners of the stage ene
to shelter their patrons over night 1rhey
arranged for patronage in a truly nonopo-
Iisttc fashion The boats ran between sun
rise and sunset only. IL was decTeed that
the stage should start from the ferry
promptly at sunrise on the seani-"eekS
trims This made II necessary for intending
passengers TO cross the river the evening
hefore for the ferry was no rapio trahsl'
affair.
There IS a legend that Joseph Boraparte'
the brother of Napoleon. was once h"user
I'm this tavern. 1t is said that ne hso
with him a dog of degree, which attacked
q butchers dog of no pedigree worth men
,ioning. The butchers dog suffered IN the
fight which followed. and the butcher
Ronaparte or no BOnaparte. took the affair
into court II was decided that the royal
dog was at fault and damages were as
sessed against his master. The latter ap-
pealed from the decision. What the result
was apparently is lost to history, for u IL
stated that while the original decision OF
the court is still 20 be seen in the archives
at Hackensack. the appeal has been sta!en
from the files.
The first commuters from New jersey
possibIy were J. J. Frank, +. P Nidal.
George Clifford and Professor House, who
lived in Bergen upward of fifty gears ago.
A oue-borse stage furnished them daily
transit to the ferry. This stage. the lore
runner of the street railway system Of
Jersey City. was conducted by Peter Earle.
who was an arbitrary old fellow The
patrons had to do as he said. He made one
trip each way daily in order to aCcomnO-
date the four commuters.
In case any other service was needed
or women wished TO visit the bargain coun-
ters of New York Mr.. Earle specified that
notice must be sent to him the night pre-
vious The women were required to be
I'm readiness at 10 o'clock in the morning.
when he would call for them, with the
understanding that they would be at the
ferry I'm the afternoon at 3 O'Clock ready
to return home. so that he might'have time
to go back with his commuters special at
osrIo he f,z,r nf
muters was increased by two and he was
obliged TO purchase two-horse vehicle
accommodating eight persons.
Most of the historical points of interest
in Jersey City are in the neixhborhood of
Bergen Square At the corner of Bergen
avenue and Newkirk street Is the Sip home
stead. the oldest building in Jersey City.
and one Of the oldest in New Jersey. 1t Is
in an excellent state of preservation, and
is still owned and occupied by 1ineal de-
scsndant of the original owner collect
or of legends has told in print how Corn
wallis visited this house once. Apparently
there IS no better foundation for the story
than the mischievous nature of two girls.
who were supposed by the collector to be
well informed regarding its history. They
told him the tale with fUIness of detail
that gave it added interest
Fronting on the square itself is Public
School II. fine structure of modern de-
sign. occupying the site of the earlier
schools Of Bergen. dating from the settle
ment. Daniel Van Wrinkle the historian
of Bergen. who went to school in the old
Columbian Academy. which occupied the
site more than half a century ago. de-
scribes how he fished from the second story
of that old building. Fishing on the hilltop
site seems such a strange thing that when
he mentions this fact he Is usually pressed
to tell how he played Izaak Walton here
The first floor. he then relates. was not
used for school purposes. but was in such
bad repair that the scholars used to throw
the refuse of their lunches there The rat
colonies prospered. He used to bait a bent
pin with cheese and fish for the rodents
with some degree of success.
Across the square Is a building of neatly
cut stone, which is called the Van Wag-
enen homestead. Beneath an apple tree
which once stood behind the house Iafay-
cite and Washington are said to have dined
together. On Bergen Square stands the
Demott homestead which also is credited
with having sheltered Washington
Passing down Bergen avenue toward the
south. the pedestrian comes upon a big
church. with classical Greek porch. This is
the fourth Bergen Reformed Church
Within It's walls are embedded stones from