The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-08-22
THIS OLD HOUSE
ERECTED BEFORE
THE REVOLUTION
Saw Continental Troops in Vic
tory and Defeat, To BE Civ
en- Over to Wreckers
NEWARK SUBURB NEEDED
SITE FOR PLAYGROUND
Was Originally a Water Mill Put
Up By Some Early Dutch
Settlers

One OF the most ancient landmarks
in the vicinity OF Newark, \. j.. has
been ruthlessly destroyed by wreck
ing company II was house in the
suburb OF lrvington, which was old
when washington led his little army
past IL in his retreat TO Morristown,
rSessed closely by the enemy. Re-
pulsed at Springfield. three miles
away. the Hessians and British red
coats fled past IT on their retreat 10
New York. 1t served as hiding
place fer the muskets of the patriots
when the British temporarily were in
| possession of the neighborhood. This
was learned rs years later when the
building was converted from shop
| into dwelling house. A number of
old fint-lock muskets were found hid
| den away beneath its caves.
Originally il was a sawmill, erected
some time prior to 100 by the early
Dutch settlers. 1t stood upon the bank
OF the Elizabeth river, and erived It's
| motive power from a wheel turned
by the waters OF that stream. The
site was one Of the first places select
| ed by Dutch and English immigrants
| for settlement 1t Is mentioned in
| will dated 1889, made by one John
Brown, Sr. in which he bequeaths the
| property to his three sons. This docu-
ment was executed only SO years after
the landing of the first important
group Of settlers on the banks Of the
! Hudson.
! The cid building was associated
with famous New York achievement.
Ten years before the civil war one OF
the wonders of New York City was
the Crystal Palace, occupying q site
on Sixth-ave., between Fortieth and
Forty-second-sts. II was constructed
almost entirely OF glass. after the
| Crystal Palace In Hyde Park, London.
In the London structure it was neces-
sary, when the sun was strong, TO put
up canvas shades to temper the glare
and heat. The New York architects
determined to correct this defect. They
learned that Cyrus w. Durand, who
made his headquarters In this old
| building at Irvington, had discovered
a process OF enameling clear glass by
vitrffied coating so as to make It
resemble ground glass. The enamel
gave the glass translucency, but not
transparency. So all OF the $4,000
panes or glass were sent to this small
shop to be enameied before they were
fitted into their iron frames in the
palace. ~ ~
For many years this shop was to
Newark what Llewellyn Park il to
Orange. Between 1906 and 1850 the
building was the laboratory as well
as the factory Of Mr.. Durand, who was
a great mechanical genius. He was
an expert In "A different trades. He
invented the geometrical lathe now
used In the engraving of bank notes.
Another OF his inventions. equally In
genious. but of no practical utility. was
the "grammaton," a machine In which
a sentence can be placed and by
process OF analytical subdivision each
part OF speech In that sentence Is
clearly distinguished.
The plot on which the building stood
for over 200 years was wanted for a
recreation center. Accordingly the
lrvington officials sold Ii to a wreck.
ing company for $55 Eeveral promi-
nent citizens protested, urging that II
be preserved as a museum for the To-
cal relics, which abound In the neigh
borhood, but their protest was inef.
fectual.