The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-30
OLD CANNON BALLS
DUG FROM SUBWAY
Pre-. revolutionary Ammuni-
ton to BE Gift to n. Y.
Historical Society.
rOINU NEAR BATTERY

George " pcrram. chief engineer
o. .a. Peterborough Rapid Transit Com
rs,t ,ai Of the Rapid Transit subway
CO., '~ucton Company. which is build
bod. nc lower section OF the Seventh
Nnnie subway. said yesterday that he
Wit present to the New York Historical
Society 4 dozen or moro cann0n balls.
aprarently dating from pre-Revolution-
ary days, which rave been found by
norSnen excavating for the new sub.
rav AZ a distance of about 200 feet
from the Staten leland municipal ferry
house at the Battery.
Sir. Pcrram's decision to present the
cannon balls TO the Historical Society
vns made on the suggestion OF a re-
po-,er for Tue SUN. Mr.. I'egram had
-cceived 4 score or more of requests
nom friends and business associates for
n. cannon balls To be used as paper
Weights. but he said he believed that
.Hev had sufficient historical value to
warrant their being preserved where
they may be- seen BY the public.
htSN'f''"' w
rrr srN then inquired Of Robert ".
Ec,hY. librarian Of the New York His
,orirai Society. as to whether they would
be- accepted. and Mr.. Kelby stated that
no society would be glad TO take them
( Mr.. Pegram would send with them
a letter s,atiug where they were found.
NJ Pegram has agreed to do so.
The exhibit OF cannon balls in Mr..
-...H Att~A NJ 1871 HYAnduraX hAA
,r,o-'ered with the business OF the of'ce
20 some extent, since he has been re-
ouired to tell the story OF thor finding
10 ALI his visitors. The fret OF the can
non balls found was presented to Mr..
porram by Mfr DC Ryss, engineer In
charge OF the subway construction. II
was polished and mounted on a marble
stand. hearing an appropriately inscribed
gold plate.
Another cannon ball. about six inches
IN dame er and weighing nearly nifty
rounds. was presented by Mr.. Pegram TO
Frank Il. Hedley. vice-president and
general manager Of the marlborough.
Who announced that he would have II
polished and placed on a heavy iron
stand, 10 be used in the hallway OF his
-es'dcnce as a hatrack.
The cannon balls were all found in
sAcANdlll y S'NAloH hNal NV -
10 fee wide and 200 feet long, and
thcy we're at a depth OF six feet. MIR.
Peeram believes that had the excava-
lion been wider many more would have
hccY found. With the cannon balls Mr..
Pegram Is preserving an English penny
da,ed 1854. which was found with them.
We were uncertain at first as TO
whether the cannon balls didn't date
back TO the days Of the Dutch Cow
srnosS. said MIR, Pegram- but when
We found the English penny OF George
III. We decided that they were buried
a, about the Revolutionary period
None of the cannon balls ound Is OF
;he saire size. the largest being about
sN inches In diameter and the smallest
one inch. All but one are of solid iron.
nd this exception Is OF brass. abou. two
riches In diameter, containing some sort
OF loose body inside. Mr.. Pegram 3
Visitors all handle this cannon ball more
Cafeiu.ly than the others.
The cannon balls appeared to be
buried in a bed OF cinders. and this led
r j. Brown. superintendent OF construc-
ton Of he subway section, TO hazar the
guess that his men had dug into the site
q an ancient blacksmith shop and that
possibly the cannon balls had beer
brought from elsewhere TO be converted
MO horseshoes. Mr., Pegram believes
hat The place excavated was the site
- the ammunition magazine OF an old
'ort.