The sun., 1915-10-17
+ dnnOuS avenue 81
Early History In
terestingly T old
in AnniV Versa ary
Publication of
FifthAve .Bank---
Pictures andStOry
Show Growth

Old residents of New York VIII spend
q pleasant hour perusing the pamphlet
entitled Fifth Avenue" the forticth an
niversary publication OF the Fifth Ave-
nue. Bank OF New York. TO the younger
generation OF residents the book will be
OF no less interest, for while 1t will take
the older ones back to scenes connected
with their early days and undoubtedly
VIII restore to their minds once NOR"
places and events which they have
long forgotten. II will give to those who
know Fifth avenue only as 1t is To-day
an opportunity TO judge of Its growth
aud to learn how il has come to take
it, positiou as the premiere street Of
a erica.
The story comprises tho tirSt Gompl"te
history Of the origin and growth of Fitth
avenue, ami that II is not only correct
but complete may he Judged from the
great number of authorities consulted
and the great amount OF data used III
compiling the seventy eight page volume.
One of the most interesting features OF
the publication is its llustrations. which
include some views which are among
the rares,t possessions of the owners. old
New York residents, rs we'll rs views or
the avenue with which most people are
familiar Tho old Is mingled with the
new in a charming comparison.
After likening Fifth avenue TO other
world famous streets, the story CON
rinues:
we need turn back the hands OF time
less than a hundred years to find almost
virgin country where this wonderful ave
nue. now extends. pror TO lS2A Firth
avenue hal no existence save upon the
Commissioners map of 1871. During the
first quarter Of the nineteenth century
the line which Fifth avenue follows To-
day wandered over the hills ana val
l<ys, dales and fields Of Il picturesque
countryside, where trout, mink otter
and muskrat swami In the BROOKS ana
pools: brant. black duck and yellow lee
splas,hed In the marshes. the fox, rabbi l.
woodcock and partridge found covert IN
the thickcts covering the rough rocky
hills which characterized the upper part
of New York A few scattered farms
lay about while the city proper. with a
population of less than 100000, was still
below Canal etreet
"Beginning at what is now Washing
ton Square, then Pottcr's Field, the line
Of what sfterward became Fifth sivcnu'
left the Road over the Sand Hills oI
the Zantbcrg' OF the Dutch, later cailc-
Art street, and now gone from the map
and went northerly across the estate o
Sailors Snug Harbor This estate cN
tended TO about Ninth street, in the val
ley OF the beautiful brook which th'
Dutch called Bestayacr's Rivulet, nm,
the English. Mnetta Water Thi'
sparkling stream, once filled with trout
rose dn the high ground above Twenty
first street. flowed southeaSterly to Fifu
avenue AZ Ninth street, thence TO mid
way between the present Eighth stree
and Waverley place, where 1t swuhi
soutlwesterly and flowed into the Ilud
son River near Charlton street. Afte
Fifth avenue was built up II frequentl!
flooded cellars and weakened founda
tions. and even Yet, despite the grea
sewers which now give 1t an outlet
causes trouble at this part OF Fifth ave
nue. after very heavy rains.
after leaving the Randall property tn
line of the avenue crossed the meadow
and marshland OF what had been Henr!
Brevoort's farm. which stretched from
Ninth to Eighteenth streets and had II
17l+ been bought by an ancestor 70
1900. At Twelfth street it met tn
east branch of the Minetta Water, whic
flowed into the main stream betweel
Fifth and Sixth avenues. In the centr
OF tho line OF the avenue. midway be
tween Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets
lay a small pond. Low and level land
with swamp and marsh at Union Squar'
extended from Thirteenth street 4
loves lane. now Twcnty-frst street
Isaac Varian owned the Land from tigh
teenth to Twentieth streets, and Gilber
Coutant from Twentieth to Twenty-iirs
streets From Tweny-hrst street to Mad
isOn Square at Twenty-third street job
Horn, John Watts and others had po.
session. At Twenty-third street. as a
present, Fifth avenue met the old Bloom
ingdale road (now Broadway, tho higl
way to Kingsbridge. From Twenty-thIr
to Thirty-fourth streets stretched tn
common lands that later became III
parade ground
''The tract OF common lands frn
Twenty eighth to Thirty-second streets
through which the avenue was late
projected. was part OF the thirty-seve
acre farm which Casper Samer bougf
IN various pieces from the city betwee
1870 and 1899 for $12,100. On IN
Eastern post road side of the pGrad
ground. from 1894 to 1897, WAS n
oity's potters field. which later wa
removed to Washington Square, \
Thiity-second street small broo
crossed Fifth avenue, which flowed int
Sun Fish Pond between Th'rty-first AN
Thirty-second streets on Madison ave
nue.. At this point It is interesting I
note that within the lifetime Of me