The New York herald., 1921-10-16

brick structure with the entrance hall
little to one side but with one front
window. the stairway also at the back.
but beyond this a large dining room.
The Stevens house was somewhat similar
in arrangement. although smaller. These
houses were all heavily trimmed. in some
cases to the point Of decoration.
Candles were used for lighting. being
preferred to oil. and most of the lower
rooms had open fireplaces, where logs
were burned In the winter; up stairs
mostly stoves were used, but they were
open stoves for the burning Of wood.
About 1896 coal was introduced. In the
early days the winters In this section
were severe, and both rivers were often
frozen nearly over. and the ground COW
cred with snow from November to
March. A description Of a sleigh ride
after storm which in these days would
be called blizzard can be found in
THE New YORK HERALD Of January s,
1856. One of the earliest memory pic
lures Of my boyhood is of the Bowling
Green in the evening, the ground COW
cred with white snow. the icy trees and
the shadowy gas lights from the houses
impresslng on my boy mind the quiet
stiffness Of the place. This was In 1862.
The uptown movement had already be-
gun. and was then moved to the Beck
man Hill section. where there were some
water and still some trees.
Gas was introduced into the lower
city about 1880, and in the eos Bowl
ing Green was we'll lighted The fire.
t,I ffo l~c -
outside winter entertainments, made
time pass quickly. even to those looking
forward to the birds and flowers Of
summer.
Should anybody be moro than cas-
ually interested let him take the sub
way on any fine Sunday morning to
the Bowling Green. where he must ar
rive before z o'clock, and there spend q
quiet half hour. He will find still q
little left Of this old garden spot where
with a little fancy he can give full
play to his Imagination and dreamings; /;
and can almost assure him no ono will
know Of his visit nor will he meet any
Of his living friends.
He can. however. obliterate the high
buildings and then meet with those who
have passed on before and Joined the
great majority. He will perhaps see the
redoubtable Peter go stunping by with
others Of his time and the excitement
over the arrival of Governor Dongan,
and afterward the new style of living
and lavish entertainment. Later the as
sembling OF an enraged populace over
the Stamp Act. and even the pulling
down of the statue OF George III. Per-
haps the ghost of Lord Howe will pass
by. as he lived for a while just over
the way. And then the evacuation, when
the news rapidly spread of the arrival
CT the ragged American troops at the
upper end Of the island on their march
to the city. He can even see the last
OF the English leaving the city with a
laugh after they had creased the pole
to the top Of which they had first nailed
their flag. which waved for a little
while In the stiff November breeze Per-
haps even George Washington will walk
by, as he lived Just around the corner
as President of the United States. And
then after these stirring events which
have made history he can contemplate
the quiet living OF the period from the
3cs to the Sos, as yet unbroken by the
scream Of the automobile or the rumble
Of tho elevated railroad.
Through all these mists of years the
high buildings will now reappear and he
will fnd his view hardened to the pres
ent day realities. He will make his
way back to this great city and to an
existence that is almost, impossible with
out the aid OF the automobile and
moving pictures. and in which the
chimes Of church bell early on Sum
day morning are a disturbing factor.
And all this about little insignificant
hill at the lower end Of Manhattan
Island in 1909! J. GARDNER BLEY.
NEW YORK, October Is.