The New York herald., 1922-06-04

the square: he did not save the man
whose home he occupied nor his family
and after the war the Walton and De
Lancey estates were conhscated. The
Bank Of New York occupied the Walton
number Of years it became fashionable
residence again. But during the early
twenties of the last century the older
generation Of society around the square
was dying out and the younger gem
GRAFTON was settling around st. Johns
Park. where there were less noise. less
business and more seclusion. The sec
ton began to degenerate, the houses be-
ing let first to, single families; later
several families occupied houses in-
tended for a single family each. and in
recent years the old houses are being
demolished to make room for business
houses.
Mr. Bley notes some sites in Cherry
street 1 worked in Cherry street a few
doors from Franklin square in 1877 and
1878. In the rear of the building was q
one story brick structure which was said
to have been occupied by Blagg's dis
tillery in 1855. A number of persons
prominent in the National Government
lived on this block while the nations
capital was in this city.
Washington's military staff lived at
29 Cherry street. John Hancock lived
Leggatt, who was president Of the first
gas company in the city and whose
house was the first to be lighted by gas
This was in 1923. At number 81 lived
Capt. Samuel Chester Reid. the hero Of
the battle at Fayal, who swung from his
window in 1913 the first American flag
of the present design. Before this the
flag had a stripe for each State.
Bill Tweed was born at number "a.
The Desbrosses family lived at number
81. A few Of these old houses are still
standing.
Tho average New Yorker is proud Of
his city, of it's wealth and grandeur.
But he cares little about it's history,
its historic associations or sites. Many
work in buildings bearing tablets re-
cording historic events, yet have never
read the tablets. How many have
ever read the tablet on the Gouverneur
house in Prince street recording
the fact that President Monroe. whose
doctrine has been the guiding star Of our
foreign relations. died in that house? ?
standing in Lexington avenue in which
a President Of the United States took
the oath Of Office?
How many can give the geographical
boundaries Of Greenwich. Chelsea, Bow
cry village, Bloomingdale, Harsenville.
Odellville. Yorkville or even Harlem?
How many know that at the corner OF
Broadway and Chambers street stood
one Of the city gates and only few
feet away was Gallows Hill, where the
city gallows stood for four years?
Knowing lower Broadway to-day, can
one imagine that the west side Of City
Hall Park was once racetrack or that
the block from Canal to Lispenard street
was once offered as gift from Trinity
Church-to the Lutheran Church and re-
fused because 1t wasn't worth fencing
In?
New York city abounds in sites Of
local and national historic interest, but
the average New Yorker is as little in
terested in ancient history as he Is in
ancient genealogy. and the site on Pearl
street where fourteen negroes were
burned at the stake interests him no
more than the life of the great Dutch
trader Loockermanns. or Myndert van
6cheik, the foremost citizen OF the city
in his day, or the Draper family Of
scientists As boy / heard of the
time when the night watchmen carried
hour glasses, bells. lanterns and long
clubs, when they wore copper badges
and we're called coppers, later contracted
to cops.
New York has had a glorious past: let
us expand our civic pride. to include that
past as well as the magnificent present.