The New York herald., 1922-06-11
Shop Started by Father in
1880 Will Be Continued
by Brother.
ROMANCE In THE STORES
Bought Iron Chain That
Barred British by Being
Stretched Across Hudson.

Westminster Abbey, one of the few
old school merchants, who began when
square rugged ships put in at tie Bat
terry, who did business without casd
index files, whose will was as good as
his word. died in the Broad Street
of the Abpeys. his brother Jonathan,
to carry on the business, established
by their father in 1880. They had
been partners for fifty-six years.
Westminster was 73. Jonathan is two
years his Junior
At the corner of Pearl and Fletcher
streets Is sign. Westminster I'm
porting and Trading Co., General Mer-
chandise." When one goes through
the door one drops right out Of 1922
back many years. Boxes of tea, ships
instruments, shirts, lanterns, barome-
ters, tobacco and real sailor made ship
models are piled in confusion in tiny
room. There is an odor of paint and
coffee. Almost buried behind this dis
play of wares is desk, where Jona-
than Abbey, hat on the back of his
head. putting on pipe, sits by the
window.
Chain that RepeIIed British.
Perhaps you'd like to know about
some Of the things my brother and
bought in the old days?" he asked well.
we bought the historic chain that was
stretched across the Hudson to keep the
British fleet from going up to West
Point during the Revolution. The iron
came from the mines Of the late Mayor
Hewitts grandfather and was forged
by the forebears of Assistant District
Attorney Townsend. Mr. Gunther, who
museum in Chicago during the Worlds
Fair. bought part of the chain for an
exhibition. ri
1--WE bought the electric light tower at
He'll Gate which was condemned because
the pilots said the bright light Injured
their sight. And then we bought the
cyclorama of Niagara Falls and had 1t
on show at Nineteenth street and Madi-
which was 400 feet long. was about the
toughest job 1 ever had. We, had to
wind 1t up on a spar stuck in NOV
able carriage rolled around the room.
and then we sold II to some theatrical
manager. who cut it UP for scenery.
1--WE also Purchased the schooner yacht
Wanderer. We sold her to religious
society from Maine called The Holy
Ghost and U.s. They sailed to Eurcpe
in her to bring back converts to their
religion. Then there was the Taormina.
Her owners had cruised round the world.
but they got stranded here and had to
sell her. And we were part owners of
one of the cup racing Shamrocks. which
broke up here in the harbor. Her steel
mast is now used as Flagstaff in Bat
terry Park.
civil war swords Bought.
do you want to hear more:' he
asked.
well. after the civil war my brother
and I bought about hundred thousand
swords and cutlasses from the Govern
ment. We hauled them from Governors
Island on a tug boat. People saw about
the sale in the papers, and do you know
we had hundreds of letters from soldiers
relatives asking us II any of the swords
had their uncle's or brothers or some
ones name on it, because they would
like to hang them in their cosy corner.
or course. we couldn't look through al
those swords"
Jonathan Abbey has fund Of these
tales of shipping and old time trading.
And he has a splendid collection for
those interested i'm ship models. He
has the model of the Sea King. full
rugged clipper ship. fully manned. with
women in hoopskirts walking the deck.
She took the prize at the Crystal Pal
ace here in 1858. He has models of
South Sea boats. steered from the bow;
Chinese junks, made on porcelain bases.
and Of the phantom ship. which ap-
pears to shipwrecked sailors.
In fact much romance OF early New
York is concentrated In the ~stuffy little
shop in Pearl street.