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A HISTORY OF THE
CITY OF BROOKLYN
AND
KINGS COUNTY
BY
STEPHEN M. OSTRANDER, M. A. LATE MEMBER OF THE HOLLAND SOCIETY, THE LONG ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, AND THE SOCIETY OF OLD BROOKLYNITES
EDITED, WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES, BY ALEXANDER BLACK AUTHOR OF "THE STORY OF OHIO," ETC.
IN TWO VOLUMES VOLUME II.
BROOKLYN Published by Subscription 1894
7
Copyright, 1894, BY ANNIE A. OSTRANDER. All rights reserved.
This Edition is limited to Fibe Hundred Copies, of which this is No. 21
F129 B7085 V.2
CONTENTS
CHAPTER IX
BROOKLYN AFTER THE REVOLUTION
1784-1810
Effect of the British Occupation on Life and Business in the County. Brooklyn particularly disturbed. Town Meetings resumed. The Prison Ships and their Terri- ble Legacy. Tragedies of the Wallabout. Movement to honor the Dead. Burial of the Remains. The Tammany Enterprise and the Removal of the Bones. Further Removal to Fort Greene. Organization of the Brooklyn Fire Department. The Ferry. The Mail Stage. New Roads. Planning "Olympia." Early Advertisements. Circulating Library and Schools. The Rain-water Doctor. Kings County Medical So- ciety. Flatlands. Gravesend. Flatbush, the County Seat. Mills. Erasmus Hall. New Utrecht. Bush- wick, its Church, Tavern, Graveyard, and Mills. The Boundary Dispute. The Beginnings of Williamsburgh. Rival Ferries. "The Father of Williamsburgh "
I
CHAPTER X BROOKLYN VILLAGE
1811-1833
Brooklyn during the "Critical Period " in American His- tory. The Embargo and the War of 1812. Military Preparations. Fortifications. Fort Greene and Cob- ble Hill. Peace. Robert Fulton. The "Nassau's " First Trip. Progress of Fulton Ferry. The Village incorporated. First Trustees. The Sunday-School Union. Long Island Bank. Board of Health. The Sale of Liquor. Care of the Poor. Real Estate. Vil-
610267
iv
CONTENTS
-
lage Expenses. Guy's Picture of Brooklyn in 1820. The Village of that Period. Characters of the Period. Old Families and Estates. The County Courts re- moved to Brooklyn. Apprentices' Library. Prisoners at the Almshouse. Growth of the Village. The Brook- lyn "Evening Star." Movement for Incorporation as a City. Opposition of New York. Passage of the Incorporation Act .
47
CHAPTER XI
THE CITY OF BROOKLYN
1834-1860
Government of the City. George Hall, first Mayor. Plans for a City Hall. Contention among the Alder- men. Albert G. Stevens and the Clerkship. The Jamaica Railroad. Real Estate. The "Brooklyn Eagle." Walt Whitman. Henry C. Murphy. Brooklyn City Railroad. The City Court established. County Institutions. The Penitentiary. Packer Institute and the Polytechnic. Williamsburgh becomes a City. Progress of Williamsburgh. Mayor Wall and the Aldermen. Discussion of Annexation with Brooklyn. The "Brooklyn Times." Consolidation of the Two Cities. Mayor Hall's Address. Nassau Water Com- pany and the Introduction of Ridgewood Water. Plans for New Court House. Proposal to use Washington Park. County Cares and Expenditures. Metropolitan Police
80
CHAPTER XII
THE PERIOD OF THE CIVIL WAR
1861-1865
Election of Mayor Kalbfleisch. The Call for Troops. The Militia. Filling the Regiments. Money for Equip- ment. Rebuking Disloyalty. War Meeting at Fort Greene. Work of Women. The County sends 10,000 Men in 1861. Launching of the Monitor at Green- point. The Draft Riots. Colonel Wood elected Mayor. Return of the "Brooklyn Phalanx." The
V
CONTENTS
Sanitary Fair. Its Features and Successes. The Calico Ball. Significance of the Fair. The Christian Com- mission. Action of the Supervisors of the County. The Oceanus Excursion. Storrs and Beecher at Sum- ter. News of Lincoln's Death. Service of the Na- tional Guard. The "Fighting Fourteenth." The Newspapers. Court House finished II7
CHAPTER XIII BROOKLYN AFTER THE WAR
1866-1876
Administration of Samuel Booth. Metropolitan Sanitary District created. Cholera. Erie Basin Docks. The County Institutions and their Work. The Gowanus Canal and the Wallabout Improvement. The Depart- ment of Survey and Inspection of Buildings. Estab- lishing Fire Limits. Building Regulations. Prospect Park. The Ocean Parkway. The Fire Department. The Public Schools. The East River Bridge. Early Discussion of the Great Enterprise. The Construction begun. Death of Roebling. The Ferries. Messages of Mayor Kalbfleisch. Erection of a Brooklyn Depart- ment of Police. Samuel S. Powell again Mayor. A New City Charter. Movement toward Consolidation with New York. Henry Ward Beecher. Frederick A. Schroeder elected Mayor
· 132
CHAPTER XIV THE MODERN CITY
1877-1893
Rapid Transit. James Howell, Jr., elected Mayor. Work on the Bridge. Passage of "Single Head " Bill. John Fiske on the "Brooklyn System." Seth Low elected Mayor. His Interpretation of the " Brooklyn System." Reelection of Low. Opening of the Bridge. Bridge Statistics. Ferries and Water Front. Erie Basin. The Sugar Industry. Navy Yard. Wallabout Market. Development of the City. Prospect Park. Theatres and Public Buildings. National Guard. Public
vi
CONTENTS
Schools. Brooklyn Institute. Private Educational Institutions. Libraries. Churches, Religious Societies, Hospitals, and Benevolent Associations. Clubs. Lit- erature, Art, and Music. The Academy of Music. " The City of Homes " 167
APPENDIX
264
INDEX
. 271
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
VOLUME II
VILLAGE OF BROOKLYN IN 1816. (From the Village Map of Jeremiah Lott, 1816, and the Map by Pop- pleton and Lott in 1819, showing Pierrepont and adjacent Estates) . · Frontispiece
EARLY FERRY ADVERTISEMENT. (From Historical Sketch of Fulton Ferry and its Associated Ferries, 1879) . Facing page FERRY PASSAGE CERTIFICATE, 1816 40 FULTON FERRY BOAT WM. CUTTING, BUILT IN 1827. (From Historical Sketch of Fulton Ferry) . . 62 GUY'S SNOW SCENE IN BROOKLYN, 1820. (From the Painting owned by the Brooklyn Institute) . . 70 FAC-SIMILE (same size) OF LETTER BY WALT WHIT- MAN IN POSSESSION OF CHARLES M. SKINNER, EsQ., BROOKLYN 90
28
CRUISER BROOKLYN, BUILT IN 1858
122
STATUE OF HENRY WARD BEECHER IN FRONT OF CITY HALL. (From a Drawing by H. D. Eggleston) 140 STATUE OF J. S. T. STRANAHAN AT THE ENTRANCE TO PROSPECT PARK. (From a Drawing by H. D. Eggleston) . . 180
STATUE OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON IN FRONT OF
HAMILTON CLUB HOUSE . 200
APPENDIX
CHART SHOWING EAST RIVER SOUNDINGS AND PIER
LINES
262
HISTORY OF BROOKLYN
CHAPTER IX
BROOKLYN AFTER THE REVOLUTION
1784-1810
Effect of the British Occupation on Life and Business in the County. Brooklyn particularly disturbed. Town Meetings resumed. The Prison Ships and their Terri- ble Legacy. Tragedies of the Wallabout. Movement to honor the Dead. Burial of the Remains. The Tammany Enterprise and the Removal of the Bones. Further Removal to Fort Greene. Organization of the Brooklyn Fire Department. The Ferry. The Mail Stage. New Roads. Planning "Olympia." Early Advertisements. Circulating Library and Schools. The Rain-water Doctor. Kings County Medical So- ciety. Flatlands. Gravesend. Flatbush, the County Seat. Mills. Erasmus Hall. New Utrecht. Bush- wick, its Church, Tavern, Graveyard, and Mills. The Boundary Dispute. The Beginnings of Williamsburgh. Rival Ferries. "The Father of Williamsburgh."
DURING the whole period of the Revolution Brooklyn had been peculiarly disturbed. More than any other of the county towns, it had been distracted and prostrated. Farms had been pillaged and the property of exiled Whigs
2
HISTORY OF BROOKLYN
given over to Tory friends of the Governor. Military occupation naturally resulted in great damage to property. "Farmers were despoiled of their cattle, horses, swine, poultry, vegeta- bles, and of almost every necessary article of subsistence, except their grain, which fortu- nately had been housed before the invasion. Their houses were also plundered of every article which the cupidity of a lawless soldiery deemed worthy of possession, and much furni- ture was wantonly destroyed. At the close of this year's campaign, De Heister, the Hessian general, returned to Europe with a shipload of plundered property." 1 While the other towns were receiving pay for the board of prisoners, and thus being justified in maintain- ing their crops, Brooklyn remained a garrison town until the end.
After the evacuation, Brooklyn's farmers and tradesmen at once turned their attention to the restoration of the orderly conditions existing before the war. It also became neces- sary to reorganize the local government. In April, 1784, was held the first town meeting since April, 1776. Jacob Sharpe was chosen town clerk, and Leffert Lefferts, the previous clerk, was called upon to produce the town 1 Stiles, i. p. 326.
3
AFTER THE REVOLUTION
records. The result of this demand has already been described in the reference to the missing records.
Before proceeding further with the narrative of Brooklyn's growth after the Revolution, it will be necessary to return for a moment to certain sad circumstances that followed the battle of Brooklyn and other successes of the British. The battle of Long Island was fought August 27, 1776, and Fort Washington was captured in November. These victories gave the British between 4000 and 5000 prisoners. At that time there were only two small jails in New York city. One was called the Bride- well, and was situated in Broadway near Cham- bers Street, and the other was known as the New Jail. These prisons could not accommo- date the daily increasing number of prisoners. It was a dark hour in American history ; suc- cess seemed to perch upon the banners of the enemy. Large accessions of prisoners were made, and quarters had to be provided for them. The churches were taken without ceremony and converted into receptacles for the captives. The sugar-houses were used for the same pur- pose. One of these was situated in Liberty Street, adjoining the old Middle Dutch Church. That church was also used. Within its walls
4
HISTORY OF BROOKLYN
thousands of prisoners were placed, regardless of comfort or sanitary rules. If its walls could speak they would tell a tale which would make a sad record.
The old North Dutch Church on the corner of Fair Street and Horse and Cart Lane (now Fulton and William streets) was also used as a prison pen, and within its walls a thousand persons were held. Within a few years this venerable landmark has succumbed to the march of progress.
The infamous Cunningham was at this time provost marshal of the city. He possessed the instincts of a brute, and often seemed to own the spirit of a demon. The sick and dying received no sympathy or care from him. Healthy men were placed in the same room with those having the smallpox and other maladies. Prisoners were not allowed suffi- cient food or bedding, and their clothes were
scanty.
The food was not fit to give to the
beasts. The men must have reached the verge of starvation to induce them to partake of the unwholesome mess of wormy and mouldy food dealt out to them. The allowance made to the men was a loaf of bread, one quart of peas, half a pint of rice, and one and a half pounds of pork for six days. Large numbers
5
AFTER THE REVOLUTION
died from want, privation, and exhaustion. So crowded were these prisons that there was no room to lie down and rest. The impure atmosphere engendered disease. Every morn- ing the cry was heard, " Rebels, bring out your dead." All who had died during the night were carelessly thrown into the dead-cart and carried to the trenches in the neighborhood of Canal Street, and buried without a vestige of ceremony.
But the horrors of the city prisons were more than repeated in the tragedies of the prison ships in the bend of the Wallabout. The first vessels used were the freight trans- ports which had been employed in conveying troops to Staten Island in 1776. These trans- ports were for a short time anchored in Grave- send Bay, and received the prisoners taken on Long Island. When New York was con- quered they were removed to the city. The Good Hope and Scorpion for a while were anchored off the Battery, and subsequently were taken to Wallabout Bay, and with other vessels were used as prisons. Two vessels at a time were kept in this service. Among the vessels thus used were the Whitley, Fal- mouth, Prince of Wales, Scorpion, Bristol, and Old Jersey.
6
HISTORY OF BROOKLYN
In 1780 one of the vessels was burned by the unhappy captives, who hoped thereby to regain their liberty. The effort was unsuc- cessful, and the prisoners were removed to the Old Jersey, which continued in service until the end of the war.
Wallabout Bay had the shape of a horse- shoe. The Jersey was anchored at a point which is now represented by the west end of the Cob Dock. If Cumberland Street were continued in a straight line to a point between the Navy Yard proper and the Cob Dock, it would pass over the spot where this vessel was anchored.
Historians agree in saying that the treat- ment on all these vessels was alike, and that the Jersey was not exceptional. The Jersey was the largest of all, and having remained in service for so long a time had the most prison- ers. On that account she has attracted the most attention.
The crew on board each ship consisted of a captain, mates, steward, a few sailors and marines, and about thirty soldiers. Each prisoner on his arrival was carefully searched for arms and valuables. His name and rank were duly registered. He was allowed to re- tain his clothing and bedding, and to use these,
7
AFTER THE REVOLUTION
but during confinement was supplied with no- thing additional. The examination having been completed, he was conducted to the hold of the vessel, to become the companion of a thousand other patriots, many of whom were covered with rags and filth, and pale and emaciated from the constant inhalation of the pestiferous and noxious atmosphere which im- pregnated the vessel. Strong men could not long resist inroads of sickness and disease. Many were taken down with typhus fever, dys- entery, and smallpox. The vessel was filled continually with the vilest malaria. The guns were removed, portholes securely fastened, and in their place were two tiers of lights to admit air. Each of these air holes was about twenty inches square, and fastened by cross- bars to prevent escape. The steward supplied each mess with a daily allowance of biscuit, pork or beef, and rancid butter. The food was of the poorest which could be obtained, and of itself was sufficient to breed disease. The biscuits were mouldy and worm-eaten, the flour was sour, and the meat badly tainted. It was cooked in a common kettle, which was never cleaned, with impure water, and became a slow but sure poison. The prisoners were kept in the holds between the two decks, and the
. .
8
HISTORY OF BROOKLYN
lower dungeon was used for the foreigners who had enlisted in freedom's cause. Here again the morning salutation was, " Rebels, bring out your dead." The command was obeyed, and all who had found relief in death were brought upon deck. Prisoners were allowed to sew a blanket over the remains of their dead . companions before burial. The dead were taken in boats to the shore, put in holes dug in the sand, and carelessly covered. Frequently they were washed from their resting place by the incoming tide. Often while walking along the old Wallabout road, between Cumber- land Street and the Navy Yard, I have seen the remains of the gallant patriots who lost their lives on the Jersey. In the "'fifties " of the present century it was no uncommon thing for pieces of bone and human skulls to be dug up on the borders of the old road.
The only relief the prisoners had was per- mission to remain on deck until sunset. When the golden orb of day sunk beneath the hori- zon, the ears of all were saluted with the ob- noxious cry, " Down, rebels, down." When all had retired to the hold, the hatchway was closed, leaving only a small trap open to ad- mit air. At this trapdoor a sentinel was placed, with instructions to allow but one man
9
AFTER THE REVOLUTION
to ascend at a time during the night. The sentinels possessed the same cruel spirit as their masters. A prisoner who had been con- fined on the Jersey for fourteen months said that, on occasions when the prisoners gathered at the hatchway to obtain fresh air, the sen- · tinel repeatedly thrust his bayonet among them and killed several. These acts created a de- sire for revenge. Many of the men were enabled to endure their trials by the thought that the night of darkness would soon pass away, and the day dawn when they could take vengeance on the scoundrels who had treated them with so much brutality.
An instance of this determination to be re- venged is narrated in the life of Silas Talbot. It appears that two brothers belonging to the same rifle corps were made prisoners and sent on board the Jersey. The elder was attacked with fever and became delirious. One night, as his end was fast approaching, reason re- sumed its sway, and, while lamenting his sad fate and breathing a prayer for his mother, he begged for a little water. His brother en- treated the guard to give him some, but the request was brutally refused. The sick boy drew near to death, and his last struggle came. The brother offered the guard a guinea for an
IO
HISTORY OF BROOKLYN
inch of candle to enable him to behold the last gasping smile of love and affection. This request was refused. "Now," said he, "if it please God that I ever regain my liberty, I'll be a most bitter enemy." He soon after be- came a free man, and, to show how well he kept his word, it is only necessary to say that when the war closed " he had 8 large and 127 small notches in his rifle stock." These notches probably represented 8 officers and 127 privates.
On one occasion 130 men were brought to the Jersey by the villain Sprout, who was commissary of prisoners. As he approached the black unsightly hulk, he pointed to her sardonically, and told his captives, "There, rebels, there is the cage for you."
The same bitter round was the daily portion of the men, - during the day a little air and sunlight, and being compelled to listen to the curses and imprecations of their captors, while at night they had to breathe the stifling air between decks, and listen to the groans of the sick and dying, without the power to give them any relief.
Some of the men were assigned to wash and scrub the decks. This of itself was a great blessing, as it gave them occupation and
II
AFTER THE REVOLUTION
additional rations. During the night watches it was as dark as Egypt between decks, for no sort of light was allowed. Delirious men would wander about and stumble over their fellows. Sometimes the warning shout would be heard, that a madman was creeping in the darkness with a knife in his hand. At times a soldier would wake up to find that the brother at his side had become a corpse. The soldiers in charge of the prisoners were mostly Hessians, and were universally hated as mer- cenaries.
Yet no amount of cruelty could drive patriot- ism from the hearts of the captives. On the 4th of July, 1782, they determined to celebrate the anniversary in a fitting manner. On the morning of that day, they came on deck with thirteen national flags, fastened on brooms. The flags were seized, torn, and trampled under foot by the guards, who looked upon the act as an insult. Nothing daunted, the men determined to have their pleasure, and began to sing national melodies. The guards be- came enraged, considered themselves insulted, and drove the prisoners below at an early hour, at the point of the bayonet, and closed the hatches. The prisoners again commenced to sing. At nine o'clock in the evening an
12
HISTORY OF BROOKLYN
order was given requiring them to cease. This order not being instantly complied with, the animosity of the guards was aroused, and they descended with lanterns and lances. Terror and consternation at once reigned su- preme. The retreating prisoners were sorely pressed by the guards, who unmercifully cut and slashed away, wounding every one within their reach, and inflicting in many instances deadly blows. They then returned to the deck, leaving the wounded to suffer, without the means to have their wounds properly dressed. In consequence of this explosion of patriotism, a new torture was devised. The men, as a punishment, were kept below on the following day until noon, and thus were pre- vented from the enjoyment of the sun and air for six long weary hours. During this time they were also deprived of rations and water. As a result of the night's diabolism ten dead bodies were brought on deck in the morning.
To show the heartlessness of the guards, an incident is narrated of a man who was supposed to be dead, and had been sewed up in his hammock and carried on deck preparatory to burial. He was observed to move, and the attention of the officer in charge was called to the fact that he was still living. " In with
I3
AFTER THE REVOLUTION
him," said the officer; "if he is not dead, he soon will be." The sailor took a knife, cut open the hammock, and discovered that the man was still alive. Doubtless many men who had swooned away were buried alive.
At the time of these occurrences, the gov- ernment did not possess the ability to make exchanges. The captives on the prison ships were mostly privateersmen, and, not being in the regular Continental service, Congress was unwilling to restore healthy soldiers to the ranks of the enemy, thereby adding to their strength without a full and exact equivalent.
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