USA > New York > A gazetteer of the state of New York: comprising its topography, geology, mineral resources, civil divisions, canals, railroads and public institutions; together with general statistics; the whole alphabetically arranged. Also statistical tables of distances with a new township map of the state > Part 36
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The Avenues (so called) are six- teen in number and extend from the upper parts of the city to Har- lem river ; they are in general 100 feet wide, as laid out, but are not all graded. They are crossed by streets running from river to river, some of which are of equal width with the Avenues. The Third Avenue leads to Harlem bridge, and being macadamized through- out its whole extent, (about 7 miles) affords a pleasant drive from the city. The Harlem railroad is laid upon the Fourth Avenue. The Bloomingdale road, (a continua- tion of Broadway,) is another fa- vorite route for drives in pleasant weather, leading to the villages of Bloomingdale and Manhattanville, along the bank of the Hudson.
Of the public squares the Batte- ry is the principal. It affords a fine view of the bay and harbor, and of the adjacent islands and opposite shores. It contains about eleven acres of ground, laid out in gravel walks and ornamented with trees and shrubbery. As a public pro- menade it is, probably, not surpas- sed in the beauty of its situation and general attractions by any other in the world. A castle built on a mole in the harbor is connec- ted with the grounds by a bridge, and is now used as a place of amusements, and for the exhibi- tion of fire works. The Park is a triangular area of about ten acres, handsomely disposed into grass-plots and walks, and con- tains the City Hall with other pub- lic buildings. It is an ornament to the city, and is much thronged on gala days, especially on the anniversary of American indepen- dence. Washington Square, of about the same extent as the Park, is in the upper part of the city, between Fourth-street and Waver- ly Place. The University and a new Dutch church in the Gothic style, front on this Square. Tomp-
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kins Square, on the east of the Bowery, between Seventh and Tenth-streets, is handsomely laid out, and affords a fine view of East river and the opposite shore of Long Island. It is a place of great resort during the warm season, es- pecially on Sundays, and is a favo- rite parade ground for the military corps of the city. Stages are con- stantly running between this Square and the Battery, and improvements are rapidly going forward in its vi- cinity. Union Place, at the com- mon termination of the Bowery, Broadway and University Place, between 14th and 17th streets, is laid out in a tasteful manner, and surrounded by an elegant paling of cast-iron. Madison, Hamilton and Stuyvesant Squares are not yet open to the public. Hudson Square or St. John's Park, in the central part of the city, between Hudson and Varick-streets, belongs to Trinity church, and is visited only by privileged persons. It is a beautiful green of about four acres, filled with shrubs and flowers, en- closed by a high iron paling. St. John's church, (a chapel of Trini- ty,) with its lofty spire, 240 feet high, fronts on the east side of this square, and adds to the beauty of the situation.
Numerous omnibusses or stages throng the principal streets, espe- cially Broadway, and ply between the upper and lower parts of the city. Hackney coaches are also much used, and cabs in great num- bers and variety have been intro- duced of late. The streets are generally paved with stone, but blocks of wood have been recent- ly used for the purpose, and are generally preferred. The streets are well lighted at night with lamps and gas lights. The want of good water in the city has been a seri- ous evil, but measures are now in progress to supply this deficiency by means of the Croton Water 18
Works. Most of the houses have cisterns for rain water, which is chiefly used in washing. The ship- ping are supplied with good water from springs on Long Island. The health of the city will compare favorably with that of any other large city in the world. Infectious diseases rarely occur except among the dissolute and debased. The yel- low fever has been occasionally introduced from abroad ; its last appearance was in the year 1822. A rigid quarantine is enforced in the warm season on vessels from unhealthy ports. The Asiatic cho- lera made considerable havoc here in 1832, when it visited other parts of the country. The greatest scourge is pulmonary disease, which, however, is not more pre- valent than in other large cities in this country and Europe. The bills of mortality for 1838 showed the number of deaths in that year to be 8,053 ; for 1939, 7,953; during which years the least number oc- curred in the months of June and May, and the most in August, July and September. The greatest mor- tality was among children under two years of age, being more than one-third of the whole number in both years.
The provision for affording me- dical and surgical aid to the in- dustrious classes when disabled by sickness or accidental wounds, is less ample than the wants of so large a population require. The inmates of the Almshouse are well taken care of in the hospitals con- nected with that establishment at Bellevue and Blackwell's island; but the New-York Hospital is the only institution open to the public for the reception of a respectable class of patients, unable to procure at their own expense, the advanta- ges of professional skill, and this accommodates only about 100 per- sons free of charge. It was found- ed in 1771, and has been well sus-
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tained. The whole number of pa- tients admitted in 1839, including those remaining of the previous year, was 2,041. Of these 1,402 were recovered during the year, and 169 died. The receipts during the same year were $33,639 92,- the expenditures $33,936 54. A new institution, styled the State Hospital of the City of New-York, chartered in 1839, has received a lease from the city corporation, for a nominal rent, of the spacious block of ground between the Fifth and Sixth Avenues, and Forty- second and Forty-third-streets, on which a suitable building is about being completed at an expense of $50,000. The term of the lease is for so long a time as the premi- ses shall be used for a public hos- pital, on the condition that a cer- tain number of patients to be de- signated by the Common Council enjoy gratuitously the benefits of the institution. The Legislature has also granted to it whatever re- mains out of the hospital money collected from passengers in ves- sels from foreign ports after paying what is now chargeable upon that fund, for twenty years, not to ex- ceed, however, $30,000 per an- num. There is now every pros- pect that this noble charity will soon go into successful operation. Connected with the New-York Hospital, is the Lunatic Asylum at Bloomingdale, which accomo- dates about 250 patients during the year; the receipts in 1839, were $48,467 05,-the expenditures, $48,529 78. No free patients are admitted. The buildings were erected at an expense of over $200,000. The principal edifice is of stone, 210 feet long by 60 feet wide, and three stories in height. The New-York Dispensary, esta- blished in 1790, " for the purpose of relieving such sick, poor and indigent persons as are unable to procure medical aid," is support-
ed by annual subscriptions. The Northern Dispensary for the same object was established in 1829, and the Eastern in 1834. These useful establishments answer the purpose of hospitals to some extent, by sending gratuitous aid to the abodes of poverty and disease. On Staten Island are three esta- blishments for the relief of sick or disabled seamen and passengers on shipboard. The Marine Hospital, under the direction of the Health Commissioners appointed by the state, is situated on the east side of the island, in the village of Tomp- kinsville. It consists of three spacious buildings, one of which receives cases of malignant fever, another of small-pox, and the third of miscellaneous diseases. The Quarantine Ground is adjacent to this part of the island. The Sea- men's Retreat, situated half a mile to the south of the Marine Hospi- tal, is also a state institution, sup- ported by the " Hospital monies." The "Sailors' Snug Harbor," on the north side of the island, is a noble institution, founded by the late Capt. Randall, who bequeathed to it an estate of the present reputed. value of $1,000,000. The object of this establishment is to provide a home for aged and decayed sea- men; it now contains more than 100 inmates. The United States Naval Hospital is situated at Brooklyn, in the vicinity of the Navy Yard.
The public buildings are nume- rous, and many of them are justly admired for their architectural beauty and substantial character. The new MERCHANTS' Ex- CHANGE, erected on the site of the former, which was destroyed by the great fire, is the largest and most costly edifice in the city. The material of which it is built, is the dark blue Quincy granite, (sienite ; ) no wood is used in any part of the building; the whole is
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solid masonry. It ocupies an en- tire block of ground fronting on Wall-street, being about 200 feet in length by 171,and 144 feet in depth. It is 77 feet high to the top of the cornice, and 124 feet from the foun- dation to the apex of the dome. In front is a recessed portico with 18 massive columns of granite, beautifully wrought in the Ionic style. These columns are 38 feet in height, and 4 feet 4 inches in diameter,each weighing forty-three tons. They are said to be the largest in the world, excepting only the columns of a church at St. Petersburgh. The exchange room or rotunda is in the centre of the building, 100 feet in diame- ter, and 90 feet in height to the top of the dome. The dome is solid masonry, 80 feet in diameter, sup- ported in part by eight Corinthian columns of beautiful Italian mar- ble. These are 41 feet in height, and 4 feet 8 inches in diameter. A more magnificent apartment is seldom seen. The effect on the beholder when first seen, is grand and sublime. The entire cost of the building, including the ground, is stated at $1,800,000; the ori- ginal estimate was one-third of that sum. It was erected by a com- pany called the Merchants' Ex- change Company, incorporated in 1823, with a capital of one million. The new CUSTOM HOUSE is ano- ther recent addition to the public edifices of the city. It is modelled after the Parthenon at Athens, and is nearly of the same size as that celebrated temple. The external walls and the roof are of white marble, and the entire building is finished without wood, so as to be completely fire proof. It is 200 feet long by 90 wide, and about 80 feet in height .* It has two fronts; the principal one on Wall street, at the head of Broad street, and the
other on Pine street; each contain- ing a row of finely wrought marble columns 32 feet high, of the Doric order. The business hall occu- pies the centre of the building; it is a rotunda surmounted by a dome, supported by sixteen beauti- ful Corinthian columns 30 feet high. The diameter of this room is 80 feet. The architectural or- naments of the interior are nume- rous, beautifully designed, and exquisitely finished. This su- perb edifice was commenced in May, 1834, and finished in May, 1841. The cost, ground inclusive, was $1,175,000-building alone, $950,000. The HALL OF Jus- TICE, built in the Egyptian style, is a remarkable structure. It fronts on Centre street, and oc- cupies a block of ground 253 feet long by 200 wide, including, how- ever, in this space a prison which is detached from the main build- ing. Its massive Theban columns with their gigantic palm-leaved capitals, and its cornices, ornamen- ted with winged globes encircled by serpents, give a singular effect to the building. The material is a light colored granite, quarried at Hallowell on the Kennebec river, (Maine.) The criminal courts of the city and the city prison are to be found in this gloomy pile, which has gained the sobriquet of the Egyptian Tombs. The building was finished in 1838. The NEW- YORK UNIVERSITY, on Wash- ington Square, is built in the Gothic style, and has a command- ing appearance. It is 180 feet long by 100 wide. The front is composed of a centre building with wings flanked by towers, one on each of the four corners of the edi- fice. The centre rises above the wings, and contains in front a large Gothic window of stained glass, 50 feet high by 24 wide. This part of the building contains the Chapel, which is much admired for its ar-
* The dimensions of the Parthenon were 217 feet long, 98 broad and 65 high.
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chitectural beauty. Its lofty ceil- ing adorned with Gothic tracery, and the richly carved columns and pannelings of oak, give it an an- tique air, and produce a striking effect. The wings of the edifice are four stories high, and the tow- ers five; the last are surmounted by embattled parapets. The main entrance is under the great central window, through a deep portal of richly moulded stone, and a door of massive oak. This building is of recent date, having been com- pleted in 1836. Among the older public edifices, the CITY HALL is pre-eminent. It is situated in the Park, and consists of a centre building with wings, principally of the Ionic and Corinthian orders. The entire front is 216 feet long, by 105 deep; the front and ends are built of white marble, and the rear of free stone. It is chiefly occupied by the civil courts, and the common council, both branch- es of the latter and the mayor hav- ing their respective apartments. The U. States courts are held in a large brick building in the rear of the City Hall, originally built and occupied as an alms-house. At Bellevue on East river, 2} miles from the City Hall, are several public buildings, as the new Alms- House, a large stone edifice, well adapted to the purposes for which it is used; a Hospital connected with it for the sick and insane poor ; the House of Refuge for ju- venile delinquents; and a Peniten- tiary for the punishment of female convicts. An asylum for the in- sane poor of the city has been re- cently erected on Blackwell's Island, where there is also a prison for male convicts. Opposite Black- well's Island are the Long Island Farms, where are schools and nur- series for pauper children, liberally sustained in connection with the alms-house.
tions of the city, is the Institution for the Blind, situated on the Eighth Avenue, having seventy-two pupils; the Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb, incorpora- ted in 1817, on Fiftieth street, 3} miles from the City Hall, contain- ing by the last report, 152 pupils; the Lying-in-Asylum ; the Female Assistance Society, for the relief and instruction of the sick poor; the society for respectable aged Indigent Females; the Orphan Asylum, established in 1806, situa- ted on the Hudson at Blooming- dale, five miles from the City Hall, where great numbers of indigent orphan children are reared and educated; the Protestant Half Or- phan Asylum on Twelfth street; the Roman Catholic Orphan Asy- lum on Prince street; the Asylum for colored orphans, &c. The foreign residents have associations for charitable purposes, as the St. George's Society, composed of Englishmen; St. Andrew's, of Scotch; St. David's, of Welch ; the German, French, Spanish and Hebrew Societies ; the St. Nicho- las, composed of the descendants of the early Dutch inhabitants and others, and the New England So- ciety. There are also numerous religious associations, as Bible, Tract, Missionary, Sunday School, Education, and Seamen's Friends Societies, most of which are sus- tained by particular denominations or sects, each having its own dis- tinct organization.
Of the literary and scientific in- stitutions, Columbia College is the oldest and best endowed. It was founded in 1754, and was original- ly called King's College. It is si- tuated on a beautiful square ad- joining Park Place, near the City Hall, where the college buildings were erected in 1760. For a con- siderable period there were no other buildings of any kind in the
Among the benevolent institu- immediate neighborhood of the
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college, which thus enjoyed an common schools. The amount extensive and unobstructed view
expended by the society during the of the opposite shore and country | year ending May, 1841, was of New-Jersey, the city and island $156,857.45. The average num- of New-York, Long Island, Staten ber of pupils taught was 23,654, Island, New-York bay, &c. This between the ages of four and six- college has always sustained a high teen ; besides this number, 397 character as a seminary of learn-
children under four years of age ing, having from the beginning were taught in the primary depart- enjoyed the services of eminent ments. The number of schools scholars in the various departments was seventy-one, including eight of instruction. It is still in a high- for colored children. There are ly flourishing condition.
The in the city numerous private semi- University of the city of New- naries, many of which are of an York, is a youthful institution; it excellent character; and in gene- was chartered in 1831, and is ra- ral, the advantages of education in pidly rising into importance and all its stages are as great in this favor. Connected with it is a Me- city as can be found in any other dical School of high reputation. part of the country. Of the literary The General Theological Seminary associations, the oldest is the New- of the Episcopal church, is situated York Society Library, founded in on Twentieth street, corner of the Ninth Avenue, near the Hudson, 1754, which occupies a new and beautiful building recently erected
2} miles from the City Hall, a part on Broadway, corner of Leonard of the city known as Chelsea. street. The library is the largest There are two handsome buildings and most valuable in the state, and of stone for the accommodation is constantly increasing ; it now of the professors and students ; the consists of nearly 40,000 volumes. board of trustees consists of all the An extensive reading room is con- bishops, and one other trustee from nected with it, in some respects the each diocese in the United States. best in the city. The rights of The institution is well endowed, membership are $31, annual dues and in a flourishing condition. $4. The institution is governed The New-York Theological Semi- by a board of twelve trustees, who nary near the University, is under are annually elected by the share- the direction of the Presbyterian holders. The New-York Histori- church, although open to all chris- cal Society, formed in 1804, at tian-denominations. Its library is present occupies a suite of rooms of great value, consisting of 16,000 volumes, formerly the property of
in the University, where its library, comprising about 12,000 volumes, a German clergyman, Rev. Lean- is situated. It has published seve- der Van Ess, after whose decease it was purchased for this institution.
ral volumes of historical collec- tions, containing materials for Extensive grammar schools are developing the history of the state. The Lyceum of Natural History,
connected with Columbia College and the University, in which boys ; established in 1818, has done much are fitted for college, or for the for the promotion of natural science counting room. The common in this country. The building in which its library and cabinet are schools of the city are under the control of the Public School Socie- deposited, is on Broadway, near ty, incorporated in 1805, which Prince street; it was erected at the expense of the Lyceum. The Mercantile Library Association is receives for their support the mo- neys appropriated by the state to
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formed chiefly of merchants' | the Anti-Slavery Society ; the So- clerks. Its library consists of ciety for the encouragement of faithful Domestic Servants; the Horticultural Society ; Tempe- rance Societies ; Masonic Lodges ; Odd Fellows' Society, &c. The number of churches is about 160, as follows : Presbyterian 37, Epis- copalian 26, Methodist 23, Baptist 16, Dutch Reformed 13, Roman Catholic 9, African 10, German Lutheran and Reformed 6, Jews' Synagogues 4, Quakers or Friends 4, Universalists 4, Unitarians 2, and others 7. Many of the church- es are handsomely built; of these are the new Dutch Reformed churches on Washington Square and La Fayette Place ; the Church of the Messiah, (Unitarian ; ) St. Peters, (Roman Catholic ;) French Protestant du St. Esprit; the Church of the Ascension, St. Paul's and St. Peter's, (Episcopalian ;) Pres- byterian churches on Duane, Grand and Mercer streets; Baptist on Broome street, &c. The metro- politan church now building on the site of old Trinity at the head of Wall street, will far surpass all others in the city in its extent and architectural splendor; its length is 189 feet by 84 in breadth ; height 64 ; height of tower and spire, 264 feet. There are congregations of French, Germans, and Welch, who have religious services conducted in their respective languages. about 22,000 volumes, connected with which there is an excellent reading room. The number of members in 1840 was over 5,000. An annual course of lectures is de- livered before this association at Clinton Hall, where the library is also kept. The Apprentices' Li- brary in Crosby street, contains about 12,000 volumes. It was es- tablished in 1820, by the General Society of Mechanics and Trades- men. The Mechanics' Institute occupies rooms in the basement of the City Hall, where it has a libra- ry and reading room; a course of lectures is also given under its auspices every winter. The Ame- rican Institute for the encourage- ment of American industry, formed in 1828, has a valuable library of about 5,000 volumes, situated in the spacious building in the rear of the City Hall. Under the direction of this institute annual fairs are held in the city at Nib- lo's Garden, for the exhibition of American manufactures in every department of human industry. The Law Institute is an association of members of the bar, whose li- brary is kept at the City Hall. The National Academy of Design, established in 1826, for the encou- ragement of the fine arts, occupies rooms in the Society Library's building, where are held its annual The Markets are 15 in number, of which the principal are the Ful- ton, Washington, Catharine, Es- sex, Clinton, Tompkins and Franklin; all abundantly supplied with every variety of meats, fish, fruits and vegetables that the coun- try affords. The Hotels are nu- merous, and those on Broadway are of an equal degree of excel- lence, as the Astor House, (which is the most extensive of all, ) the American, Globe, Mansion House, Carlton, Waverley, City, Howard's, Franklin, Atlantic, &c. The exhibitions of paintings. The Apollo Association, incorporated in 1840, for a similar purpose, is a popular institution. Other miscel- laneous associations, are the Sacred Music Society, for the im- provement of church music; the Chamber of Commerce, formed in 176S ; the Board of Trade; the Board of Underwriters ; the Board of Stock and Exchange Brokers ; the New-York Lyceum, with a li- brary and reading room, and annual lectures ; the Colonization Society;
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United States, Pacific, and Pearl | the value of hardware, cutlery, street houses are also in good re- pute. Restaurateurs or refectories are found in great numbers in business parts of the city ; most of which are supplied with every lux- ury of the seasons. There are five Theatres, viz., the Park, Bowery, Olympic, Chatham, and Little Drury. Theatrical entertainments are also given during summer at Niblo's and Vauxhall gardens. The Newspapers are 54 in number, of which 14 are daily; periodicals, monthly and quarterly, about 30. The public Ferries are 15, viz. 4 to Brooklyn, 3 to Williamsburgh, 2 to Staten Island, 3 to Hoboken, 2 to Jersey city, and 1 at Hellgate. Steamboats leave the city daily during the greater part of the year for Albany, Troy, Hudson, Pough- keepsie, Newburgh, Peekskill, Haverstraw, Nyack, and other places on the Hudson ; for Provi- dence and Newport in Rhode Island ; Stonington, Norwich, New-London, Hartford, New-Ha- ven, Bridgeport, and Stamford, in Connecticut, by Long Island Sound ; for Elizabethport, New- ark, Amboy, New-Brunswick, and Shrewsbury, in New-Jersey ; and for various landings on Long Island. Steamers also ply between this city and London, Liverpool, and Bristol, England. Lines of packet ships sail with great regu- larity to various ports in Europe, the West Indies, South America, and the United States.
According to the census of 1840, there were 417 commercial houses, engaged in foreign trade, and 918 commission houses, with an aggre- gate capital of $45,941,200 ; 3,485 retail dry goods, groceries, and other stores, with a capital of $14,- 509,995 ; 61 lumber yards, and trade, with a capital of $731,500. The value of machinery manufac- tured amounted to $1,150,000, giving employment to 1,419 men ;
&c. amounted to $135,300, giving employment to 145 men ; the value of precious metals manufactured amounted to $889,460, giving em- ployment to 492 men ; other met- als, $131,100, giving employment to 848 men ; the value of granite, marble, &c. amounted to $263,850, giving employment to 332 men ; the value of bricks and lime man- ufactured amounted to $27,000, giving employment to 18 men , the capital invested $1,907,850 ; the value of manufactured cotton a- mounted to $150,700, giving em- ployment to 290 men, capital in- vested, $61, 300 ; the value of to- bacco manufactured amounted to $187,700, giving employment to 902 men, capital invested $55,055; the value of hats, caps, bonnets, &c. manufactured, amounted to $1,159,446, giving employment to 1,361 persons, capital invested $444,300; the value of mixed manufactures amounted to $1,201,- 700, giving employment to 1,653 persons, capital invested $507,050; there were 173 manufactories of leather, saddleries, &c., the value of manufactured products amount- ing to $1,522,156, capital invested $526,330 ; there were 6,463,700 pounds of soap manufactured, 2,003,400 pounds of candles, and 250,000 pounds of wax and sperm candles, giving employment to 229 men, capital invested, $277,600 ; 11 distilleries, manufacturing 2,- 973,278 gallons of liquor ; 15 brew- eries, manufacturing 1,205,495 gal- lons of ale, giving employment to 274 men, with an aggregate capi- tal of $575,076 ; the value of me- dicinal drugs, paints, dyes, &c. manufactured, amounted to $225,- 050, turpentine and varnish $161,- 360, giving employment to 293 men, with an aggregate capital of $648,650 ; there were 3 glass hou- ses, and 4 glass cutting establish- ments, giving employment to 83
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