USA > New York > Gazetteer of the State of New York: embracing a comprehensive view of the geography, geology, and general history of the State, and a complete history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locality, Part 2 > Part 16
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Roosevelt Street Ferry, from Roosevelt Street to Bridge Street, Brooklyn, 1,450 yds., is leased to the Union Ferry Co. until 1867, at $3,000 per annum.
James Street Ferry is established from James Slip to South 7tl Street, Williamsburgh.
Catharine Street Ferry, from Cathariue Street to Main Street, Brooklyn, 736 yds., is leased to the Uniou Ferry Co. uutil 1863, at $16,000 per annum.
Division Avenue Ferry extends from Grand Street to South 7th Street, Williamsburgh.
Grand Street Ferry, from Grand Street to Grand Street, Wil- liamshurgh, is 900 yds. in length.
Houston Street Ferry, from Houston Street to Grand Street, Williamsburgh, 700 yds., is leased to the Houston Street Ferry Co. until 1863, at $6,500 per annum.
Tenth Street Ferry. from 10th Street to Green Point, is leased uutil 1865, at $250 per annnin.
Twenty-Third Street Ferry, from 23d Street to Green Point, is leased until 1863, at $100 per annum.
Hunters Point Ferry, from 34th Street to Hunters Point, Queens co., is leased to A. W. Winants until 1867, at $100 per an- num.
Blackwells Island Ferry extends from 61st Street to Blackwells Island.
Hellgate Ferry. from 86th Street to Astoria, Queens co., is leased to S. A. Halsey until 1867, at $50 per annum.
Wards Island Ferry extends from 106th Street to Wards Island. Randalls Island Ferries extend from 1221 Street to the Institu-
tions under the charge of the Ten Governors, and from 117th Street to the House of Refuge.
Jersey City Ferry, from Cortland Street to Jersey City, 1 mile, is leased to the Jersey City Ferry Co. until 1866, at $5.000 per annum.
Barrlay Street Ferry, from Barclay Street to Hoboken, N. J., is leased to J. C. & R. L. Stevens until 1865, at $100 per an- num.
Canal Street Ferry, from Canal Street to Hoboken, N. J., is leased to J. C. & R. L. Stevens until 1560. at $600 per annum.
Christopher Street Ferry, from Christopher Street to Hoboken,
.N. J., is leased to J. C. & R. L. Stevens until 1862, at $350 ber annom.
Werhuwokru Ferry extends from 421 Street to Weehawken, N. J. Elysian Fields Ferry extends from 19th Street to Elysian Fields, N. J.
The Union Ferry Co. owned on tho Ist of Nov. 1858, eighteen boats, valued at $489.800.
1 Some of the principal facts concerning the city rail roads are as follows :-
Cars run at frequent intervals and use horse-power. Fare, uniformily 5 cts.
Second Avenue extends from Peck Slip, through Pearl, Chat- luuin, Bowery, Grand, and Chrystie Streets and 2d Avenne, to 23d Street; thence to 42d Street. Returns through 20 Avenue, 23d Street, 1st Avenue, Allen and Grand Streets, Bowery, Chat- ham, Oliver, and South Streets.
Third Avenue extends through Park Row, Chatham, Bowery, and 3d Avenue, to 61st Street, Yorkville.
New York & Harlem R. R. extends through Park Row, Cen- ter, Broome, and Bowery Streets, to 4th Avenue, and up to 421 Street, where locomotive trains stop.
Sixth Avenue extends through Vesey, Church, Chambers, W. Broadway, Canal, Varick, and Carmine Streets, and 6th Ave- nue, to 44th Street.
Eighth Avenue extends through Vesey, Church, Chambers, W. Broadway, Canal, and Hudson Streets and 8th Avenue to W. 59th Street.
Ninth Arenue, track laid but not used.
The Hudson River R. R. and New Haven R. R. run no city cars.
The omnibuses all have the names of their routes painted upon the outside. The rates of fare are +. 5, or 6 cts., which is paid without regard to distance traveled upon or within them. Licenses aro granted annually ; and in 1858 439 stage licenses were taken at $20, and 5 out-of-town lines, at $5 per stage, amounting in the aggregate to $10,355. All other conveyances for public liro are also licensed, the number in 1858 being, hacks, 402, and special hacks, 320.
2 Most of the suburban districts of New York within this State are particularly noticed in this work in the counties and towns in which they are located. Jersey City, which has grown up within a few years, had, in 1855, 21,715 inhabitants. It is the terminus of the New Jersey R. R., connecting with lines s. and w., and the Union R. R., connecting with the New York & Erte and the Northern New Jersey R. R. It is the landing place of the Cunard steamers. the seat of important mannfactures, and the residence of multitudes doing business in New York City. Hoboken City is also a place of considerable importance from its proximity to the city. It had. in 1855. 6.727 inhabitants. Indson City, in the rear of these, had 3.322 inhabitants; and numerous other places along the Hudson in N. J. are receiving attention as desirable places for homes.
3 The Free Academy was established by an act of May 7, 1857, subject to a popular vote, which gave 19.404 for and 3,409 against the measure. An edifice in tho gothic style of the townhalls of the Netherlands. 80 by 100 ft., was erected on Lexington Ave- nue, corner of 23d Street, in 1848, with accommodations for
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NEW YORK COUNTY.
19 for females, and 11 corporate schools.1 In the same year there were employed 1,729 teachers, -of whom 440 were males and 1,289 were females.
The Public Schools are managed by a Board of Education, consisting of two commis- sioners from cach ward. The local affairs of each ward are managed by local Boards of Trustees. The present system was organized under an aet of 1812; but it has been modified by various acts since. In 1853 the Public School Society was dissolved and the schools under its control were merged in the ward schools of the city. The Board of Education distributes its duties among eominittees, and appoints a City Superintendent to exercise a general supervision over the schools.2
Academies and Colleges. There are in the city 3 academie institutions, 2 colleges, 4 medical colleges, 2 theological schools, and a great number of schools for perfecting students in special branches of education.3 In addition to the schools sharing in the distribution of the school fund, there are a great number of mission, charity, parish, denominational, and private schools, of
1,000 pupils. The cost of the grounds, buildings, furniture, ap- paratus, and library was $100,801.48; and the cost of mainte- nance to Jan. 1, 1859, was $33,238.17. The students and the graduates in each year have been as follows :--
1849.
1850.
1851.
1852.
1853.
Students. Graduates
201
285
383
498
536 17
....
...
.....
1854.
1855.
1856.
1857.
1858.
Students ...... Graduates ....
537 20
688 32
875 20
805 21
885 25
Applicants for admission to this school must reside in the city. be 14 years of age, aud must have been students iu tho common schools 12 months, and must sustain an examination in the ordinary English studies. Tho school has a 5 years' course of study, and its gradnates reccivo the degree of A.B. Several medals and money prizes have been endowed, and socie- ties of students and alumni have been formed.
1 The number of pupils in 1858 was as follows :-
Free Academy 885 Boys' grammar school .. 29.309 Girls' .. 26,991 Primary department .... 59,276 Primary schools. .. 23,760 Evening schools, about. 20,000
Normal schools ...... 850
Corporate schools. 10,697
General aggregate .. 171,768
Average attendance ..... 51,430
2 The " Free School Society," afterward the "Public School Society," was founded in June, 1805, and its first school was opened May 17. 1806. During its long career this honored society disbursed millions of dollars of public money, afforded educa- tion to 600,000 children, and fitted 1.200 teacliers at its normal schools. It twice tendered its property to the city authorities to satisfy a popular objection that so much property should not be managed by a corporation ; but in both instances the tender was declined. After the society was dissolved, its books and papers were deposited with the New York Historical Society. Its real estate used for school purposes consisted of 15 publie schoolhouses, a trustees' hail on Grand Street, and a workshop on Crosby Street .- Dissolution of Pub. School Soc. and Rep. of Com., p. 7.
The 11 corporate schools share in the publie money, but are in no sense under the care of the Board. The expenses of the public schools in 1858 were as follows :-
Salaries of teachers and janitors. $ 556,445.93
New schoolhouses, repairs, purchase of uew sites .. Furl.
228,810.13
Books, stationery, and apparatus
105,328.31
Salaries of superintendents, clerks, and officers of the board 23,398.51
Support of Free Academy, including repairs. 45.834.73
Evening schools 64,515.03
Normal schools. 11,290.22
45,427.05 Contingent expenses
Total expenses of public schools. $1,106,266.99 3 The academies subject to the visitation of the Regents are- The Deaf and Dumb Institution, incorp. April 15, 1830.
Grammar School of Columbia College, incorp. April 7, 1838. New York Free Academy, incorp. Oct. 31, 1849.
Rutgers Female Institute. incorp. Jan. 23, 1840.
Columbia College was chartered as " King's College" Oct. 31, 1754, and under the Colonial Government was aided by a lottery, grants of lands. and liberal private donations from England. A plot of ground between Murray, Barelay, Chinreh, and Chapel Streets was given by Trinity Church for the college site, and the corner stono was laid July 23, 1756. The building was fin- ished in 17.60, and during the Revolution it was used for a los- pital. In 1792 the trustees established a medical school, and sustained it until 1813. The college remained in its first location until the premises were greatly enhanced in valne by the growth
of the city and the spread of commercial establishments around and beyond it. An act was passed March 19, 1857, authorizing the purchase of another site for college purposes, in accordance with which the grounds at the foot of Park Place were sold for $596,650, the college still retaining many lots ou Barelay Street. Park Place, Murray Street, and College Place, which are rented for long periods, and whose prospective value it is inipossiblo to estimate. The premises lately owned by the Trustees of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum on 49thi Street, near 4th Avenue, were purchased, with + other lots, for $75.366.10, and fitted up at a total cost of $114,336.01. This change is understood to be only a temporary one, the ultimate intention being to locate on the premises of the Botanical Garden, between 47th and 51st Streets, on 5th Avenue. This garden, originally embracing about 20 acres, was laid out by Dr. David losack, early in tho present century, for the introduction of exotic plants, experiments in agriculture and horticulture, and the promotion of science. The Governor, in his message of 1806, commended the object as worthy of public aid. 1n 1810 a memorial from the cor- poration of New York, the County and State Medical Society, and the Governors of the New York llospital was addressed to the Legislature. in pursuance of which the Garden was pur- chased for $73,000, npon the appraisal of 3 conimissioners. ar.d placed in charge of the Regents of the University. The latter placed it in the hands of the Trustees of the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons. April 1, 1811. In 1814 it was granted by the Legislature to Columbia College, upon the condition that within 12 years tho College should be removed thither ; but in 1819 this condition was rescinded, and $10,000 was given to the College to aid in extending the premises npon the original loca- tion. These grounds have also increased greatly in valne, and the College is at this moment perhaps the wealthiest in the Union, with this important feature: that its wealth is not coupled with irksome conditions and provisions, but left free to the discretion of its trustees. A grammar school has been many years connected with the College.
The. University of the City of New York, located on the E. side of Washington Square, occupies a fine marble building in the English collegiate style of architecture. It is 100 by 200 ft. on the ground; and besides the portion occupied by the College. it contains rooms leased to societies, artists, and professional per- sons. This College grew out of a discussion with regard to a University on a more extended plan than any in the Union. A convention of literary and scientific gentlemen was held in the fall of 1830, and in that year a subscription was opened to raise $100,000 for the establishment of a University. An unhappy controversy arising directly npon the. appointment of a chancel- lor, the institution did not attain the pre-eminence to which it aspired. Its course of study is essentially the same as that of other American colleges.
The College of Physicians and Surgeons is located on 23d St. and 4th Avenue. The site and grounds are leased with privilege of purchase, and funds derived from the proceeds of the sale of the building on Crosby St., formerly owned by it, have hern raised to effect the purchase. The edifice now used is 75 by 100 ft., and is valned at $30,000. The first story is leased for stores. The College was incorp. by the Regents in JS07, by virtue of an act passed March 21, 1791. Lectures were first held in 1807-08. The Medical Department of Columbia College was merged in this Nov. 1. 1813. The College has 2 courses of lectures aunually. and a library of 1.200 volumes.
The University Medical College, formed under an act of (Feb. 11, 1837, as a branch of the University of New York. is located on 14th St. between Irving Place and 30 Avenne. The building is 80 by 103 ft., 4 stories in front und 5 in rear, and is valued at $50.000. Its charter provides that 5 students of the Free Aca- demy shall be admitted free of charge except the matriculation fee. Its library numbers 5,000 volumes, and its nisenin is valued at $25,000. Two courses of lectures are delivered aunu- ally.
The New York Medical College, located on E. 13th St., was incorp. in 1850. The college building is 60 by 120 ft., and is valued at 870.000. It has a 5 months' course of lectures annti- . ally. Ten stirlents are admitted upou payment of $20 and matriculation les.
The Metropolitan Medical College, located at 68 E. Broadway,
25,217.08
431
NEW YORK COUNTY.
which no reports are made collectively to the public. Many of these have special courses of study, or are limited to objects not embraced in a general plan of education. Several of these are nume- rously attended; and in some the extent of the course of study is equal to that in our colleges.1
About 250 periodicals, embracing daily, tri-weekly, semi-weekly, weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, and quarterly, are issued in the city of New York, counting under one title the several editions issued from the same press, unless bearing different names.2
was incorp. March 28, 1857. It has 2 courses of lectures annu- ally.
The New York Preparatory School of Medicine, incorp. April 13, 1859, has not been fully organized. Its charter allows it to confer the degree of Bachelor of Medicine upon persons of not less than 19 years of age, after sustaining an examination in tho studies embraced in its course, and places it under the visitation of the Regents.
The College of Pharmacy, chartered April 25, 1831, has rooms in the New York Medical College, at which lectures are delivered 4 months annually, ou Chemistry, Materia Medica, and Botany, and diplomas are given. By an act of March 11, 1839, a diploma from this college is necessary for a person not otherwise duly qualified, to act as an apothecary in the city.
The New York County Medical Society was formed July 12, 1806, and now numbers 450 members.
The Pathological Society for improvement in medical practice meets semi-monthly.
The Academy of Medicine was formed in 1847 and incorp. in 1851. It meets monthly at the University, and sends 5 repre- sentatives to the Stato Medical Society. There are several other medical and surgical societies in various parts of the city.
Thv. General Theological Seminary of the Prot. E. Church of the U. S. was established at New Haven in 1819 and removed to this city in 1822. It was incorp. April 5, 1822, and is well endowed. Its library numbers over 12,000 volumes. It occupies 2 handsome stone huildings, each 50 hy 110 ft. on 20th St., bo- tween 9th and 10th Avenues. Its trustees consist of the Bishops of the U. S. and others appointed in proportion to moneys granted to the seminary.
The Union Theological Seminary (Presb.) was founded in 1836, and incorp. March 27, 1839. It is located in Waverly Place, on 8th St., and near Washington Square. It has a library of 16,000 volumes. Its Board of Directors are clergymen and laymen, an equal number of each, elected for 4 years.
Commercial colleges, writing schools, and studios for instruction in the fine arts, are numerous in the city. The School of Design at the Cooper Union is eminent among these for the extent of its facilities and tho numbers that avail themselves of tbem. Music, drawing, and painting are carefully taught in many of the city schools; and the facilities at the Free Academy for these studies are superior to those in most other institutions.
1 The Protestant Episcopal Public School was founded in 1710, and has continued until the present time. At somne future time it will be largely aided by a bequest made Sept. 20, 1796, by Dr. Jolin Baker, who, having no lieirs, devised his country seat near 80th St., on the East River, embracing 46 acres, for a charity school. With a prudent forecast, the testator preserved thie pro- perty from sale until after the death of 9 persons then living ; and the dense part of the city has already approached the premises. An act passed April 16, 1859, authorized the sale of portions, but no benefit has hitherto beeu received. In April, 1859, 3 of the 9 lives were existing.
The following are the principal of the Roman Catholic schools :-
The College of St. Francis Xavier, 39 W. 15th St., is an institu- tion under the care of 10 Jesuit priests.
Conrent of the Most Holy Redeemer, in 3d St., is under the care of 7 priests of the Order of Redemptorists.
St. Vincent's Academy, 44 20 St., is under the care of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.
Academy of the Holy Infancy, in Manhattanville, and the
Conrent and Academy of the Sacred Heart, in Manhattauville, are under the charge of the Ladies of tho Sacred Ileart; the latter has 180 pupils. An institution of the same name at 49 W. 17th St., nnder similar direction, has 86 pupils.
Mother House and Academy of Mount St. Vincent. on 105th St .. upon the premises of the Central Park, has 180 pupils.
St. Mary's School, at 229 East Broadway, is under the charge of Sisters of Charlty, and has 108 pupils.
St. Peter's School, at 16 Barclay St., is under the charge of Sisters of Charity, and has 80 pupils.
St. Joseph's School, on 6th Avenue, is under the charge of Sisters of Charity.
St. Lawrence School, Yorkville, is under the charge of Sisters of Charity, and has 40 pupils.
St. Mephen's School.
St. Vincent's School has 80 boys and 50 girls; and 65 girls in the preparatory department.
Free Catholic Schools .- There aro 25 schools of this class re- ported in the city : at which 4,920 boys and 5,530 girls are taught. Most of the schools have male and female departments; and of these 7 are taught by Brothers of tho Christian Schools, 9 by Sisters of Charity, 2 by Ladies of the Sacred Heart, 2 by Sisters of Notre Danie, 1 hy Sisters of Mercy, and 1 by lay teachers. Of several the teachers are not specificd. These schools are named St. Patrick's, St. Mary's, St. Joseph's, St. James's, St.
Francis Xavier's, Manhattanville, St. Bridget's, Transfiguration, Mount St. Vincent, St. Lawrence, Sacred Ileart Free School, St. Catharine's. Most Holy Redeemer's. St. Alphonso's, St. Vincent de Paul's, Nativity, St. Columba, Holy Cross. St. Stephen's, St. John tho Evangelist's, St. Paul's, Immaculate Conception, St. Nicholas, St. Francis's, and St. Johns's.
2 New York Gazette, the first paper published in the Colony of New York, was commenced in 1725 by William Brad- ford. It was the fifth then in existence in the Ameri- can Colonies. Bradford continued its publisher about 17 years. In 1742 its namo was changed to the
New York Gazette and Weekly Post Boy, and it was published hy James Parker and a succession of owners until 1773, when it was discontinued.
New York Weekly Journal, tho second paper in the Colony, was commenced in New York in 1733 hy John Peter Zenger. Ile died in 1746, and the paper was conducted by his widow, and afterward by his son, until 1752, when it was discontinued. This paper opposed the administra- tion of Governor Crosby and supported the interest of Rip Van Dam, who had previously conducted the ad- ministration. The ballads, serious charges, and, above all, the home truths in his democratic journal irritated Crosby and his Council to madness. Zenger was con- fined several months by order of the Governor and Council for printing and publishing seditious libels, treated with unwarrantablo severity. deprived of pen, ink, and paper. and denied the visits of bis friends. The popular feeling, however, was strongly against these proceedings. The Assembly, notwithstanding the application of the Governor, refused to concur with him and his Council. The Mayor and the magistrates also refused to obey the mandate of the Governor and Council, and to attend the burning of the libclons papers " by the common hangman and whipper, near the pil- lory." The grand jury manifested equal contumacy, and ignored the presentment against. Zenger. Tho attorney general was then directed to file an informa- tion. The judges refused to hear and allow the excep- tions taken by Zenger's counsel, and excluded them from the bar; but he was aldy defended by other coun- sel, and especially by Andrew Hamilton. then a barrister of Philadelphia. Zenger pleaded not guilty. Ilis counsel whnitted the printing and publishing of the papers, and offered togive their truth in evidence. The counsel for the prosecution then said, "The jury must find a verdict for the king;" and gave the usual defi- nition of a libel, asserting that " whether the person defamed was a private man or a magistrate, whether living or dead, whether the libel was true or false, or . whether the party against whom it was made was of good or evil fame, it was nevertheless a libel." He then quoted from the Acts of the Apostles and from one of the Epistles of Peter, to show that it was a very great offense to speak evil of dignities, and insisted upon the criminality by the laws of God and man of reviling those in authority, and consequently that Mr. Zenger had offended iu a most notorious and gross manner in scandalizing his Excellency our Governor, " who," said the counsel, " is the king's immediate representative, and supreme magistrate of this province." Mr. Hamilton re- marked in his reply, that we are charged with printing a certain false, malicious, seditious, and scandalous libel. The word false must have some meaning ; or else how came it there? and he put tho case, whether if the information had been for printing a certain truc libel, would that be the same thing. " And to show the court that I am in good earnest," said he, " I will agree that if he can prove the facts charged upon us to he false, I will own them to be scandalous, seditious, and a libel." lle then further offered that, to save the prosecution the troublo of proving the papers to ho false, the defendant would prove them to be true. To this Chief Justice De Lancey objected, " You cannot be admitted to give the truth of a libel in evidence : the law is clear that you cannot justify a libel." Mr. Hamilton maintained that leaving the court to deter- minc whether the words were libelous or not rendered juries useless. or worse. " It was true," he said. "in times past it was a crime to speak truth, and in that terrible court of Star Chamber many worthy and brave men suffered for so doing; and yet even in that court and in those bad times a great and good man durst say, what I hope will not be taken amiss in me to say in this place, to wit :- ' The practice of information for libels is a sword in the hands of a wicked king and an arrant coward to cut down and destroy the innocent.
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NEW YORK COUNTY.
The Benevolent Institutions of New York are numerous, and comprehend measures for the relief of nearly every variety of human suffering. Those under the direct charge of the eity have already been noticed. The greater part of other institutions of like character are under the management of companies incorporated for limited and special objeets. Prominent among these are the hospitals and dispensaries, affording relief to every class of the siek and distressed. Up to 1857, at these various institutions, 179,377 persons had been vaccinated ; 1,666,559 patients had been treated ; and $297,761.60 had been expended. The Legislature usually appropriates money to several of these institutions.1 Several of the more important of the benevolent institutions are supported wholly, or in part, by the State, among which are the Deaf and Dumb Asylum,2 the Institution for the Blind, and the Society for the Reformation of Juvenile Delinquents.
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