USA > New York > New York City > History of New York city from the discovery to the present day, V. 2 > Part 8
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Scarcely, however, had the troops been dismissed, and the city restored to quiet, when, in August, their services were again called upon to suppress a riot among the stone-cutters and masons. The cause of the disturbance was as follows : While the University was building, the contractors, for economy's sake, chose to purchase the marble at Sing-Sing, and employ the State prisoners to cut and hew it before bringing it to the city. No sooner was this known than it raised the ire of the stone-cutters' guild in the city to fever heat. Believing themselves aggrieved, they held meetings, paraded the city with in- cendiary placards, and even went so far as to attack the houses of several worthy citizens. The Twenty-seventh regiment was again called out by the Mayor, Cornelius W. Lawrence (who, by the way, seems to have had as Mayor a pretty severe term), and, commanded by Colonel Stevens, dispersed the malcontents. The feeling, how- ever, was so intense that it was thought best not to dis- band the troops entirely; and, accordingly, a portion of the regiment lay under arms in Washington parade-ground for four days and nights. By that time the riot was over, and the soldiers were dismissed to their homes. Thus three times, within as many months, had the militia of the city been called upon, at the risk of life, to put down riots in the city. No wonder, therefore, that a prominent citizen of New York wrote at this time to a friend in a neighboring city : " Buy me a quiet place in the suburbs, and, if necessary to complete the sale, draw on me for the amount. I cannot live here longer, for my property is not safe."*
* The houses on the north-west corner of Fifth Avenue and Eighteenth Street, now owned by Mrs. T. Bailey Myers and Mrs. Sidney Mason, were built by Robert C. Townsend and Henry II. Elliott, from Sing-Sing marble. and were, like the University, also delayed by the "Stone-cutters' Riot." These buildings were, with the University, the last ones erected by material from that source.
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HISTORY OF NEW YORK CITY.
In the early summer of this year, the city was once more thrown into excitement by what is known as " The Five Points Riot." For several years previous, and more especially since the election brawls of 1835. the preceding year (1834), the antagonistic spirit between the Irish and Americans, which resulted many years after in the formation of the Know-nothing party, had been increasing in bitterness ; and when, in June of this year, it was reported that a regiment, under the name of the "O'Connell Guards," was about to be organized in the city, the indignation of a portion of the native American population rose to fever heat. Many styled this " the making of an Irish regiment out of American citizens," and vowed that they would prevent its formation at all hazards. Demagogues, as is always the case at such times, were not wanting to encourage this feeling for base partisan ends ; mutual recriminations followed ; and, finally, the angry passions thus engendered culminated in open violence.
On Sunday, the 21st of June, the peace of the city was disturbed and the sanctity of the Sabbath violated by riots of greater or lesser magnitude in different quarters of the town. One of these was in Grand Street, near Crosby. Another occurred in Chatham Street, which, having its rise in a quarrel between a negro and a white, soon grew into a general battle, and was only quelled by the police with considerable difficulty. The third and great- est riot, however, of that day took place early in the evening in the Sixth Ward, the scene of which was prin- cipally in Pearl Street, near Chatham. This, also, was begun by a fight between two men-Irishmen-whose example, proving contagious, was imitated by others of tlieir countrymen in such numbers that the affray shortly assumed the character of a serious riot. A number of citi- zens here interfered to keep the peace, but only with the
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effect of increasing the uproar, and gaining for themselves sundry unpleasant visitations from fists, shillalahs, stones, and brickbats. Finally, the Mayor, accompanied by a large force of the police, appeared on the spot, and, having arrested the principal ringleaders, dispersed the rioters for the time being. In this affray, Dr. William McCaffrey, a highly-respected physician, who was passing at the time, on his way to visit a patient, was hit by a brick, and his jaw broken. He was then thrown down and his ribs . broken; and, although he was rescued, he shortly after- ward expired. By this time the turbulent element had extended into different parts of the city. On the next day, Monday, the riots were renewed by mobs of Irish and Americans. A public-house, known as the "Green Dragon," in the Bowery, near Broome Street, was attacked. the doors and windows broken in, and the house itself com- pletely " gutted." The Mayor and police again came to the rescue ; but the mob were not dispersed until several prominent citizens (among them Justice Lowndes) had been dangerously wounded, and a great amount of blood had been shed. The next day witnessed nearly the same scenes ; and it was not until a notice had been publicly displayed to the effect that "the proprietors of the ' Bleecker-street House' desire to state that there will be no meeting of the 'O'Connell Guards,' as advertised in the Sunday dailies," that peace was permanently restored.
In this same year, the Don-jon, or OLD DEBTORS' PRISON, was changed into the present HALL OF RECORDS. A stran- ger in New York, and even many of its younger citizens, would hardly suppose, from the present appearance of the handsome Ionic temple standing directly east of the City Hall, for what " base uses" that classic edifice was origi- nally built, or for what ignoble purposes it was kept, until the present year Although it may now be justly consid-
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ered one of the most correct and pleasing specimens of architecture in the Union, yet; until the transformation of its outward form and proportions, it was one of the most unsightly of buildings. It was not, however, of repub- lican origin-having been erected early in the reign of His Most Excellent Majesty King George the Third, as a place of confinement for such of his refractory subjects as either could not or would not pay their debts. Nor is it any great credit to his majesty's successors in the Government that it should not have been appropriated to some other use at a much earlier day. Long did the citizens of New York petition for its removal or destruction, but in vain -- until, "in the course of human events," the public service demanded an additional edifice as a depository for its records. A change from the Bootian to the Ionic order, and its conversion to a more humane purpose, were then determined upon, not only for the public convenience, but from motives of economy. One of the patriotic members of the city government, distinguished for his enterprise and public spirit, undertook the work, and gave to the ancient walls of, unhewn stone their existing " form and pres- sure"-at. an amount, too, not much exceeding, probably, twice the cost of two new buildings of the same dimensions.
The Old Debtors' Prison underwent its metamor- phosis during the latter days of the venerable "Poppy Lownds," as the worthy old jailor was called, who, for a long succession of years, had presided over the internal police of the prison. He was a kind-hearted old gentle- man ; and, amidst all the storms and vicissitudes of party, was never removed from office during his life-time-for the good reason, probably, among others, that the venera- ble officer had grown so lusty in his place that it was impossible to remove him out of it without removing a portion of the prison walls also. Be that, however, as it inay, almost any day " Poppy Lownds " might have been
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seen sitting in his big oaken arm-chair, dozing in some pleasing reverie, like a Turk over his sherbet after dinner, or as " calm and quiet as a summer's morning." If a visitor chanced to call, he would take a long pipe from his mouth, with the most easy deliberation, while the whiffs from the aromatic Virginia weed curled upward in an
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THE PROVOST, OR DEBTORS' PRISON.
azure cloud and mingled with the vapor which had pre- ceded it. Still, "Poppy Lownds," as before stated, was a good soul, and many a debtor had cause long to remember the kindness with which he was treated while sojou.ming in the old Don-jon .*
- " It is true that the change from a prison into the Hall of Records was con- templated as early as 1830; but the building was not made perfectly ready for occupation until the present year.
For a more detailed account of the Debtors' Prison see Appendix No. IX.
A
CHAPTER VIII.
IN 1835, New York was visited by the most terrible conflagration she had ever experienced-an event which was so disastrous to the mercantile as well as to the private interests of the city, that a full account of it 1835. must not be omitted. The late Mr. Gabriel P. Disosway, who was present on the occasion, kindly furnished me, a few months before his death, with the following account of the conflagration itself, and the losses entailed by it :
" The fearful night of December 16, 1835, will long be remembered for the most terrib e conflagration that has ever visited the great city. I then resided in that pleasant Quaker neighborhood, Vandewater Street, and hearing an alarm of fire, hastened to the front door. I immediately discovered, from the direc- tion of the flame and smoke, that the fire was 'down-town,' and not far off. Thousands of others besides myself dreaded such an alarm that night, as it was the coldest one we had had for thirty-six years. A gale of wind was also blowing. I put on an old warm overcoat and an old hat, for active service 'on my own hook.' Years afterward these articles, preserved as curiosities, bore marks of the heat, sparks, and exposure of that fearful time. Our own store, Disosway & Brothers, 180 Pearl Street, near Maiden Lane, although fire- proof, naturally became the first object of my attention. This was provi- dentially located several blocks above the fire; and, accordingly, having lighted the gas, and leaving the clerks to watch, I hastened to the building that was on fire.
" This was the store of Comstock & Andrews, well-known fancy dry-goods jobbers, at the corner of Pearl and Merchant Streets, a narrow, new lane, a little b low Wall Street. When I entered the building on the lower floor, the fire had commenced in the counting-room, having caught, as it was believed, from the stove-pipe. Those few of us present had time to remove a considera. ble quantity of light fancy silk articles. The goods, however, were of a very
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inflammable nature, and a strong current of air sweeping through the adjoin- ing lane, we were soon compelled to leave the balance of this large and valua- ble stock to destruction. Here, and in this manner, the great fire of 1835 originated.
" In a short time this tall and large brick store was enveloped in flames, which burst from the doors and windows on both streets. Over half an hour had elapsed before the first engine arrived, and attempted to throw a stream upon the opposite stores of Pearl Street, against which the gale was . driving the rapidly increasing heat and embers. But so furious were both that the boldest firemen retreated for their lives and the safety of their machine. The street at this point is very narrow, and prevented any man from reaching the lower or adjacent part of Pearl from this end. A burning wall of fire now intervened, and increased every moment. The way to the alarming scene was through William and Water Streets, and Old Slip. After a little while, that which was universally dreaded happened-the water in the hydrants froze, and prevented the engine from obtaining any further sup- plt. Hfaving drawn the 'machine' to a safe place, the firemen nobly went to work saving property. It was all they possibly could do. The reader must -
remember that the thermometer had now fallen below zero, which, added to a biting, fierce winter wind, paralyzed the exertions of both firemen and citizens. All ordinary means for stopping the rapidly increasing flames were abandoned, and the efforts of all were directed to the removal of the contents of the build- ings to places beyond the supposed reach of destruction. In this way immense quantities of goods were placed in the large Merchants' Exchange on Wall Street, in Old Slip, Hanover Square, and the Garden-street Dutch Church and its adjoining grave-yard. In a few hours, however, the devouring element, reaching these areas and splendid editices, swept everything away as with the 'besom of destruction.' Millions of dollars were consumed in a very short time.
"I am writing my own reminiscences of that awful night, and not the expe- riences of another, and must be excused if I often use the personal pronoun. By midnight it was evident that no earthly power could stay the then Etna-like rapid progress of the raging torrent, which increased every moment most alarmingly, and spread in every direction, except toward the east. Most fortu. nately, it did not cross Wall, that street having become an impassable barrier, else the eastern and upper sections of the city might have shared the same fate as the lower. Who can tell where the calamity would have paused, for there were immense blocks of wooden buildings on Water and Cherry and Pearl Streets, 'up' town more than 'down,' and inflammable magazines which, once fired, could extend the common destruction over the city.
"My own course that night was to obtain voluntary aid, and, entering the stores of personal friends, remove, if possible, books and papers. Such was absolutely the heat in front of some stores on the south side of Pearl, near Wall Street, that, although they were not yet on fire, it was impossible to force an entrance that way, and we were obliged to effect it from Water Street, as those buildings extended through the block. A panel in the rear door was broken out, and. entering through this with lanterns, we reached the counting- room, and then, collecting the books and invoices, placed them in a hand-cart and sent them away. It is impossible to imagine the fervent heat created by .
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the increasing flames. Many of the stores were new, with iron shutters; doors, and copper roofs and gutters, ' fire-proof' of first class, and I carefully watched the beginning and the progress of their destruction. The heat alone, at times, melted the copper roofing, and the burning liquid ran off in great drops. At one store, near Arthur Tappan & Co.'s, I warned some firemen of their danger from this unexpected source. Along here the buildings were of the first class, and one after another ignited under the roof, from the next edifice ; downward, from floor to floor, went the devouring element. As the different stories caught, the iron-closed shutters shone with glowing redness, until at last, forced open by the uncontrollable enemy within, they presented the appearance of immense iron furnaces in full blast. The tin and copper-bound roofs often seemed struggling to maintain their fast hold, gently rising and falling and moving, until, their rafters giving way, they mingled in the blazing crater below of goods, beams, floors, and walls.
"On the north side of Hanover Square stood the fine store-house of Peter Remsen & Company, one of the largest East India firms, with a valuable stock. Here we assisted, and many light bales of goods were thrown from the upper windows, together with a large amount of other merchandise, all heaped in the midst of the square, then thought to be a perfectly secure place. Vain calcula- tion ! Both sides of Pearl Street were soon in the furious blaze, and the ground became covered with living cinders. This whole pile dissolved and mingled in the common and increasing ruin. Water Street, too, was on fire, and we hastened to the old firm of 'S. B. Harper & Sons. grocers, on Front, opposite Gouverneur Lane, where there appeared to be no immediate danger.
" The father and sons had arrived, and we succeeded in removing their val- uables. As we left the store after the last load, a terrible explosion occurred near by with the noise of a cannon. The earth shook. We ran for safety, not knowing what might follow, and took refuge on the corner of Gouverneur Lane, nearly opposite. Waiting for a few minutes, a second explosion took place, then another and another. During the space, perhaps, of half an hour, shock after shock followed in rapid succession, accompanied with the darkest, thickest clouds of smoke imaginable. The explosions came from a store on Front Street, near Old Slip, where large quantities of saltpeter in bags had been stored. Suddenly the whole ignited, and out leaped the flaming streams of these neutral salts in their own peculiar colors, from every door and window. Some might have called them fire-works. We have never forgotten this salt- peter eruption. or explosion, and never doubted since the explosive character of the article.
" About midnight, the onward march of the uncontrolled, riotous flames had reached the East River, and could go no further beyond that impassable bar- rier. Before this, the crowded shipping had fortunately sufficient time to be removed from the docks and slips. One of the most grand and frightful scenes of the whole night was the burning of a large oil-store at the corner of Old Slip and South Street. It was four or more stories high, and filled with windows on both sides without any shutters. This was before the days of petroleum and kerosene, and the building was full of sperm and other oils. These fired hogs- . head after hogshead, and over the spacious edifice resembled a vast bonfire or giant beacon, casting its bright beams far and wide on the river and surround- ing region ; but finally the confined inflammable mass, from eaves to cellar, shot
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out with tremendous force through every window and opening, and soon all disappeared except the cracked, tottering, and falling walls.
: " The blazing, flying timbers were carried across the East River, and, in one instance, set fire to the roof of a house in Brooklyn, which, however, was quickly extinguished. Large quantities of tar and turpentine on the wharves becoming ignited, ran down blazing into the stream, and, floating off, made a sort of burning sea, many square yards in extent. The conflagration, increasing every moment, also extended inward toward Broadway. Great hopes were indulged that the Merchants' (marble) Exchange (in which, since 1827, the Post- office had been located) would escape. In the vast rotunda of the edifice stood a most beautiful white marble statue of Alexander Hamilton. Accordingly, a great anxiety was manifested to save this image of the great statesman. It was a masterpiece of art, and hundreds of willing hands, including those of a large number of sailors, undertook its removal, but to no purpose; and the finely chiseled marble, with the solid granite of the Exchange, before long mingled together in common ruin. The letters of the Post-office were alone saved.
. " There was evidently now no salvation for those fine new stores on William Street, near by, and in Exchange Place, where the auctioneers and other com- mission houses had located. I sought the premises of Burns, Halliburton & Company, one of the most popular firms of that day. They were the agents of the Merrimac and other works, and had an immense valuable stock of calicoes, muslin, and flannels. Their large store extended from William Street to the grave-yard of the Garden-street Church. Most of the stock was easily removed to this place of imagined security, which, indeed, became the depot, for the time being, for millions of merchandise. We soon cleared this store. The firm were agents also for extra flannels. These, packed in small bales, and light, were readily cast from the upper stories into the grave-yard. In one of the upper lofts I met a member of the firm, Mr. B., one of Nature's noblemen, since dead, with his other partners, and he was weeping. 'Too hard,' said he, 'after all the toil of years, to see property thus suddenly destroyed!' 'Cheer up,' we replie1, ' the world is still wide enough for success and fortune;' and so it proved,to him and many other sufferers.
" This row of fine new stores had very flat roofs, and, imagining that a good view of the whole conflagration could be obtained from the top, we soon found our way there. Some friends in the yard, fearing that we had been locked up and in danger, screamed like wild Indians, pointing out a way of escape. But there was no danger; and what a sight now presented itself! From Maiden Lane to Coenties Slip, and from William Street to the East River, the whole immense area, embracing some thirteen acres, all in a raging, uncontrollable blaze ! To what can we compare it ? An ocean of fire, as it were, with roaring, rolling, burning waves, surging onward and upward, and spreading certain uni- versal destruction ; tottering walls and falling chimneys, with black smoke, hissing, crashing sounds on every side. Something like this, for we cannot describe it, was the fearful prospect, and, soon satisfied with the alarming, fear. ful view, we retreated from our high look-out. The light had spread more . ar ] more vividly from the fiery arena, rendering every object, far and wide, minutely discernible-the lower bay and its islands, with the shores of Long Island and New Jersey. Even from Staten Island the conflagration was very plainly seen. A sea on fire is, perhaps, the best similitude I can fancy to describe this grand and awful midnight winter scene.
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" Not long after we left our high stand-point it was enveloped in the ani- rrrsal blaze, and soon the Garden-street Church, with its spire, organ, and beans of goods stored within and outside, was consumed. There, too, was lost the venerable bell which had been removed at an early period in New York his tory from the old St. Nicholas Church within the present Battery. ' Wast more can be done to stop the progress of the flames ?' became the anxious and gezeral inquiry. Mr. Cornelius W. Lawrence, the Mayor, appeared with his officers. and. after consultation, it was determined to 'blow up' some buildings, and the rast corner of Coenties Slip and Coenties Lane (a narrow street) was selected as the proper place to begin the necessary work. On the opposite side was the store of William Van Antwerp & Co., hardware-dealers, and relatives of the writer, who, engaged at this point in saving goods, could see the necessary prep- arations for the blast. The building to be ' blown up.' I think, was occupied by Wirncoop & Co., grocers. It was large, and of brick. Colonel Smith soon arrived with the powder and a gang of officers and sailors from the Navy Yard : and none else were permitted to interfere. They commenced mining in the cellar, and placing heavy timbers upon the powder-kegs and against beams of the floors, everything was soon ready for the explosion. A friend near by said to an old tar, . Be careful or you will be blown up! 'Blow and be - was the careless and characteristic reply to the warning. But all having been almirably and safely arranged, the crowd retreated. The torch was applied, and in an instant the report followed : then the immense mass heared up as if by magic, and losing its fastenings, from the cellar to the roof, tottered. shook, and fell. A shout went up from the gazing spectators; and at this point the common danger was evidently arrested, thanks to Colonel Swift, Lieutenant Reynolds, and Captain Mix. of the navy, and their noble, brave sailors. Hero- ism can be as much displayed at a terrible catastrophe of this kind as on the bloody field of battle, and it was tonight. This party of miners arrived shout two o'clock in the morning, when their important work commenced. Ther con- tinued it successfully in another direction ; indeed, it was believed that the conflagration was at last checked by this blowing-up of the buildings.
" Wearied. with watching. labor, and anxiety, thousands wished for the return of day, and at length a dim increasing light in the east, but enshrouded with dull, heavy clouds of smoke. foretold the coming morning. And what an unexpected melancholy spectacle to thousands did New York present! The generous firemen from Philadelphia soon after made their appearance : but the fire had been checked. The immense remains continued to blaze and barn for many days. We could now travel around the bounds of the night's destroe- tion, but no living being could venture through them. In many places there were no lines of the streets to be discovered at all, as every foot of ground was covered with the heated bricks, timbers, and rubbish of the destrored buildings. ,
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