USA > New York > New York City > New York city and vicinity during the war of 1812-15, being a military, civic and financial local history of that period, Vol. I > Part 4
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The park was surrounded by a common wooden picket fence, and was virtually confined to only that part of it that lay south of the City Hall and extend- ing from Broadway on the west to Chatham Row now Park Row), on the east, and terminated at the junction of Chatham Row with Broadway on the south. The part north of City Hall was occu- pied by various public buildings.
* The number of fires and alarms for each of the following years, stated by Costello, were :
1810
19 alarms
25 fires.
1811
27
..
26
1812
23
20
1813
39
37
1814
32
29
40
ALMSHOUSE AND PRISONS.
The City Hall was not quite completed, but had been occupied in part since July 4, 1811. In it were located the chief city offices, and the State and city courts were held there. In the cupola was a bell, smaller than the usual church bell, which rung on court days to summon attendance at the opening or convening of the principal courts.
The jail, being the debtors' prison; the Bridewell, being the city prison; the Almshouse, and a fire en- gine house, were in the park by the side of or back of the City Hall.
The jail (now the Hall of Records), in the park, near Chatham street, was three stories high, with a belfry rising from the center. This belfry con- tained the fire alarm bell, which was the first to ring in case of fire. When this sounded, then all the church bells began to ring, and the firemen and citizens hastened to the place of the fire, guided only by the moving throng and the smoke.
The almshouse stood behind the City Hall on the north side of the park and fronting Chambers street. It was 260 feet long by 44 feet broad, with two projections in front 15 by 20 feet. It was built of brick and was three stories high, besides base- ment story, and was covered with slate. In front of it was quite a space of ground, and in the rear were walks behind the City Hall. It had about 800 inmates. In 1816, when the paupers were removed to Bellevue, the name was changed to the New York Institution, and was occupied by museums, socie- ties, etc.
The Bridewell stood in the park on the west side of the City Hall, near Broadway, fronting south. It was a substantial structure of gray stone, two
41
COLUMBIA COLLEGE.
stories high besides the basement. There was a pediment in the front and in the rear, which was a story higher than the other parts of the building. It had a row of five windows in each story of the wing, and two windows each side the door on the south front, and a row of five windows in each of the two upper stories of the pediment. The end of each wing had three windows in each story. It was enlarged after the war. In the basement was a hospital for the sick, and cells for confining the refractory and those under sentence of death. Persons held for trial could be seen and the place visited every day at eight o'clock in the morning, and at one o'clock and at half-past six o'clock in the evening. The courts for trials were held quar- terly. The white and colored prisoners were kept separate.
Columbia College had quite extensive grounds. They covered two blocks, extending from Murray street to Barclay, and from Church street to Chapel street (now College place). The street from Broad- way was called Robinson street and Park Place. There were two buildings occupied by the college. The main one was built in 1760, and was of lime- stone, three stories and basement, and was 180 feet long by 30 feet deep, fronted to the south, and was north of the line of Park Place and parallel thereto. The other one, near Chapel street, fronted east. The open space of ground in front was more than one acre in extent, and called "The College Green."
There were many points of elevation in the city, between Chambers, Amity, and North streets, where unobstructed and extensive views could be had of
.
42
PLAN FOR STREETS.
the surrounding country and of both shores of the Hudson and East rivers, and full view of the bay and harbor. The New York Hospital, on Broadway and Anthony (now Worth) street, was claimed to be the highest point upon which any building was then erected.
* The poplar tree was much used as an ornamental tree along streets and lanes and in "door yards." Broadway was literally lined by them on both sides, from Bowling Green to Sailors' Snug Harbor, now Tenth street .. In 1809, when Broadway was being permanently regulated and graded from Leonard street to Art street (now Astor place), Mr. Samuel Burling offered to provide as many of the Lombardy poplar trees as might be necessary to line Broad- way from Leonard street to Art street, provided the corporation would move and set them without expense to him. This liberal offer was accepted, it. being concluded by the corporation that the ar- rangement " would be an additional beauty to Broadway, the pride of our city."
The city was laid out in streets only up to Green- wich Lane (now Clinton place and Greenwich avenue). The commissioners appointed to lay out. streets and roads under the act of April 3, 1807, made their report on March 22, 1811, whereby streets, etc., were laid out above North street on the east side and Clinton Place and Greenwich ave- nue on the west side, as they are now known, up to One Hundred and Fifty-fifth street. In their re- port accompanying the maps and surveys the com- missioners say :
" To some it may be a matter of surprise that the whole island has not been laid out as a city. To
43
OUTER WARDS.
others it may be a subject of merriment that the commissioners have provided space for a greater population than is collected at any spot on this side of China. They have in this respect been governed by the shape of the ground. It is not im- probable that considerable numbers may be collected at Harlem before the high hills to the southward of it shall be built upon as a city ; and it is improbable that (for centuries to come) the grounds north of Harlem Flat will be covered with houses. To have come short of the extent laid out might therefore have defeated just expectations ; and to have gone further might have furnished materials to the pernicious spirit of speculation."
The names of the commissioners were Gouverneur Morris, Simeon De Witt, and John Rutherford.
Their plan did not retain Bloomingdale road above Twenty-third street, nor have Madison or Lexington avenues in it.
The Ninth Ward was one of the "outer wards." It was all that part of the city above Love Lane (now Twenty-first street) and east and west of Bloomingdale road, and came down on the east side of the Bowery to Stuyvesant street and on a line to East River. The population of this ward was less than half that of any other. It contained almost one-third less inhabitants in 1816 than in 1810.
The grounds of the Elgin Botanic Garden, owned by the State, covered twenty acres, and were from Forty-seventh street to Fifty-first street, and from Fourth avenue to Sixth avenue. The paths and walks were tastefully laid out, and ornamented by plants, flowers, etc. The conservatories and hot- houses were between Fiftieth and Fifty-first streets,
44
PRIVATE DINNER PARTIES.
Fifth and Sixth avenues, and had a front of 180 feet. The whole were inclosed by a well-constructed stone wall, lined all round by a belt of forest trees and shrubs.
Four o'clock was usually the fashionable hour for dining. The gentlemen always drank wine, but not to great excess. At private dinner parties they would sit about two hours drinking wine.
The drinking of toasts at public dinners was a very common method of expressing political opin- ions, and of venting party spleen, and of "drinking destruction " to their enemies. The newspapers published long lists of these toasts as so many proofs of patriotism and virtue. Money was scarce, prices low, credit good, and plenty of pure wines and liquors for sale on easy terms. Each householder had a good supply for himself and his neighbors and friends.
In 1811 there were thirteen hundred and three groceries and one hundred and sixty taverns licens- ed to sell " strong drink" in the city of New York. Hospitality and good-fellowship were the order of the day.
The social condition of New York City had grown up out of its former political conditions. It had been the capital of the State from the close of the Revolution until 1807, and had been the first capital of the nation at a time when social and public fes- tivities and entertainments were regarded as among the most important duties that public positions gave, and when private fortunes in connection with the social duties required were always considered.
* It was not given to Columbia College until July, 1814.
45
PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENTS.
Many wealthy foreign merchants residing in New York helped keep up this custom by frequently giving elaborate dinners or balls to distinguished personages that visited this country.
The Common Council of the city, excepting the Mayor and the Recorder, held their office without pay from the city (except when they performed some judicial office). Their perquisites and compensation consisted in the power and custom of making appro- priations for refreshments for themselves when they met, and for public dinners, as they were called, at the expense of the city, at which they were always the self-invited guests, and getting in return compli- mentary invitations to great dinners given by other persons.
During the first year or two of the war the num- ber and extent of these public dinners and entertain- ments were frequent, but they were soon after con- fined more to associations and private persons, in which case the political opinions of the entertainers controlled the selection of the invited guests; or, if invited out of compliment, it controlled the presence of those invited, as one was not expected to attend contrary to his political or party convictions; and again, if he was officially prominent, he would prob- ably be called upon for a toast or to respond to a toast that would give him an opportunity to show his political opinion on the important questions of the day. Invitations were often sent to persons who resided a long distance from New York.
On public and political occasions the number of toasts were usually equal to the number of the States, which was then eighteen. The volunteer toasts, when given, varied in number from one to
46
MANNERS OF THE PEOPLE.
nine. During the war the political character of the dinners was displayed by the Federalists having only thirteen regular toasts, corresponding to the original number of the States ; the Democrats, at their dinners, had eighteen toasts.
The manners of the people were remarkably agreeable and refined. In a semi-centennial sermon preached on March 18, 1860, by Rev. Wm. Berrian, D.D., of Trinity, reviewing some of the changes in New York City since he was ordained deacon, March 18, 1810, in St. John's Chapel, he said :
" Within my own recollection and observation, while no servile respect was paid by any to rank or wealth, yet the distinctions of society were more marked and observed, and all were happier for contentment with their lot. Those who were at the head of it were not merely hon- ored for their wealth, but for their descent from those who were honored before them, for their achievements in battle, their eloquence in debate, their wisdom in council, or the elevated positions which they filled and adorned. Both in their private intercourse and on festive occasions there was a degree of courtliness, refinement, and grace, the inheritance from their fathers of a by- gone day, which in the present is, in many cases, not even observed by their sons. The persons below them, the honest burghers and respectable citizens, who had their own claims to respect, were neither jealous of those above them nor ambitious to imitate them. Each class lived in its own way, with a becoming elegance and splendor in one case, and with a modesty and simplicity in the other, which would set modern pretension to shame."
47
STREET CRIES.
The streets were swept twice a week by the in- habitants, each one opposite his own house, and for the collection of garbage a bell-cart came round daily in each street. The bell-man, as the scavenger was called, was a noisy and often entertaining per- sonage. In cadence with his bell he would give forth various songs and choruses.
The city was lighted by lamps with whale oil. Rooms were heated by open fire-places and stoves. Wood was chiefly used for fuel. It was hickory, walnut, chestnut, and pine, and was brought mostly from Suffolk county on boats. Some Vir- ginia bituminous coal was used.» It was advertised in 1812, as "good to burn in grates "; it was more expensive than wood, and was sold from the boats which brought it in port.
The chimneys were swept by small negro boys, whose cries in the morning at daybreak, were any thing but agreeable. The streets would ring with the cries of "Sweep, ho! sweep, ho! From the bottom to the top, without a ladder or a rope-sweep, ho !" to which a chorus or a cry were often added, dulcet sounds of real harmony. They were licensed by the city and their charges regulated by city ordinance. · The bakers used to take around baskets of bread, which some carried bodily on one shoulder, held by a handle on one end ; others had them in an oblong hand wagon containing about half a dozen baskets .. Their cry was "Bread !" when family bread alone was used, but for cakes they had various cries, in- cluding tea-rusk, and hot-cross buns and ginger- bread. The milkmen then went on foot and usually wore a yoke across their shoulders, from each end of which was suspended by a chain a large tin pail
48
WATER SUPPLY.
filled with milk and tightly covered. Their cry was originally "Milk, ho !" but it degenerated into various peculiar sounds which their customers alone understood.
The servants were mostly negroes or mulattoes, some free and others slaves. There were many mulattoes from the West Indies and had French blood in them. There were also many white servants of both sexes, and, says an observant Englishman of the time, "they who expect to see a pure re- publican equality in America will find themselves greatly deceived."
The supply of water was mostly obtained from the Manhattan Company, which was incorporated in 1799, and distributed by bored wooden logs being laid underground from a reservoir in Chambers street, and from there obtained by means of pumps and wells, which were located in the middle of the streets up to 1807, but were then removed to the sidewalk in some of the most crowded streets. The water before 1800 was generally bad and scarce. The most esteemed was that from what was called the Tea Water Pump, which was in Orange, near Chatham street. The water from this pump was of superior quality, and was taken from it into hogsheads on carts and from them delivered to the inhabitants in various parts of the city for a specific price.
The Manhattan Company had all the public springs, streams, and sources of water supply, that formerly belonged to the city, within its control by its charter, and was to supply the inhabitants with good, wholesome water. The company's works were in Reade street, where a steam engine pumped the
49
MODES OF DRESS.
water into the reservoir in Chambers street. In the early part of May, 1812, it appears in the newspapers that they had not supplied any water for five weeks. Such complaints were frequent. The Manhattan water works were in full operation for some years prior to May 1, 1807. Their report for the year ending May 1, 1808, showed $18,561 receipts. They then supplied 2,316 houses and places with wells and cisterns. There were also private cisterns of rain water in use. No need for further extension was required by the growth of the city until several years after the close of the war. The rate for a house with from one to three fires was five dollars per year, and one dollar and a quarter for each extra fire.
The dress of fashionable ladies was mostly after the light, varied, and dashing drapery of Parisian belles, while the less pretentious was a modification and blending of the English and French costume. The gentlemen dressed generally in every respect with the English costume for full dress. Most of them had their clothing imported from England previous to the war of 1812. Many of the men who were survivors of Revolutionary times adhered to the costumes of that day, and wore "small clothes " and cocked hat, and hair in queues similar to those usually associated with Franklin and Washington. The statue of Gen. Hamilton, in the Central Park, gives a good representation of the dress of his day. Some wore white-top, short-leg boots instead of shoes, with breeches. The stockings were white or black, as fancy dictated. When Nathan Sanford, of New York City, afterwards State Chancellor, was Speaker of the New York Assembly in 1811, he pre-
50
LEADING HOTELS,
sided with a cocked hat on, the same as all his pre- decessors had done ; he was the last one that pre- sided in that manner.
There were some that still adhered to the old Dutch custom of dress of their ancestors. This dress, for men, was light breeches extending just below the knee, woolen stockings, buckles at the knee and on the heavy shoes, body coat with large pockets and buttons, a white stock buckled behind, a plain, neat shirt with sleeve buttons, hair powdered, a long, un- braided queue, and ~ broad-brimmed beaver hat with low crown.
The City Hotel on Broadway, corner of Cedar street, was the most extensive building of that de- scription in New York. The ground floor was oc- cupied by stores. It was where the Boreel Building now stands.
Mechanics' Hall was another large hotel and hall, corner of Broadway and Robinson street (now Park Place.)
The principal hotels in the city were, according to their standing, as follows :
City Hotel, Broadway, corner of Cedar street.
Merchants' Hotel, Wall street.
Mechanics' Hall, Broadway, corner of Park Place.
Tontine Coffee House, Wall street, corner of Water street,
Phoenix Coffee House, Wall street, opposite the Tontine.
Bank Coffee House, Nassau street.
Tammany Hall, Nassau street, corner of Frank- fort, opened in 1812.
Washington Hall, Broadway, opened in January, 1813.
51
THEATRES, ETC.
Washington Hotel, "Fraunce's Tavern," Broad street.
The Commercial Hotel, Pearl street, was patron- ized mostly by French and Spanish.
At that time there was only one recognized theatre, the old "Park Theatre," built in 1798 at 23 Park Row. There was on Anthony (now Worth) street, near Broadway, a hall, formerly used as a circus fitted up and called the New Olympic Theatre, which opened May 20, 1812. The New York Circus had removed to Broadway, corner of White street.
Performances at the Park Theatre were only three times a week-Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays- and commenced at half past six P.M. The season opened from the 1st to the 15th of September, and closed on the 4th of July. The best actors were en- gaged there. The admission was one dollar for box seat, seventy-five cents for pit, and fifty cents for gallery. It was not open six nights in a week until after the war.
Among other places of amusement and occasional theatrical representations was Scudder's American Museum, No. 21 Chatham street, opposite Tryon Row. The Circular Panorama, containing a variety of scenes and views, was in the Broadway Circus building. The New Roman Museum of Wax Figures was on Park Row next to the theatre.
Some other like places were opened from time to time during the war.
The theatre, the Old Park, contained a large din- ing hall and good-sized lobbies, and would seat twelve hundred persons.
The summer garden, Vauxhall, kept by Joseph
52
VAUXHALL GARDEN.
Delacroix, was situated on the west side of the Bowery almost two miles from Wall street, opposite where Cooper Institute now stands. It was a neat garden, with gravel walks adorned with shrubs, trees, busts and statues. In the center was a large equestrian statue of General Washington. The theatrical corps of New York were chiefly engaged at Vauxhall during the summer. Light musical pieces, interludes, etc., were performed in a small theatre situated in one corner of the garden. The audience sat in the pit and boxes in the open air. The orchestra was built among the trees, and a large apparatus was for the display of fireworks, which were elaborate and brilliant when the occasion re- quired. On the Fourth of July there was always an extraordinary display.
The grounds extended from Great Jones street to Art street (now Astor place), and from the Bowery road to Broadway. The hall was on the Bowery, and there was also an entrance to the garden from Broadway.
There was another large hotel and garden, known as Mount Pitt, or Ranelagh. It commanded some extensive and beautiful views of the city and har- bor. It was on an eminence near the junction of Grand street with Division street, near Ridge street, where there were still the remains of a battery erected on the hill during the Revolutionary war. In front of Mount Pitt, and back of the Belvedere Club house, were the remains of an intrenchment made by the British in 1781 across the island west from Corlear's Hook by Bayard's Hill to Lispenard's brewery, near the salt meadows, to defend the city and garrison against the American army.
53
DANCING PARTIES.
The Belvedere Club house was several hundred feet to the southeast of Mount Pitt. It was a fine, large building erected before the Revolutionary war, and stood on the block now bounded by Montgom- ery, Clinton, Monroe, and Cherry streets.
The Mansion House at Greenwich was a favorite place for dinners for clubs, associations, etc.
In the summer of 1812 there was occasionally music after supper, at about 6:30 P.M., at the Bat- tery flagstaff, or from a band located in a boat. Different bands volunteered for such occasions. One of the most attractive mentioned at the time was Moffat's military band of the second regiment of artillery. Sometimes the music would be from the "portico of the flagstaff." The flagstaff was about one hundred feet high and stood at the southeast part of the Battery parade, and was surrounded by an octagon enclosure of boards, with seats inside and a roof to shelter from the weather. Refreshments and drinks were served from the building. A large flag, belonging to the city, was displayed from this pole at appropriate times.
The winters were passed in a round of entertain- ments and amusements at the theatre, public assem- blies, scientific lectures, concerts, balls, tea and card parties, and sleighing excursions out of the city. The invited party proceeded to some hotel or tavern out of town on one of the old roads, where the en- tertainment was kept up until a late hour, when the parties returned home by torchlight.
There was a fashionable dancing club, called the City Assembly, which was held at the City Hotel. None but the first class of society could become sub- scribers to this assembly. The subscription was
54
HOLIDAY SEASON.
two dollars and a half each night, and included tea, coffee, and cold collation. There were several French and English gentlemen members of it. The dances were cotillions, alternating with the contra dances. A new dancing club was formed of the second class of genteel people, who were shut out of the other. It was called the New Assembly, and the subscription was three dollars, and they had their balls also at the City Hotel. It was said to be well conducted.
The day of solemn thanksgiving and prayer had formerly been designated by the common council of the city, and was in December, but the observance of a day for that purpose had been abandoned and was not observed until after the war. Christmas was regarded as a day for religious observances.
New Year's day was the most important of the whole year. All the complimentary visits, fun and merriment of the season seemed to be reserved for that day. The mayor of the city and many others of the constituted authorities published for two or three days before that they would reciprocate the compliments of the season with the inhabitants at their residences on New Year's day. At these re- ceptions a table was spread, laden with cakes, wine and punch for callers.
The bakers distributed gratuitously to their cus- tomers small cakes made in variety of shapes and figures.
About this time, the essays of Salmagundi ap- peared, which gave a correct picture of the people of New York, though somewhat heightened by car- icature, and a humorous representation of their manners, habits, and customs.
55
SUBURBAN RESIDENCES.
Many of the more wealthy inhabitants had out-of- town residences in that part of " York Island " situ- ated above Canal and North streets, which they oc- cupied from about the middle of May to first of Oc- tober, the winter season being spent in town. Many had country residences on Long Island. Among them were Rufus King, Recorder Richard Riker, Gen. Ebenezer Stevens, Nathan Sanford, Egbert Benson and Samuel Jones.
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