USA > New York > New York City > Old New York : a journal relating to the history and antiquities of New York City, Vol. I > Part 33
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The manufacturers of the city. being composed of men con- nected with the most respectable families, aspired to elevate and improve their stations by forming societies of their own. The most prominent one was the New York Manufacturing Society. whose buildings were in Vesey street, and of which Melanchthon Smith was president and Cornelius Cooper secretary ; the shares of stock were valued at $10 each. This and other associations then in existence were productive of much good to the artisans of the city ; they served to keep them united, and led them to respect themselves and their fellow citizens. They inculcated also a pride among them for the honor and calling they professed and practised, and the general effect they had upon the commu- mity was all that could be desired by an industrious and peaceable race.
MINOR PARAGRAPHIS.
GREAT CONFLAGRATION-BURNING OF THE PARK THEATRE. - On Saturday evening, December 16th, about a quarter past six o'elock, the cry of fire was raised in the neighborhood of the Park, and immediately afterward dense volumes of smoke were observed issuing from the rear of the Park Theatre. . A large erowd collected and the fire engines were promptly on hand; but before they could be brought to play upon the building, a broad column of flame shot up from the roof, and increased with such rapidity that it was at once evident the whole theatre would be destroyed.
The night was dark and rainy, and the clouds hung low, so that the air was filled with a broad glare. illuminating all the lower portion of the city. The flames, fanned by the wind, swept toward the front of the building, and shoot- ing up for forty or fifty feet above the roof threatened to sweep away the entire block to Ann street and Broadway. A more magnificent spectacle could hardly have been imagined. The whole extent of the Park, with Broadway down to Fulton street. crowded by nearly one hundred thousand people, was almost as light as at noonday. ' The tall spire of the Brick Church stood like a column of light, and the fronts of the City Hall, Astor House, and the buildings on Broad- way blazed as if in sunshine against the pitchy blackness of the storm The gaslights dwindled down to faint white specks, and the reflection of the flames in the clouds cast such a glow that it was possible to read with case at a con- siderable distance from the conflagration.
The firemen used every exertion to stay the destruction, and succce le lin confining it mainly to the theatre. By seven o'clock the whole roof was barned through and the thames poured out of the windows of the front. As the timbers fell, clouds of spark- rolled into the air, and, driven before the wind. scemito fall upon the city like a bail of fire. The firemen an'l others busied themselves in saving the furniture of the Fountain House and other buildings adjoining. which were in imminent danger. The luiter hotel was much injured in the rear, and the furniture damaged with water and broken in being rem we l The high flagstaff on the roof caught at one time audl blitt I from top to bottom. Clarke's house was also considerably damaged by water, and one or two hull 1. ings on Theatre alley partrilly burned.
Finally. in about two hours after the fire first broke out, it was subdued. nothing of the Park Theatre being left but the four walls. The firenon con. tinued to play upon the ruins for some time afterward, and it was nearly mil. night before the red glow had entirely fadel from the clouds. The origin of the fire is not known with certainty. It first caught near the prompter's stand. whence it was communicated to the scenery, and in a few minutes filled the interior of the building. It has been stated that during the afteri oon ther . was a strong smell of vitriol about the stage, which was remarked by those who were rehearsing. When the conflagration broke out. a part of the ballet com- pany of the Mouplaisirs were preparing for the evening's performances.
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Minor Paragraphs.
Several of them had a narrow escape from death, and one, as we learn, was saved by the servant of M. Monplaisier. The loss of this latter gentleman will amount to about $1,000, consisting mostly of costumes.
Mr. Hamblin's loss is estimated at $25,000, and that of Messrs. Astor and Beekman. proprietors of the building, at $30,000, upon both of which sums there is but a small insurance. The entire amount of property destroyed is from $60.000 to $65,000. This is, we believe, the fifth time that Mr. Hamblin has met with a similar misfortune-a fatality as unusual as it is unequaled. The theater had been in existence twenty eight years, the old buikling having been burned in 1820 .- Tribune, December, 1884.
OPENING OF CHAMBERS STREET TO JAMES SLIP .- The line of this street is now in ruins. The old structures are being demolished and rapidly replaced by those of a more substantial character. The persons now building are Messrs. Conclin, who is putting up a brown stone front of five stories ; Poillion, brick front, with iron columns : Blackwell, brick front. with iron columns ; Samp- son. Caen stone, with iron pillars ; Ash, brick, with marble trimmings ; Park. ley, brick, with brown stone trimmings. The remainder of the stores, being for the most part of this latter style, will be adapted either for wholesale or re. tail parpo-es. They are the property of Messrs. Froughton, Mullen, MeLough- lin, Goelet. Davis, Moore, Fordbam and Launcey. Many objections were at first offered by property holders in this locality for various reasons against the opening. but now that they have all been overruled by the courts it is generally admitteil to be an advantageous project. It is, however, the opinion of some that. had George Law owned Catherine street ferry. the present improvement would have been made in a straight line. instead of a crooked one as it now is. It is believed that he contemplates a railroad to run down to hi- slip. This street was the choice of it- projector- in consideration of its facilities for making the most desirable thoroughfare from the East to the North River at the least cost. the expense of iss construction reaching not more than 8659,000. There were persons who objected on account of unequal assessment, but it has since been found that those having property involved have receive I offers of from 25 to 30 per cent more than its former market value. Mr. Goelet's property will buy an interest exceeding the entire previous rent- after half of it was taken and paid for by the city. Mr. Blackwell also, although receiving $20,000 damages. perceives an increase in his rent roll. The Chatham Bank was cut off and the owners received $25,000, more than it could possibly have been sold for.
Chambers street will admit of an easy and natural grade throughout its entire lenath. The terminus at James Ship boing oppo-ite to the Fulton street ferry in Brooklyn presents the shortest and most direct transit between the two cities. No reason exists why this avenne, when completed, as it probably will be by May next. should not quite equal Fulton street for all purposes of business and trathe.
The more order loving of those who reside in the immediate vicinity of James Slip entertain a hope that the changes consequent upon a new order of things may prove salutary to the moral atmosphere of their locality. The property is now in the bands of certain rich persons, some of whom are not over serupu.
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Minor Paragraphs.
lous as to the reputation of their tenants, while they receive one thousand dol- lars' rent for houses not worth over four hundred and fifty .-- Tribune, 1860.
WRITERS OF NEW YORK .- The Herald in 1842 gives the following list of the newspaper men of New York :
E. E. Camp, Charles King,
Rory McLoughlin,
Mike Walsh.
Charles F. Hoffman, Henry M. Phillips.
E. W. Davis,
Wm. L. Stone,
Russell Jarvis,
Richard White,
Samuel Beman,
E. Brisbane,
Major Prall, John Inman,
George P. Morris,
Mr. Bradford,
Wm. C. Bryant,
J. M. More,
Little Burdett,
Wm. F. Godwin,
Wm. Whitman.
Wm. F. Finn.
Fred West,
Mr. Foster,
Locofoco Stepliens,
Wm. II. Attree,
Levi D. Slamm,
D. R Lee.
Patent Sermon Paige,
Racing Porter,
Tom Nichols,
Thomas Kettell,
Horace Greeley,
H. Nichols.
David Hale,
John I. Mumford,
Wm. Herrick
Pious Hallock,
Park Benjamin.
Mr. Reese.
Erastus Brooks.
Mr. Patterson,
J. W. Webb.
J. G. Brooks, James G. Bennett.
E. Hoskin.
Toney Bartlett.
N. P. Willis,
John A. Sargeant,
M. M. Noah,
Fred Hudson.
Epes Sargeant.
THE GREAT METEOR .- The largest and most remarkable meteor ever seen in New York was that which was visible just before the outbreak of the Civil War. Mr. Edgar de Peyster wrote to the Evening Post an account of the dis- play as he viewed it :
Having noticed in your last evening's edition an account of the wonderful phenomena as seen from Yorkville, I would beg leave to state that I, too, had the pleasure of witnessing that never-to-be-forgotten wonder which occurred at half-past nine yesterday morning. The view that presented itself to my vision was one of singular and most extraordinary beanty at the time. I was in Broadway. between 9th and With streets, when of a sudden this brilliant light flashed before my sight, causing an involuntary casting of the eyes in an upward direction, when, to my surprise, and I must say pleasure. this startling meteor presented itself : no one in my immediate vicinity seemed to notice it. and as an instance of how quickly it passed, I will state that my brother, who was with me, was unable to see any traces of it, although I called his attention immediately to the fact. At that time the sun was shining brilliantly, and the moon was to be seen visibl high up in the heavens. Of course the meteor must have been of an exceedingly brilliant nature to have been visible in the daytime.
From the view Hobtained, and from the impression it made as regards size. I should say it was about twice as large as the moon, with a tail twenty or thirty feet in length : the color, which was the same both in the body and tail. seemed of a most beautiful liquid silver and resembled much that of a shooting star on a clear winter's night.
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Minor Paragraphs. 383
It seemed to fall from an easterly to southerly direction, and described a most beautiful curve. I would suggest that, instead of looking in this immedi- ate vicinity for any traces of the meteor, would it not be more likely to expect (judging from the great height it was seen at) that it fell far out at sea instead of on land ? I should think that from the total absence of all sound, such would prove the case, and I have no doubt but that some inward bound vessel will soon put us in possession of more pertinent facts.
HOW THE CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS WAS BUILT.
A Legend of New Amsterdam. BY M. L. D. FERRIS.
Once on a time, old legends say,
New Amsterdam wore its gala array
For the dominie's daughter's wedding day.
The dominie was of great renown,
And, in baffy white and black silk gown,
The proudest man in the quaint Dutch town.
Ay ! a fimmons man was the dominic. Who had recently come from over the sea
To preside o'er the little church near the fort,
And teach the good Dutchmen the doctrines of Dort ;
And not long since he had taken to
Vrou Anneke Jans, thus causing great strife,
For the Dutch maidens vied his favor to gain,
And laid deep plots to meet him, by : chance, in Love Lane.
Now Anneke Jans, to continue my yarn,
Was owner of all the famous king's farm,
And therefore was hell as the first in the land,
When she deff'd widow's weeds for Bogardus's hand.
The dominie's cottage was pleasant to see, With its stoop shaded over by a syen- more true ;
Antique knocker so bright, and the half-open door.
And the parlor inviting with fresh sanded floor.
Then its garden so trim, tulip borders around
For the Dutch made best use of each bit of ground.
From miles around the guests came to sce the maid wed.
And later by Anneke's dainties be fed, And burgher and Juvrouw in gala ar- ray
Were fully prepared to make glad holi- day.
It had long been the wish of the good dominic
To build a new church, for the old one,
Was a baro. and at one time had been a horse-mill,
And to preach in it humbled the proud old man's will.
Now. the dominic thought, is the very best time To start a subscription, and let cach one sign. For thus can be built a worthier fane.
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Minor Paragraphs.
And surely a new church will be a great gain.
The director was there, in his pompand his pride,
With his worthy eo-laborer, De Vries, by his side,
The Stevensons, Schuylers, Bayards and Van Dycks,
Polhemuses, Cuylers, van Siclens, van Wycks,
De Kays and van Cortlandts, the Banckers, van Brughs.
De Meyers, van Rensselaers, Kierstedes, Du Trieux,
Van Hornes and van Brummels, van Dusens, van Burens,
The Brinkerhoffs, Bleeckers, van Dams and van Kenrens,
The Douws and van Breestedes. van Gaasbeecks, van Duyns,
De Witts and van Geisons, van Ganse- voorts, Pruyns,
The Visschers, van Vechtens, and more of renown ---
The fairest and best of the little Dutch town
The welding was over. the twain were misle one.
And now Ind festivities fairly begun : There was laughter and jest, which the dominic led,
And the best songs were sung and the luat speeches said Soon the forst was announced, and 'twas a fine sight.
'Iwould have filled any housekeeper's heart with delight.
There were watlles as light as the foam of the sea, And roellachje. bisquit and very black tea,
Pound, plum cake, and jumbles, and trout from the brook.
And a fabulous dish of the famed olij- kook.
There was wine, beer. mead, punch which the dominie brewed,
And which, on my honor, I tell you, was good ;
And the truth must be told, though tradition is mum,
An enormous supply of old Santa Cruz rum !
Their eyes how they twinkled ! their mirth, oh, how merry !
Their breath smelt of puneh, and their speech told of sherry,
And the hours sped on, and the laughter grew loud,
And I think I must eall them a right jolly erowd.
'Twas the dominie's chance the paper to seize,
And load off the list with Herr Kieft and De Vries,
And each in his turn would not be out done.
And promised to donate a generous
So the money was raised in a very short time,
For the wily host managed that each one should sign.
The wedding soon over, the guests hav- ing sted.
The happy old dominic went to his bed.
When the guests realized on the follow- ing day How much they had pledged, they were quite loath to pay,
But as hon'rable men they were bound by their word. And it never would do " to go back on the Lord." Thus the new church was built in the famous ohl fort.
And the dominio smiled when he thought what he'd wrought :
So St. Nicholas's Church, tho' textot'- lers repine. Owes it's life. as you see, to the domi- nie's wine.
OLD NEW YORK.
JANUARY, 1890.
NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF PRINTING IN NEW YORK.
VI.
I now approach the second period in the development of the press in New York. Until 1726 the pamphlet or the broadside had answered every purpose in the diffusion of intelligence. Blame and praise were conferred by them as fully and unquali- fiedly as later newspapers did, but with the exception that such of these productions as were critical or libellous were anonymous. Boston could not endure criticism of her hierarchy. nor Philadel- phia of the Quakers. Whenever anything was printed at which the local government or important personages might take offense, the work was done in England or in one of the other provinces. Thus several gentlemen of Boston who in 1700 desired to an- swer a book printed by the Rev. Increase Mather were obliged to come to this city to have it done. They had applied to Barthol- omew Green to execute it, but he declined doing so until he had submitted it to the licensers of the press, to which they would not consent. When the book came out, without date or imprint, an advertisement was prefixed to it as follows:
" The Reader is desired to take Notice. that the Press in Bos- ton is so much under the aw of the Reverend Author whom we answer, and his friends, that we could not obtain of the Printer there to print the following sheets, which is the only true Reason why we have sent the Copy so far for its Impression."
386
Notes on Printing in New York.
This was undoubtedly the case, though Green denied it. The idea of the liberty of the press which we now cherish has been the growth of many generations, and was not entertained any- where two hundred years ago. The earliest newspapers were mere compilations. Rarely, indeed, did any original inatter ap- pear in them, and more rarely still did they express any opinions upon matters of public concern, unless, indeed, it was something respecting which there was no dispute. Bradford's newspaper was no exception to this rule. It first appeared October 16, 1725, and was entitled the New York Gazette. This was the fifth pa- per published in the American colonies, and the second published away from Boston. The Boston News-Letter was begun in that city April 24th, 1704, by John Campbell, the postmaster; the Boston Gazette was brought out December 21st, 1719, by Wil- liam Brooker, who had succeeded Campbell as postmaster, and the New-England Courant was published August 17th, 1721, by James Franklin. the brother of the philosopher. The only one in Philadelphia was the American Weekly Mercury, whose first date was December 22d. 1719. It was published by Andrew Bradford and Jolm Copson. the former the son of William Bradford.
New York had in 1725 grown to have a population of ten thou- sand. The colony was flourishing, and the risk in publishing a journal was slight. Paper could be procured from Bradford's own mill ; he had the type : labor was chiefly performed by ap- prentices, whom he boarded himself, thus reducing the expense to its minimum. and it is probable a couple of hundred copies were as many as it was judged expedient to print. No editor and no reporter were required, and he had no rival, either as a printer or a publisher. The second number was thus headed :
" THE NEW-YORK GAZETTE. FROM MONDAY OCT. 16. TO OCT. 23, 1723. Ncom. 2."
On one side were the arms of New York. and on the other a postman. I have myself been able to see no number earlier than No. 21. published March 28th. 1726. The type is a pica. or be- tween that and an English, and the imprint i -: " Vor York. Printed and Sold by William Bradford. To be Sold also by Rich- ard Nicholls, Post-Master, Where Advertisement, are taken in. and all Persons may be supplied weekly with this paper." The
387
Notes on Printing in New York.
size of the sheet is a foolscap, or about twelve by fifteen inches, which does not remain invariable, but is sometimes larger and sometimes smaller. There are only two columns to the page.
No. 21 contains very little reading matter. There is some ship news and two advertisements. When the half year was com- pleted, on the 25th of April, 1726. the following appeared :
" N. B. This Vumb. 26. of our Gazette concludes the first half year. and is the Time the first Payment should be made by the Gentlemen who encourage the same. And altho' the Number sub- scribed for does not defray the Charge. yet we intend to Continue it the next half year, in hopes of further Encouragement."
When the year was up the notice appears again :
"N. B. This Vumb. 52. concludes the first year of this our New- York Gazette. All Persons that take the same are desired to Pay in what is Due, in order to enable the Vudertakers to con- tinue the Publication of said Gazette. or else it must drop."
The first advertisement runs thus :
ADVERTISEMENT.
T He Plantation cada? Dobles Plantation, containing about your hundred Ares and is pleasantly of theted on the South Branch of Rariton River, near to Thomas Halls, is to be x210 at Publick Vendue to the highest Bidder, on Tuesday the 17th day of May next, at the house of John Stevens in Perth Amboy. The Title maybe was in the hands of James Alexander is New-York.
T Ambos there is a Drelling House and a Bake-house with a good Oven and. A Freunde fit for baking of Bislet, to be Let on reramable terms by John Steven ..
In the number for May 11, 1780, which is a fair example of most of the carly ones. the first article is an essay on education : the second a communication by a " City Merchant " on the cur- reney; the assent of the State- of Holland to the peace of Seville: some general English and foreign intelligence ; the speech of Governor Montgomerie before the Assembly at Ambor, some ship news, and an advertisement. There was nothing else. and very little of this had any interest to any one except those in official position. The imprint reads: " Printed and sold by William Bradford, in Vac- York, where Advertisements are taken in. and where you may have old Books new Bound, either Plain or Gilt."
3SS
Notes on Printing in New York.
The New York Gazette exhibits but little change while Brad- ford carried it on. He had grown old before he began publish- ing it, and he soon had a rival after it was once issued. Jolm Peter Zenger, an apprentice of his, began a new printing office in 1726, and seven years later issued a newspaper, the first which in this section indicated discontent with the action of the authori- ties. No doubt their behavior had often been bad in previous times. Charges of nepotism, of land grabbing, of collusive com- petition, of scandalous transactions, are frequent in the letters and diaries of the day, but they were not made known to the people at large. They could not be. In Zenger's periodical, as well as in James Franklin's, there was some criticism, but it was by no means so severe as a village newspaper would now have if there were similar scandals in its own town.
Jolin Peter Zenger was a native of Germany, and came here from the Palatinate of the Rhine in 1710, in company with his mother, Johanna Zenger, who was then aged thirty-three. The boy was thirteen. On the 26th of October of that year he was apprenticed to William Bradford by Governor Hunter. It is probable his time ran till he was twenty-one, which would be in 1718. He had apparently received the rudiments of an educa- tion better than common, and he improved his opportunities, be- coming on the whole a better workman than Bradford, although never entirely accurate in his English. He claimed to have good German blood in his veins. He began a printing office in 1726. according to Thomas, but in 1725, in conjunction with Bradford. he published Frilinghausen's " Klagte van Eenige Leeden," the imprint being W. Bradford and J. P. Zenger. In 1726 he issued the Freeman's " Verdediging." the " Interest of the Country in Laving No Duties," a " Samenspreek over de Klagte der Raritan- ders," and Van Driesen's " De Aanbiddelyke Wegen Gods." The next year he sent ont three pieces, and the following year one. That is, these are all that are preserved. He was first in Smith street. now William, but in 1734 removed to Broad street. near the upper end of the Long Bridge. Thomas says that it appears that for several years his business was confined to print- ing pamphlets for the authors of them, and some small article- for himself. In 1733 he began the second journal in this city.
Notes on Printing in New York. 389
the "New York Weekly Journal, Containing the freshest Ad- vices, Foreign and Domestick." It appeared on " Munday," October 5th. The first secular day of the week was always thus spelled by him. The true date was November 5th, 1733, the head line being a whole month wrong. The imprint read : " New York: Printed and Sold by John Peter Zenger : By whom Sub- scriptions for this Paper are taken in at Three Shillings per Quarter."
The immediate occasion of the founding of the Journal was opposition to Governor Cosby's administration. When Mont- gomerie died in 1731 the duties of Governor devolved for some time upon Rip Van Dam, who was the President of the Council. Mr. Van Dam was a merchant of excellent repute in this city, and of a fair estate. "though distinguished," says William Smith, the historian, "more for the integrity of his heart than his capacity to hold the reins of government." He did, however, retain them for some little time, until relieved by Colonel William Cosby, who arrived in New York in August, 1732. As soon as he had learned the state of affairs. Cosby began a shit against Van Dam for the recovery of half of the fees which the latter had received while acting as Governor. Mr. Van Dam resisted. but in the end two of the judges decided against him, making a majority, and the Governor attempted to suspend him from his position in the Council. He removed the Chief Justice, Morris, at once. for deciding against him. Van Dam had con- sented to pay over the money he had thus received if Cosby would in turn allow him half his salary from the death of Mont- gomerie, but to this the Governor would not agree. The pro- ceedings of the latter were very unpopular, whatever might have been the merit in Cosby's contention that the money belonged to him and not to another. His course was liable to three objee- tions. Cosby had not done the work, and Van Dam had : the decision would be made by judges whom he could remove if he did not like their deerees : he had thus actually displaced one who had not coneurred with him ; and Van Dam wasstill as fit to bean adviser as he ever was. Letters concerning the matter and lam- pouning the Governor were frequent, passing from hand to hand, and were answered by the Gazette with bitterness. It was. there-
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