The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 106

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114

USA > New York > Kings County > Brooklyn > The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I > Part 106

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

labor be carried all his life, save as his responsibilities were measurably abated by the partition, which trans- ferred to others their respective shares ; and them, he has steadily continued to advise and aid.

On the 1st December, 1841, Mr. Pierrepont was united by marriage with Anna Maria, daughter of Peter Augustus Jay and granddaughter of John Jay, former Chief Justice of the United States. IIe has a family of three sons and two daughters living. His daughter, Mrs. Rutherfurd Stuyvesant, died in December, 1879. Mr. Pierrepont's residence is on a part of the homestead on which he was born, and his windows overlook the beautiful bay, and the great city on the opposite shore.

Within the limits of Brooklyn proper, that is, the present Western District of the city, there are two other ferries, viz. : the Bridge Street and the " Navy Yard," or Hudson Avenue ferries.

The Bridge Street Ferry, from Bridge street, Brooklyn, to James slip, New York, was held by A. V. Stout and others (New York and Brooklyn Ferry Company), at an annual rent of $600, the lease cx- piring in 1874.

The Navy Yard Ferry, from IIudson Avenue, Brooklyn, to Jackson street, New York, was first estab- lished between Walnut street, New York, and Little street on Long Island, on the west side and adjacent to the Navy Yard ; and was granted, on the 1st of De- cember, 1817, to Capt. Samuel Evans, for the term of fifteen years, for the accommodation of mechanics and others in crossing. No rent was charged for the first seven years, but for the last seven $100 per annum. About the year 1857, Mr. James Wilson, leased from New York the Jackson slip, with a ferry franchise to Hudson avenue. The Brooklyn authorities allowed him the use of the foot of Hudson avenuc, about seventy feet wide. Owing to interference with the pier of the Gas Company adjoining, in landing the boats, he was stopped by an injunction procured by them. Being unable to litigate the matter with sorich a corporation, he compromised and paid them $100 a year rent for the use of the side of their pier. At the end of the Wilson lease, Mr. John L. Brown obtaind another ten years' lease from New York city, at $50 a year. Being unwilling, however, to submit to the rent, as well as the claims for damages made by the two companies, he discontinued the ferry, retaining his ferry franchise from New York, and the right of the city slip from the Brooklyn Common Council. In July, 1869, by a coup de main, he regained possession of the city slip, which had been occupied by the Gas Com- pany, and commenced running the ferry again.

We next come to

The Ferries of Williamsburgh .- The history of these, ferries, although perhaps not so interesting as that of the Brooklyn ferries, is yet of sufficient conse-

445

EASTERN DISTRICT FERRIES.

quence to demand a passing notice. The water front of Williamsburgh and Bushwick, being located entirely outside of the limits pretentiously claimed by the city of New York, there has been none of that tedious and expensive litigation, which has so overshadowed the adjacent city of Brooklyn; and the ferry abuses of which Williamsburgh has had to complain have been the results of private cupidity and monopolies, rather than corporate injustice and gigantic legalized frauds. In the total absence of any of those neighborly claims which forbade the citizens of Brooklyn from crossing the river in their own boats, the people of Bushwick freely exercised their own will and convenience in the matter of rowing themselves, their neighbors and their garden-truck over to the city, so that no regular ferry was established until near the close of the last century.

The Grand Street Ferry .- About the year 1797, Mr. James Hazard, who resided at the foot of Grand street, New York, established a regular row boat ferry from that point to what is now the foot of Grand street, Williamsburgh. At this time, the houses on the

OLD GRAND STREET FERRY, WILLIAMSBURGH.

New York side, in the vicinity of the ferry, were very scattering; and, where extensive bloeks of buildings and a large population now exists, were then, to a great extent, open fields of unbroken ground. What is now known as Williamsburgh, consisted then of eight or ten farms fronting the river, and extending eastward.

About the year 1804, Mr. John Morrell eame here and purchased a farm, and having opened the present Grand street, through its eentre, started a ferry from its foot, whieli place he called Morrell's Point. "In a short time," says the chronicler, "an amicable under- standing existed between Mr. Hazard and Mr. Morrell, and both ran their row boats, the one from New York, the other from Morrell's Point, and each sought for all the business he could obtain without infringement on the other's rights. It may be amusing to state that Mr. Morrell kept a horn at his ferry, for the conven- ience of passengers, who, when they wanted to be fer- ried over the wave, "would give the ventidal sig- nal." About this time, also, a gentleman named

Woodhull having purchased land on North See. ond street, established a ferry from the foot of that street to Rivington street, New York, which he ealled the " Williamsburgh Ferry."

Mr. Morrell, at the Grand street ferry, determined not to be outdone by the new comer, improved his boats, increased his accommodations, and rendered every facility which the times demanded. The spirited competition which ensued was much more favorable to the growth and general interests of the rising village, than to the pecuniary benefit of the rival owners, and was finally terminated by the absorp- tion of the North Second street ferry by the Grand street ferry, which continued to be the only one for many years. Subsequently, following the course of public improvement, row and sail boats were exchanged for horse boats.

This ferry belonged, at one time, to David Dunham, Esq., of Bushwick, and was sold by his administrators, in September, 1823, to David Ross Dunham, for $28,- 000. The horse-boats were used until the incorpora- tion of the village, in 1827, when one was metamor- phosed into a steam boat, and very appropriately named the The Eclipse, running for some years, in connection with the old horse boats, which were eon- tinued in use long after they had become unsafe from age. This (together with the Peck Slip and Division Avenue) ferry was subsequently held by the Williams- burgh Ferry Company, (incorporated in 1849, with a capital of $130,000); and subsequently, by Messrs. J. V. Meserole & Co. ( Brooklyn Ferry Co.) at an annual rent of $15,000, the lease expiring in 1869.

The Houston Street Ferry, conneeting Grand street (E. D.), with Houston street, New York (dis- tanee three-fourths of a mile), was established in 1840; and has proved a great convenience to those employed at the dry-dock's and other works in that part of Brook- lyn. It has been held by the Houston Street Ferry As- sociates, established in 1842, at an annual rent of $6,- 500. Its rent sinee 1863 was $4,500, and its lease ex- pired in 1874.

The Division Street Ferry, from South Seventh street, Brooklyn, E. D., to Grand street, New York (distance, half a mile), was commenced in 1851, and proved a most convenient route between the southern part of Williamsburgh and the city of New York. With the Grand street and Peek Slip ferries, it belong- ed, at one time, to the Williamsburgh Ferry Company, then to J. V. Meserole & Co., at a rent of $15,000, its lease expiring in 1869.

A ferry was also established in , by A. J. Berry and J. J. Hicks, per Booklyn Ferry Co., from James slip, New York to South Seventh street, Brooklyn, E. D., at annual rent of $3,000. In 1866, the East River Ferry Co. (same parties), leased it at same rent. Its lease expired in 1868, and Oliver Charlick afterward held it, at an annual rent of $4,600 for ten years.

446

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

A ferry between James Slip and South Sixth street. Brooklyn, E. D., also run by A. V. Street and others (New York and Brooklyn Ferry Co.), at an annual rent of $3,450, lease expiring in 1874.

The Peck Slip Ferry-(From foot of South Seventh street (E. D.), to Peek Slip, New York), distanee two miles, was established in 1836, and eon- tributed, it is believed, more largely than any other, to the growth of Williamsburgh by introducing the most respectable class of eitizens, both mereantile and pro- fessional. It was formerly held by the Williamsburgh Ferry Co., and later by J. V. Meserole & Co., at a rent of $21,000. Its lease expired in 1869.

The Green-Point Ferries, are from the foot of Green-point avenue, Brooklyn, E. D., to the foot of East Tenth and East Twenty-third streets, New York. The first named route was established in 1852 (lease dated 1850), by the efforts of Mr. Nezia Bliss, of Green- Point ; and was soon transferred to Mr. Shepard Knapp, and afterward held by G. Lee Knapp. The Twenty- Third street route was established in 1857, and held by St. Patrick's Cathedral, per G. Lee Knapp. Rent of the Tenth street ferry, $1,300, and of the Twenty-

Third street, $600 per annum, both expiring in 1874.

The Brooklyn and the Erie Annex Ferries .- In 1877 Gen. Daniel Butterfield, aeting for the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company, leased from the Union Ferry Company, the south side of the Fulton Ferry pier, and the slip adjoining, to run a boat called the "Annex," connecting with the Pennsylvania Road at Jersey City, and with the Albany boats, conveying passengers to and from them, and ehecking baggage to all parts of the United States. This arrangement was aeeeded to by the New York and Brooklyn Common Couneils, and the latter eity leased the bulkhead at the foot of Fulton street at an annual rent of $1,500, which is in addition to a rent of $500 paid the Union Ferry Co. More recently the Erie Railway has established a similar ferry, landing at the foot of the Brooklyn bridge-tower. By these ar- rangements the delays incident to the two ferries, and the erowded streets of New York, are avoided by passengers leaving Brooklyn for points reached by these railways.

For the following list of New York Ferries to points in Kings County, we are indebted to the Comptroller of the City of New York :

LESSEE.

LOCATION AND DURATION OF LEASE.

RENTAL.

People's Ferry Co.

Grand Street, to Grand Street, Brooklyn, E. D. April 18, 1876, to April 18, 1886 .. Grand Street, to Broadway, Brooklyn, E. D. May 1, 1879, to May 1, 1889

$1,100 per year.

New York Ferry Co

Union Ferry Co. of Brooklyn

Fulton Ferry, South Ferry, Hamilton Avenue Ferry, Catharine Ferry, Wall Street F'erry.

$18,862.85 per year. j 1212 per cent. of gross recelpts (which includes certain dock privileges. $1,000 per year.

John H. Starin

Pier 1, to Bay Ridge. Lease expires May 1, 1884 ..

Henry F. Stone, Trustee.

Twenty-third Street, to Quay Street, Brooklyn. May 1, 1882, to May 1, 1887 ..

5 per cent. of gross receipts, and $5,000 for Dock.

New York Ferry Co ..

Roosevelt Street, to Broadway, Brooklyn, E. D. March 1, 1883, to March 1, 1888

Franchise and dock, $20,000 per year.

Greenpoint Ferry Co

Tenth Street, to Greenpoint. February 1, 1883, to Feb- ruary 1, 1888.

Franchise and dock, $3,000 per year.

Greenpoint Ferry Co

Twenty-third Street, to Greenpoint. February 1, 1883, to June 1, 1891.

Nassau Ferry Co ..

Houston Street, to Grand Street, Brooklyn, E. D. May 1, 1883, to May 1, 1888.

Franchise. 5 per cent. on gross receipts ; dock, $1,000 per year. $4,000 per year.

Ten years ago it was eonceded, even by the ferry managers, that the limit of ferry accommodations, at the chief eentre of travel, had been reached, and addi- tion to the present ferry aeeommodations involved greatly increased hazard of ferry travel, aeross an arm of the sea in which the eommeree of the world is erowding more and more every day, and this of itself would tend to bring the eity's progress to a stand-still.

It was not therefore, simply as a provision for the future, but as an actual and present neeessity, that additional means of communication were needed be- tween Brooklyn and New York, and numerous plans were brought before the publie ; but the favorite one was that of the eonstruetion of a bridge across the East river, between the two cities.

THE FIRST BROOKLYN FERRY-MASTER.

447

THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE.

THE NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN BRIDGE.

BY GEORGE B. LINCOLN, JR.

Those who have perused the previous pages of this work, will remember that, as early as the year 1800, a suggestion was made (page 103) of the feasibility of a bridge across the East River. And it was further- more stated that "a plan has already been laid down on paper, and a gentleman of acknowledged abilities, and good sense has observed that he would engage to ereet it in two years time." Who this audacious bridge propo- ser was, we have no means of knowing. It may, how- ever, have been Thomas Pope, " Architect and Land- scape Gardener," who, in 1811, again broached the idea of such communication between the village of Brooklyn and the city of New York. His plans, however, though published in an octavo volume on bridge architecture, fell on unheeding cars. Twenty-five years passed, with no doubt many suggestions, which have been lost to the public, when, in 1836, General Joseph G. Swift, an esti- mable Brooklynite of the olden time, proposed a dyke across the river, on which was to be laid out a Boulevard, wedding together the two cities. Thirteen years later, in 1849, the New York Tribune again agitated the matter in an article from which we quote.

A BRIDGE TO BROOKLYN .- The great project of municipal improvement now occupying public attention in this city and Brooklyn, is the building of a splendid bridge connecting the two shores of the East River, and thus making New York and Brooklyn emphatically one. . . It is in the inevitable course of events that the seaward point of New York Island should constantly be over run with the pressure of business and population and should be seeking outlets for the excess in every possible direction. The great natural remedy for this commercial and populative plethora is Brooklyn. . . Ferries are rapidly becoming unequal to the immense and swiftly increasing intercourse between counting house and home to so many thousands of our citizens. The only thing to be thought of is a bridge to be built from some high point in New York to another in Brooklyn-thus permitting ves- sels of every kind to pass freely under at all times, and afford- ing passage to a steady stream of vehicles and pedestrians. Such a bridge would become instantly an immense and im- portant thoroughfare, second scarcely to Broadway itself.

First Active Measures Taken Towards a Bridge .- In February, 1864, a bill was introduced in the Legislature providing for a commission to investigate the feasibility and expediency of a bridge across the East River, and appropriating $5,000 for the expenses

In the preparation of this sketch we have availed ourselves liberally of the information contained in Mr. WILLIAM C. CONANT'S article, In Harper's Magazine, for May, 1883, to which we are also Indebted for the accompanying illustrations ; the Eagle " Bridge" issue of May 24, 1883, and memoranda kludly furnished us by the Bridge officials. EDITOR.

of such commission. The bill provided that the eom- mission should report the results of their investigations to the Legislature of 1865.

On February 4, 1865, a bill was introduced in the Leg- islature to incorporate the East River Bridge Company.

Among the intelligent and practical men who had in mind the idea of solving the problem, was Colonel Julius W. Adams, of this eity, for many years recognized as one of the most accomplished members of the profes- sion of civil engineering. He had studied the matter ever sinee 1855, and never lost sight of its importance but, upon his return to Brooklyn, followed it up with characteristic zeal. After the conclusion of the war he renewed his attentions to the subject, and finally, in 1865, he sueeecded in maturing a plan, which he believed was practicable. His idea was to build a suspension bridge from Fulton Ferry on the Brooklyn side to a point near Chatham square on the New York side. The inten- tion was to have the main body of the bridge built of two elliptic tubes placed side by side and supported by ribbons of steel. There were to be three platforms for travelers, and, it is claimed by its projector, that the capacity would have been greater than that of the present structure. Colonel Adams communicated his plan to Mr. William C. Kingsley, who was largely engaged in the contracting business in this city. Mr. Kingsley entered heartily into the spirit of the enterprise, and carefully examined the diagrams submitted by the engineer. He spent several months in a thorough and exhaustive ex- amination of the entire question, studied the needs of the two eities, and finally became fully impressed with the practicability and feasibility of the scheme.

Again in the severe winter of 1866-7, the perils and difficulties of ferry navigation, called public attention strongly to the necessity of some more secure, and stable method of transit between the two great cities.

Popular feeling was soon highly gratified by the announcement that leading citizens of Brooklyn were moving in the matter, and that a bill for chartering a Bridge Company had been introduced in the Legisla- ture then in session by the Hon. Henry C. Murphy, by whose unflagging support, as well as the untiring aid of its projeetors, it became a law April 16th. This bill was drawn upon the basis of Col. Adams' plans.

The New York Bridge Company thus incorpo- rated, consisted of the following citizens named as cor- porators: John T. Hoffman, Simeon B. Chittenden, Ed- ward Ruggles, Smith Ely, Jr., Samuel Booth, Gren-

448

HISTORY OF KINGS COUNTY.

ville T. Jenks, Alexander McCue, Henry E. Pierrepont, Martin Kalbfleish, John Roach, Charles A. Townsend, Henry G. Stebbins, Charles E. Bill, Chauncey E. Mit- chell, T. Bayley Myers, Seymour L. Husted, William A. Fowler, William Wood, Andrew W. Green, Ed- mund W. Corlis, William C. Rushmore, Ethelbert S. Mills, Albert W. Craven, Arthur W. Benson, T. B. Cornell, John N. Hayward, Isaae Van Anden, Pomeroy P. Dickinson, Alfred M. Wood, J. Carson Brevoort, William Marshall, Samuel MeLean, John W. Coombs, William IIunter, Jr., John II. Prentice, Edmund Driggs, John P. Atkinson, John Morton. A vacancy was filled by the selection of Henry C. Murphy, who became President of the Bridge Company. The Act fixed the capital stock at five millions of dollars, with power to inerease it, and gave the cities of New York and Brooklyn authority to subscribe to the stock of the company such amount as their Common Couneils re- spectively should determine, wisely judging that neither private capital nor municipal management alone could be relied on to carry such a work suceess- fully to completion.

The cities of New York and Brooklyn were author- ized to subscribe for such amounts of the capital stock as two-thirds of their Common Couneils should deter- mine, or to guarantee the payment of the principal and interest of the company's bonds, in such amounts as the Common Councils should preseribe. Under this provi- sion the city of Brooklyn was at onee asked to sub- seribe $3,000,000 to the stock of the company.

In 1868 the Common Council of Brooklyn resolved to subseribe this amount, on condition that two millions should first be subseribed by others, and ten per eent. of this be paid in, and that the city should be repre- sented in the board of directors.

On the 29th of December, in the same year, the New York Board of Councilmen passed an ordinanee sub- seribing $1,500,000 to the stoek of the company, on condition that the Mayor, Comptroller, and President of the Board of Aldermen should be ex-officio members of the company. Thus a paid up capital of four and one-half millions was insured.

On the organization of the company in May, 1867, one month after the passage of the incorporating act, Jolin A. Roebling was appointed engineer (May 28, 1867), and he made his report of surveys, plans, and es- timates on the 1st of the following September. In the following May a commission of three United States en- gincers, Maj .- Gen. Horatio G. Wright, Maj .- Gen. John Newton, and Major King, was appointed by the War Department, to report upon the general feasibility of the project, especially as to whether or not the bridge would be an obstruetion to navigation. The engineers entered upon their work at once. After a thorough re- view of the plans, they concluded to examine the prin- cipal suspension bridges throughout the United States. Mr. Roebling by this time had substantially completed

his plans. The incorporators, after examining them, though having full confidence in his judgment, experi- ence, and ability to construct the work, believed it advis- able, in view of the uncertainty or opposition of the pub- lie, to eall in a board of consulting engineers. Opinions were accordingly asked from IIoratio G. Allen, of New York (who brought from England, and ran in this country, the first locomotive operated on the Western Hemisphere, and who is still living) ; Alfred W. Cra- ven, the engineer of the Croton Aqueduet; II. B. Lat- robe, builder and chief engineer of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; Chief Engineer Steele, of the Reading Railroad; James P. Kirkwood, W. J. MeAlpine, John J. Serrell, and Colonel Julius W. Adams. For four or five months they passed nearly all their time in study- ing the plans proposed by Colonel Roebling, and at the eonelusion of their labors they reported favorably upon them in every respeet. When the journey of observa- tion was made by the War Department engineers, in the Spring of 1869, they were accompanied by Messrs. John A. Roebling, Kingsley, MeCue, Sloeum, Lewis, Kinsella, Carey, and Probaseo. They visited Pittsburg, Cineinnati, Niagara, and other places, and made a thor- ough examination of the bridges at all these important points. A little later the Government Commissioners presented their report. They approved and endorsed all of Mr. Roebling's plans, with the single exception that the height of the eentral span above the middle of the river be 135 feet, instead of 130 feet, as proposed.

By an Act of Congress the bridge was deeiared to be a lawful structure when completed, and a post-road for the eonveyanee of the United States mails.

The original Aet provided that the bridge should be completed and opened for use on, or before, the first of June, 1870. In 1869, the time was, by an amendment to the charter, extended to June 1st, 1874, and a rail- road franchise was added, the use of which was optional with the company.

The work of preparing the site of the foundation of the Brooklyn tower was commenced January 3, 1870, but Mr. Roebling did not live to see the first stone laid in the magnificent structure that was to have erowned his illustrious career. In the Summer of 1869, while, engaged in determining the location of the Brooklyn tower, a ferryboat entering the slip, thrust the timbers on which he stood, in such a manner as to catch and erush his foot. The injury resulted in loekjaw, from which he died sixteen days after.

A fit sueeessor was found in his son, Washington A. Roebling, who had not only been the aecomplished as- soeiate of his father in some of his principal works, but had aided him most efficiently in the preparation of the designs and plans of the bridge (See Sketch of Colonel Roebling, in a following page).

Before the actual work of construction had com- menced. however, considerable modification had to be made in the original design. These changes were in

449

THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE.

the direction of not only a larger and more capacious structure, but also of increased solidity and strength throughout, thereby adding largely to the cost.

In 1870 work was commenced on the foundation for the tower at the Brooklyn side of the river. To cross a stream 1,600 feet in width, with a single span, was a thing never before accomplished, but the difficulties were immensely increased by the fact, that the towers to support this immense structure had to be erected under circumstances that rendered the usual methods for sinking piers impracticable. The only element of uncertainty was believed to be in the failure, or success, of the submarine operations. This point settled, the constructors had an open pathway to full fruition of their hopes and plans. Of course, under ordinary cir- cunistances of bridge construction, attention is paid to the obstacles in securing foundations, piers, and ap- proaches; but, in this case, the supporting masonry was placed ,where the exigencies of the work demanded. Preliminary operations were begun at the site of the Brooklyn foundation as early as 1867. The trial boring at that time showed gneiss rock at a depth of 96 feet below high water mark. It was found ne- cessary to establish a uniform foundation over the entire space. This, it was determined, should be built of solid timber in the form of a caisson-an apparatus aptly described by one of the engineers as "a diving bell on a huge scale." It was therefore determined to em- ploy the method by compressed air; and caissons were constructed by Messrs. Webb & Bell. of Greenpoint, having the horizontal dimensions of the proposed piers, which were 102 by 172 feet. Each caisson was, in ef- fect, a wooden box, made of Georgia yellow pine. turned bottom upward, the interior space being 9 feet high. The roof of the New York caisson was 22 feet thick, of solid timber, bolted together, and was sup- ported by frames running from side to side, which frames, together with the edges of the box, were to sustain the vast superincumbent weight, aided by the upward pressure of the condensed air within the cais- son.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The civil, political, professional and ecclesiastical history, and commercial and industrial record of the county of Kings and the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., from 1683 to 1884 Volume I, Part 106

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n Publication date: 1884 Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co. Number of Pages: 1114

Author: Stiles, Henry Reed, 1832-1909, ed. cn; Brockett, L. P. (Linus Pierpont), 1820-1893; Proctor, L. B. (Lucien Brock), 1830-1900. 1n
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: New York : W. W. Munsell & Co.
Number of Pages: 1114