USA > New York > The natural, statistical, and civil history of the state of New-York, v. 2 > Part 8
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79
STATE. OF NEW-YORK.
works. Goshen is well supplied with white cedar, and in some parts of the woods, is found great plenty of black walnut. ,
Before I proceed to the description of the southern counties, I beg leave to say a few words concerning Hudson's river.
Its source has not as yet been discovered.' We know in general that it is in the mountainous, uninhabited country, between lakes Ontario, and Champlain. In its course south-ward it approaches the Mohawk's river within a few miles at Saucondauga. From thence it runs north and north-easterly towards lake St. Sacrament, now called lake George, and is not above eight or ten miles distant from it. The course then to New-York is very uniform being in the main south twelve or fifteen degrees west.
The distance from Albany to lake George is computed at sixty- five miles. The river in that interval is navigable only for bat- teaux, and interrupted by rifts, which occasion two portages of half a mile each. There are three routs from Crown" Point to Hudson's river ; one through lake George, another through a branch of lake Champlain, bearing a southern course and termi- nating in a basin several miles east of lake George, called south bay. The third is by ascending Wood creek, a shallow stream about one hundred feet broad, which coming from the south-east empties itself into the south branch of lake Champlain.
The place where these routs meet, on the banks of Hudson's river is called the carrying place. Here fort Lyman, since called fort Edward, is built ; but fort William Henry, a much stronger garri- son, was erected at the south end of lake Georgc.
The banks of Hudson's river are for the most part, rocky cliffs, especially on the western shore. The passage through the high- lands is a wild romantic scene, for sixteen miles, through steep and Jofty mountains. The tide flows a few miles above Albany. The navigation is safe, and performed in sloops of about forty or fifty tons burden, extremely well accommodated to the river. About sixty miles above the city of New York the water is fresh, and in wet seasons much lower. The river is stored with a variety of fish, which renders a summer's passage to Albany exceedingly di- verting to such as are fond of angling.
The whole province is contained in two narrow oblongs, extend- ing from the city of New York east and north, having water car-
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80
HISTORY OF THE
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riage from the extremity of the one, and from the distance of one hundred and sixty miles of the other.
RICHMOND
County consists of Staten Island, which lies nine miles south- westward from the city of New York. It is about eighteen miles long, and at a medium six or seven in breadth. On the south side is a considerable tract of good level land, but the island is in gene- ral rough, and the hills high. The inhabitants are principally Dutch and French.
Southward of the main coast of this, and the colony of Connecti- cut, lies Long Island, called by the Indians Matowacs. Its length is computed at one hundred and twenty miles, and the mean breadth twelve. The lands on the north and south side are good, but in the middle sandy and barren. The southern shore is fortified against invasion from the sea, by a beach inaccessable to ships, and rarely to be approached even by the smallest long boats on account of the surge which breaks upon it, with great fury, even when the winds are light. The coast, east and west, admits of regular soundings, far into the ocean; and as the lands are in general low for several hundred miles, nothing can be more advantageous to our ships than the highlands of Neversink, near the entrance at the Hook, which are scarce six miles in length, and often seen thirty leagues from sea. This island affords the finest roads in America. It is divided into three counties.
KINGS
County lies opposite to New-York on the north side of Long Is- land. The inhabitants are all Dutch, and, enjoying a good soil near our markets, are generally in easy circumstances. The coun- ty which is very small is settled in every part, and contains several pleasant villages : viz. Bushwick, Brooklyn, Bedford, Flatbush, Flatlands, New Utrecht and Gravesend.
QUEERS
County is more extensive, and equally well settled. The prin-
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61
STATE OF NEW-YORK,
cipal towns are Jamaica, Hempstead, Flushing, Newtow nand Oys- ter bay. Hempstead plain is a large, level, dry champaign heath, a- bout sixteen miles long and six or seven wide ; a common land be- longing to the towns of Oyster-bay and Hempstead. The inhabi- tants are Dutch and English.
SUFFOLK 1
Includes all the eastern part of Long Island, Shelter Island, Fish- er's Island, Plumb Island, and the Isle of White. This large coun- ty has been long settled. Its principal towns are Huntington, Smithtown, Brookhaven, Southampton, Southold and Easthampton- The farmers for the most part are graziers, and living very remote from New York, a great part of their produce is carried to markets in Boston and Rhode Island. The Indians, who were formerly numerous on this island, are now become very inconsiderable. The whale fishery on the south side of the island has declined of late years through the scarcity of whales, and is now almost entirely ne- glected.
The Elizabeth islands, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and Pemy . Quid, which anciently formed Duke's, and the county of Cornwall, are now under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts Bay.
An estimate of the comparative wealth of our counties may be formed from any of our assessments. In ten thousand pounds, part of a forty-five thousand pound tax laid in 1755, the proportions,, settled by an act of assembly, stood thus :
New York,
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£3,332 0 0
Albany,
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1,060 0 0
Kings,
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484 0 0.
Queens,
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1,000 0 0
Suffolk,
860 0 0
Richmond, -
304 0 0
Westchester,
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1,000 0 0
Ulster,
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860 0 0
Dutchess,
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800 0 0
Orange, -
300 0 0
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£10,000 0 0
VOL. 11.
11
82
HISTORY OF THE ·
OF THE INHABITANTS.
This province is not so populous as some have imagined. Scarce a third part of it is under cultivation. The colony of Connecticut, which is vastly inferior to this in extent, contains, according to a late authentic inquiry, above one hundred and thirty thousand in- habitants, and has a militia of twenty-seven thousand men ; but the militia of New York, according to the general estimate, does not exceed eighteen thousand men. The whole number of souls is computed at one hundred thousand.
Many have been the discouragements to the settlement of this colony. The French and Indian irruptions, to which we have al- ways been exposed, have driven many families into New Jersey. The British acts, for the transportation of felons, have brought all the American colonies into discredit with the industrious and honest poor, both in the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. The bi- gotry and tyranny of some of our governors, together with the great extent of their grants, may also be considered among the discou- ragements against the full settlement of the province. Most of these gentlemen coming over with no other view than to raise their own fortunes, issued extravagant patents, charged with small quit- rents, to such as were able to serve them in assembly : and these patentees, being generally men of estates, have rated their lands so exorbitantly high that very few poor persons could either purchase or lease them. Add to all these, the New England planters have always been disaffected to the Dutch; nor was there after the sur- render any foreign accession from the Netherlands.
English is the most prevailing language among us, but not a lit- tle corrupted by the Dutch dialect, which is still so much used in some counties that the sheriff's find it difficult to obtain persons, suf- ficiently acquainted with the English tongue, to serve as jurors in the courts of law.
The manners of the people differ as well as their language. In Suffolk and Queen's county, the first settlers of which were either natives of England, or the immediate descendants of such as began the plantations in the eastern colonies, their customs are similar to those prevailing in the English counties from whence they originally
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STATE OF NEW-YORK. - 83
sprang. In the city of New York, through our intercourse with Europeans, we follow the London fashions, though by the time we adopt them they become disused in England. Our affluence dur- ing the late war introduced a degree of luxury in tables, dress, and furniture, with which we were before unacquainted ; but still we are not so gay a people as our neighbors at Boston, and several of the southern colonies. The Dutch counties, in some measure, follow the example of New York, but still retain many modes peculiar to the Hollanders."
CHAPTER III.
CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES.
New-York stands on the southwest end of Manhattan island, i north latitude forty degrees forty-two minutes and forty-three st- conds, and in east longitude,'from th city of Washington, three de- grees one minute and thirteen seconds. It has the Hudson on the west, New York bay on the south, and East river, a contraction of Long Island Sound, on the east. The bay is eight miles long, and from two to four broad; it communicates with the Atlantic ocean br the Narrows lying between Long Island' and Staten Island, wi .. Newark bay in New Jersey, by the Kills lying between Bergen Poin . and Staten Island, with the interior by the Hudson, and with Long Island Sound, and the ocean by East river. The [ bay embosom: several small islands : such as Governor's, Bedlow's, Ellis's, ant Gibbet's islands.
The situation of New-York is beautiful, eligible, and command- ing, and unrivalled by that of any other city in the United States Beyond the Hudson the coast of New Jersey is seen stretching fron north to south; on the other side of East river and the bay Los Island appears rising from the waters, while to the south and sous- west Staten Island displays itself amid the waves.
This city, in consequence of its commanding position, and in cor- sequence of the vast improvements made in the interior during the last fifty years, has had an astonishing growth, and is now become the largest, the most populous, the most commercial, and the mos opulent of all the cities in the United States. Its wharves are crowe- ed with vessels that daily arrive and depart. At present it con- mands the commerce of more than seven-eighths of the state, ont- half of that of New Jersey, the greatest part of that of Vermont and that of Connecticut, besides some part of that of Massachuse == of western Pennsylvania, of Ohio, and all of that of the territory a Michigan. But it would be foreign to my present purpose to c- late on the advantages and prospects of this rising emporium.
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85
'STATE OF NEW-YORK.
New York is not laid out with much regularity, taste, convenience, or skill. The streets in the ancient parts are in general irregular, narrow, and winding ; those in the modern parts display more sym- etry and elegance, and are more spacious. The city extends two miles and a half along East river, and nearly as many along the Hudson, covering the greater part of the space between those rivers. The ground on which it is built is somewhat uneven ; a spine or rise begins at the battery, which is a delightful promenade occupying the southern extremity of the island, and runs northwardly quite through the city ; from this spine the land slopes away very gently on three sides down to the water's edge ; two of these face Hudson and East rivers, while the third looks down upon the bay ; hence the city, when viewed from either side, appears rising from the wa- ter on that side from whence seen; the best view is from the bay two or three miles south of the battery, because the whole city is then seen, with its numerous spires, and shipping at a single glance, spread out not unlike a fan. The views from the coast of New Jersey, and from Long Island, are less commanding and beautiful, because they are side views and do not take in so great a range.
Broadway is the longest, the most spacious, and the most superb street in the city. It extends from the battery on the spine north- . wardly about two miles and a half, with a breadth of one hundred feet; the tops of many of the houses afford views of the whole city. Greenwich, Hudson, Washington, Pearl, Wall, Chatham, Canal, Grand, Broome, Spring, and Chamber, are all beautiful streets.
Public Buildings .- The City Hall is the most magnificent build- ing in the city, or even in the state ; it is two hundred and sixteen feet in length, one hundred and five in breadth, and fifty-one in heighth, without including the attic story, which is fourteen feet. The front and sides are constructed of white marble, and the rest of red sandstone ; the roof has a balustrade; the centre is round with a cupola. This noble structure wants elevation to give it beau- ty. It was erected in 1803, at an expense of half a million of dol- lars. The supreme court and city courts are held in it.
Columbia College stands near Park Place. It was founded in 1754, and is the oldest literary institution in the state ; it is built of stone, and is three stories high ; each story contains twelve apart-
S6
HISTORY OF THE
ments ; it likewise contains a chapel, hall, laboratory, philosophical apparatus, library, museum, &c. It has a president and five pro- fessors, and about one hundred and twenty students.
The Medical College was incorporated in 1806, and modified in 1813. It is in Barclay-street ; anatomy, surgery, materia medica, physiology, obstetrics, chemistry, natural history, &c. are taught in it.
Rutger's College is also a medical institution. The same branches are taught in it that are in the Medical College.
The Hospital was founded in 1761. It stands on the centre of the great square formed by Broadway, Chapel, Duane, and An- thony-streets. It was burnt in 1775, but was rebuilt after the re- volutionary war. The structure is of stone. Its length is one hun- dred and twenty-four feet, and its breadth fifty, exclusive of the wings, which are respectively eighty-six feet in length. It is four stories high, including the basement. The number of patients va- ries according to circumstances. There is a library belonging to this institution which contains upwards of 5,000 volumes.
The Alms-house, at Bellevue on East river, is built of stone. It is three hundred and twenty feet in length, and fifty feet in breadth, and is the largest building in the city.
The Penitentiary stands in the rear of the Alms-house, and is also of stone. It is one hundred and fifty feet long, and fifty wide.
The Work-house is also in rear of the Alms-house. Its length is two hundred feet, and its breadth twenty-five.
Bridewell and the Jail are in the Park near the City Hall. They are built of stone.
The New York Institution stands near the City Hall, on the north side of the Park. Its length is two hundred and sixty feet, and its breadth forty-four. It is four stories high, including the basement. The literary and philosophical society, the historical society, the lyceum, museum, and the academy of arts, are all in this building. The academy of arts was founded by the late Robert R. Livingston, chancellor of the state of New-York.
The Exchange stands in Wall-street. It is 115 feet in front and 150 in depth, and three stories high. Its front is white marble.
The City Library contains upwards of 20,000 volumes. It was
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STATE OF NEW-YORK. 87
incorporated in 1774. The books were scattered, and principally destroyed during the revolution ; those which it now contains have been purchased since 1784. There are several other libraries in the city, but the number of books in each is inconsiderable.
New-York contains one hundred and one churches and places of public worship.
Public Walks .- We shall only notice the Park and Battery. The former is situated between Broadway and Chatham-street, and contains an area of about four acres. The latter comprises an open space at the southern extremity of the city. It is enclosed and laid off into walks, which are planted with ornamental trees. From the battery there is a charming view of the bay, and the mouths of East and Hudson rivers, and the shores of Long Island and Staten Island, and Bergen Point. The battery is the most delightsome promenade in the city, or its environs.
New-York contains about twenty-five thousand houses and stores, besides the public buildings, and about two hundred thousand in- habitants. The markets are well supplied with meat, fish, butter, vegetables, and fruit, and in fine with every thing which the great- est epicure can desire.
New-York is of very easy access, and affords a very safe and commodious harbor for any number of ships. The bay and East river are seldom obstructed with ice, and whenever this occurs, it rarely continues more than one or two days. The instance, in the winter of 1780 and 1781, when East river, the bay, Nar- rows, Kill, and Hudson were frozen over for about forty days, is unexampled in the annals of the country.
The imports in American vessels, in 1823, amounted to 31,721,974 dollars, and those in foreign to 2,190,479 making a grand total of 33,912,453 dollars. The duties, charged and paid at the Custom House were 9,941,702 dollars. The imports from the 1st of October, 1826, to 30th September, 1827; were as fol- lows :
In American vessels
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$36,600,914
In foreign -
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- 2,118,730,
Making a total of
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- $38,719,644
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88 1
HISTORY OF THE
The exports of domestic produce in American ves-
12,320,508 sels during the same time, were
In foreign
1,600,119
1
Making in all $13,920,627
In the same time the exports of foreign produce in"
American vessels, were
8,908,535
In foreign
1,009,975
Making in all
$9,918,510
The total amount of exports was 23,734,137 dollars. The ba- lance against New York was then 14,985,504 dollars. It may be asked, how the deficiency was made up? we answer, from our citi- zens who have intercourse with New York. The great balance of trade against this city, and which goes into the coffers of capitalists abroad, shows how important it is for our government to foster do- mestic manufactures.
. The registered tonnage in the same time was 158,451, and the ewrolled and licensed 157,837. See the report of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, made in 1828.
The imports of the United States, from the 1st of October, 1826, to the last of September, 1827, were 79,484,068, and the domes- tic exports were 58,921,691, and the foreign 23,403,136 dollars. On comparing the imports of the United States, it will be found that those of New York are nearly one-half, but her exports bear no proportion. The balance of foreign trade against her is greater in proportion to her imports, than it is against Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Orleans, &c. and this balance has to be made from our own citizens.
New York, and the avenues leading to the ocean, are strongly fortified. We shall do little more than enumerate the forts.
Castle William and Fort Columbus stand on Governor's Island, situated in the bay half a mile south of the city.
Fort Wood is on Bedlow's Island, and Crown Fort on Ellis's Island, both lying in the same bay.
Castle Clinton, or the west battery, is situated at the southwest- ern angle of Manhattan island. The latter, with forts William and .
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1
89
STATE OF NEW-YORK.
Columbus, command the head of the bay, and the mouths of East and Hudson rivers.
North Fort is on the Hudson, a mile and a half north of fort Clinton.
Fort Ganzevort is still higher up.
Besides these there is a fort at Hurl Gate, eight miles northeast of the city, which secures the entrance on the side of the sound.
Fort Fayette is within the Narrows. Forts Richmond and Tompkins are on Staten Island, over against fort 'Fayette. The Narrows are seventeen hundred and sixty yards broad. The pos- session of Long Island and Staten Island, in time of war, is of vital importance to New York, since he who possesses them can dictate laws to the city.
. New York was founded by the Dutch, and called by them New Amsterdam, but the year we have not been able to ascertain with so much precision as we could have desired. According to their annals, they purchased some land at the southern, end of Manhattan island, towards the latter end of the year 1614, or in the course of 1616, from the Mohiccons, the original proprietors, on which they erected a small fort and some trading houses. By and by a vil- lage grew up in the vicinity of the fort, which afterwards expanded into a city. Such was the origin of this splendid city. New York was incorporated by Colonel Nicolls on the 12th of June, 1665.
The subjoined is a view of the population at eight different pe- riods, to wit :
In the year 1697 it contained 4,300 inhabitants.
1756
13,040
dò.
1790
33,130
do.
1800
60,489
do.
1810
96,373
do
1820
123,706
do.
1825
166,000
do.
Estimated in 1829
at 200,000
do
The annual increase, including emigrants from the States, and from Europe, exceeds ten thousand. Again, the censors in 1825 . committed some mistakes in taking the census, which would have carried the number over 175,000 ; the number at present, it is pre- VOL. II. 12
90
HISTORY OF THE
sumable, exceeds two hundred thousand exclusive of aliens, or such persons as have not resided long enough in the country to be na- turalized.
New York bay was called by the Lenni Lenape N'aijarlij .-- See Smith's History, p. 26. The Mohiccons, the original inha- bitants of Manhattan island, belonged to this nation.
Brooklyn is in the county of Kings opposite to the city of New York. East river, which separates these places, is one thousand three hundred and twenty yards broad. Brooklyn may be consi- dered a suburb of New York; it contains about fifteen hundred houses and stores, four places for public worship, several rope- walks, factories, &c. and about nine thousand inhabitants. Its situ- ation is commodious and beautiful, and in most respects little infe- rior to that of New York. The United States' Navy Yard is here. All kinds of ships come up to the town. At no distant day Brook- lyn will become a commercial city of rank and consideration. It is now to New York what Pera, or Galata, is to Constantinople.
Jamaica, a pleasant village in Queen's county twelve miles from the city of New York, is a place of considerable resort in summer.
Flatbush, in Kings county, is about five miles from the city of New York, and contains one hundred dwelling houses, an academy, court-house, and jail. It is pleasantly situated.
Sag Harbor, in the county of Suffolk, on the south side of Gard- " ner's bay, contains about one hundred houses, one church, and an academy. The houses are built on a street a mile long. The har- bor is capacious and secure, and admits the largest ships. It is about one hundred miles eastwardly of New York. The tonnage in December, 1826, belonging to this place, was 7,016.
West Farms, in the county of Westchester, is twelve miles north" easterly of the city of New York. The scenery around it is beau- tiful.
Newburgh is situated on the west bank of the Hudson, about sixty miles north of the city of New York, and one hundred south of the city of Albany. It contains about six hundred houses, four churches. an academy, court-house, jail, and bank. Ships of the largest size come up to it. A good navy-yard might be constructed here at 3 moderate expense. Its population in 1820 was 2,700; at present it exceeds 3,000.
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91
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STATE OF NEW-YORK.
Poughkeepsie, the shire town of Dutchess county, is agreeably situated on a plain one mile east of the Hudson, seventy-five miles north of the city of New York, and eighty-five south of the city of Albany. It contains upwards of six hundred dwelling houses and stores, one bank, five places of public worship, an academy, Lan- caster school-house, court-house, and jail. Many of the buildings are brick and stone, and are constructed with elegance. Pough- keepsie was founded about the year 1740. Its population is three thousand.
Poughkeepsie Landing is one mile westwardly, on the east bank of the Hudson. It is a mere hamlet.
Kingston, the shire town of the county of Ulster, stands on the south side of Esopus creek two miles west of the Hudson ; it is one hundred miles northwardly of the city of New York, and sixty southwardly of the city of Albany. It has about two hundred houses, an academy, court-house, church, and jail. After New York, and Albany, it is the oldest place in the state. Its origin may be dated back to 1616. The Dutch called it Esopus. It was burnt by the British in the year 1777.
Catskill, on Cats-kill creek a little above its mouth, is also on the west side of the Hudson; it is one hundred and twenty-five miles north of the city of New York; the number of houses is about two hundred and fifty. The public buildings are, three churches, an academy, court-house, and jail. It is the county town of Green. Its population is about twelve hundred.
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