Class Book. COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT BITS OF Old Brooklyn J. A. DAVIDSON & CO. Copyrighted. 1881 ^ J, A. DAVIDSON & CO COAL Ax\D WOOD. Court and Pacific Sts. Bond nr. Degraw St., Gowanus Canal. N. Y. Office, 50 Leonard St. Connected by Private Telephone. BROOKLYN IN 1776. Near "the Ferry" a few houses were ciustered arouiid the old ferry tavern, but the whole number of dwellings in this portion of the town at that time scarcely exceeded fifty. Along •' the Heights," whose precipitous banks were covered with goodly groves of cedars, were a few private residences, among which that of Philip Livingston, afterwards known as the "Joralemon House," was most conspicuous for size and elegance ; while the whole of that now thickly builded portion of the city embraced be- tween the East Eiver, Joralemon and Fulton Streets was occupied by thrifty fiuit orchards, extensive mar- ket gardens and choice pasture lands. Along the shores of the East Eiver were scattered the STibstantial farm houses of old Dutch families. Nearly a mile and a half back from the ferry, and in the middle of the road to Jamaica, stood the an- cient stone church, around which was gathered the village of Brooklyn proper. Another mile and a quarter beyond, on the same road, a few farm houses tormed the neighborhood known, then as now, as Bedford. In 1710 the city watch consisted of four men, who went about the town crying the hour of the night and the season of the weather, annual expense £36, exclusive of fire and light in the watch house, and the cost of lanthorns and hour glasses (which then served the place of watches) for the watchmen. OUR COURT STREET YARD Is on the site of a steep conical hill (afterwards lev- elled), known as Cobble Hill, npon which was a fort of three guns, known in Revolutionary times as " Pon- kiesbergh," or "Cobble Hill Fort." Its trenches ascended spirally to the top, where a platform was laid for the cannon, from which circumstance it de- rived its nickname of "Corkscrew Fort. ' From this position Washington, Putnam and other generals witne-sed the terrible struggles on the Gowanus Creek, of the Americaus against the Biitish. It commanded Fort Stirling, on the edge of the Heights, between the present Orange and Clark streets ; and on that account was made lower by the British, during their subsequent occupation, for fear that it might Aill into the hands of the Continentals, in which case Fort Stirling would have been untena- ble. During the war of 1812 the fort w^as rebuilt and strengthened, and named " Fort Swift," after Gen* J. G. Swift, under whose superintendence it was re- constructed. Standard Anthracite Coal, FERRY REGULATIONS IN 1654. The feirj'niau sbaii always keep proper servants and boats, and a lodge on both sides of the river, to protect passengers from the weather. The ferryman cannot be compelled to ferry any- thing over before he is paid. The hours of the ferry shall be from 5 o'clock a. m. to 8 p. M. in Summer, provided the windmill (on the battery at Manhattans) hath not taken in its sail ; after this last-mentioned hour, double ferriage. From 7 o'clock a. m. to 5 o'clock p. m, in Winter, but he is not to be obliged to ferry during a tempest, or when the windcnill hath lowered its sail, in conse- quence of storm or otherwise. The ferryman is to be allowed : Fl. St. For each cart or wagon with two hoi ses or oxen, 2 10 For one cart or wagon with one horse. - 2 For one pig, sheep, buck or goat, For two, eight stuivers, and what is above that, each, . - - - - 3 For two or more persons, each one, - - 3 For a child under ten years, half fare. For one horse, or four-footed horned beast, - 1 10 For one hogshead of tobacco, - - 16 For one ton of beer, - - - -16 For one auker of wine or liquor, . - 6 For a tub of butter, soap or such like, - - 6 For a mud (4 bushels) of gram, - - 4 English and American Cannel. THE *' FERRY TAVERN" was situated on the north side of Fulton street, near the corner of Front, the river at that time coming nearly up to the latter street. The tavern was a large and gloomy stone building, about sixty feet square and two stories in height. It was owned by the cor- poration of the city of New York, and known as "Corporation House." A ferry house had been err^cted on this site in 174C, on ground purchased in 1G94. The first house was burned in 1748, and the ('orporation House erected iu its place. Before the Kevolution the tavern was kept by Capt. Adolph Waldron, who was also fei-rymaster. On the breaking out of the war, Waldron took the Federal side, and was succeeded by Charles Loosely and Thomas Elms, who named it the "King's Head." Lieut. Ambury, of the British Army, in a letter to a friend in Eugland, dated New York, October 30, 1781, says : "On crossing the East River from New York, you land at Brooklyn, which is a scattered vil- lage, consisting of a few houses. At this place is an excellent tavern where parties are made to go and eat fish ; the landlord of which has saved an immense fortune during the war." This tavern was the headquarters of royalists and tories, and was subsequently known as ' Brooklyn Hall'" Oak and Hickory Wood, OUR GOWANUS CANAL YARD Is within a slone's throw of the site ofthe oldest mill in " Breukelen." which was called 'Treeke's Mill,'' or the "Old Gowanus Mill," built iu the year 1661. The mill pond was formed by damming off the head of Gowanus creek, and the old mill was located be- tween Sackettand Union, Nevins and Bond streets. The head of the dam was about at the junction of whotis now Bond and Warren streets. The memorable battle of Long Island occurred in this immediate vicinity. The bloodiest conflict took place after the Americans had left the Flatbush Pass. The place of severest conflict was a little east of the junction ol Flatbush avenue and Atlantic street. In the disastrous retreat that followed, some of the larger bodies of troops struirgled through the salt morasses and across the narrow causeway of Freeke's mill, while the Hessians opened a destructive fire from some guns posted on the hills, near Ninth avenue. Ere eveniug drew its pall around the battle field, fully one half of the five thousand patriot army which had that morning gone forth to battle for their country, were dead, wounded or imprisoned. Lykens Valley Coal for Grates. STANDARD QUALITIES OF COAL, Lehigh and Locust Mountain English and American Cannel, Lykens Valley, Red Ash, OAK AND VIRGIN A PINE, FOR KINDLING. Hickory Wood, CUT TO SUIT Wood Stoves and Andirons. 10 FROM OLD NEWSPAPERS. 16G8 -''Libtral Reward. On July 8tb, the house of Widow Eapelye, Brooklyn Ferry, was broken open and robbed of one gold ring, marked " M. D., ' heart in hand ; seven silver spoons, marked "J. R. L>." ; OJie pnir j2;old sleeve buttons ; two Johannesses ; one doubloon ; two New York £6 bills ; one 40.s- ; and about £40 in Jersey bills smd dollars. The thief was tried and executed on the 15th of the same month. 1782 — "May 3, on Monday se'nnight the enemy (British) begaii to break ground to out a canal on L. I. to run Irora the V/allabout to the Pond ( Freeke's Mill), taking in Cobble Hill Fort. The length of the trench is 2\ miles. The militia are called out in rota- tion one day in a week, none above 15 being excused from labor." 1783 — "Subscription assemblies at Looseh's i Brooklyn Hall every other Thursday during the sea- son, for the gentlemen of the army and navy, public departments and citizens. Half a guinea each night to provide music, tea, coffee, chocolate, negus, sanga- ree, lemonarle, etc." 1824— February 25th, aflag stone walk was laid from the gate of the old Fulton Ferry to the Steamboat Hotel, a large wooden building which stood on the easterly corner of Fulton and Water streets. This was the fiisr, walk ever laid to the ferry. Oak and Virginia Pine 11 SUNDRY ITEMS. The ''American gazetteer'' for 1798, thus briefly disposes of Brooklyn : " A township in Kings county, N. Y., on the^west end of Loug Island, having 1603 inhabitants and 224 are electors, by the State census of 1796. There are a Presbj terian church, a Dutch Reformed church, a powder ruagazine and some elegaat houses, which lie chiffly on one street East River, near a mile broad, separates the town from New York." In 1811 there was bnt one dry goods store in Brook- lyn It was kept by Abraham Remsen, on the corner of Fulton and Front streets. In the same year a petition was sent to the Legisla- ture for the establishment of a bank in Brooklyn. The great inconvenience of crossing the ferry in bad weather on days when notes fell due is dwelt upon by the petitioners. Forty years ago corn grew on Montague street, Court street had no existence and the fashionable iocality of South Brooklyn was but a dismal sund hill. In February, 1832, a contract was made for clean- ing the streets for one year for $400. 'For Kindling Purposes. 12 EAST RIVER BRIDGE IN 1800. "It has been suggested that a bridge should be constructed from this village across the East River to New York. This idea has been treated as chimeri- cal, from the magnitude of the design ; but whoso- ever takes it into their serious consideration, will find more weight in the practicability of the scheme than at first view is imagined. This would be the means of raising the value of the lands on the east side of the river. It has been observed that every objection to the building of this bridge could be re" futed, and that it only wanted a combination of opin- ion to favor the attempt. 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 erect it in two years' time." ETickory cut to suit 13 OLD POST OFFICE NEWS. The Brooklyn Post Office was established in 1813, n the site of the present Union Argus buildinf?. oel Biiuce was the first Postmaster, and (in 1819) homas W. Birdsail the second Postmaster. He was iceeeded by Erastus Worthington, and the office moved to Fulton street, opposite Hicks, on the site the present Atlantic Bank. In 1824 the office was eld by Mr.Bennett, then by S. E. Clements, and by oseph Moser. In 1829 Adrian Hegeman was ap- ointed and served twelve years. In 1841 George lall was appointed and the office was r^^moved to ranberry street, between Fulton and Henry. At that time the whole mail force consisted of Post- laster, an assistant, Mr. Simonson, and the mail lesseuger, Benjamin Kichardson. who took the mail ttice to New York, and was the only letter carrier f the village. irVood Stoves & Andirons. 14 1881. POST OFFICE ITEMS. Office open trom 7 a. m. to 7. 30 p. m. Sundays, from 9 to 10 a. m. Legal Holidays, from 7 to 10 a. m. Postage ou city letters 2 cents for each lialf ounce.! To all parts of the United (States, outside of Brooklyn 3 cents for each half ounce. Postage to Canada cents per half ounce. England, Ireland, Scotland Fl'ance, and Germany 5 cents per half ounce. On domestic letters at least one full rate must bf prepaid or they will not be forwarded, any balanci tbat may be due will be collected at destination. / Canada letters must be fully prepaid or they canno be forwarded. Samples or articles of merchandise, in packages, not over 4 pounds in weight, 1 cent per ounce, or) fraction thereof, must be fnlly prepaid Books and newspapers 1 cent for every two ounces or fraction thereof, also /'/J/// prepaid Money Orders. — Office Registry departmcut (texeral Collection's begin at 7, 8 and 11 a. m, ; Vlh, 2, 5^ and 9 p. m^ Sunday collections begin at H and 9 p. m. Letters mailed at the main office up to 12 midnight,^ or at stations up to 11 p. m, will be forwarded i'^| time for all the early morning trains out of New York. laoficJIt/ prepaid. .i )ffice open from 9 a. m to^4 p. mM open from 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. | [OSS FROM Street r^ETTKR BoxesiI Connected by Private Telephone. J. A. DAVIDSON & CO. COAL and WOOD, Court and Pacific Sts. Bond nr. Degraw St., Gowanus Canal. N. Y. Office, 50 Leonard Street. AV^-i' LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 205 528 4 «