Lighting The City

"December, 1697: Resolved, that the mode of lighting the city be that 'during the dark time of the moon until the 25th of March next every seventh householder cause a lanthorn and candle to be hung out on a pole every night.' The expense to be divided equally between the seven. The aldermen are charged to see this done."

Arrival of a Governor

"Resolved, that a dinner be proposed at the charge of the corporation for the entertainment of his Excellency, Richard, Earl of Bellomont, Captain general, etc., etc., and a committee appointed to make a bill of fare (two aldermen and two assistants) 'and that for effectual doing thereof, they call to their assistance such cooks as they shall think necessary to advise.'"

Duties of Aldermen

1700 Alderman Provoost and Mr. Duykink appoi8nted to take care that the public house or office on the dock be cleaned and put in repair, and a person appointed daily to keep the same clean.

The Battery

"1695, October: The governor and council, in consequence of actual war between the King and Queen on one part, and the French, and the knowledge that a squadron of ships are ordered to invade this city, order that a platform be made upon the outmost point of the rocks under the fort. Whereupon, as the governor says, 'I intend to build a battery to command both rivers;' therefore he requires the corporation to order the inhabitants of the out ward of the city and Manning and Barne's Island to cut down eighty-six cords of stockades of twelve feet in length, and to have them in readiness at the water side to be conveyed to New York, at the charge of the city and county."

1694. January 15. The Common Council address the governor. They thank him for ordering the platform and battery on the point of the rocks under the fort, "a work absolutely needful and of so great contrivance that no doubt (by the assistance of God, your Excellency's indefatigable diligence) etc., the province for the future will be in perfect security, and the rumor thereof make the enemy change his measure and not attack the city."

Ferry to Long Island

1699, February. The ferry is let for seven years, on condition of security for payment given. The farmer to provide two great boats or scows for cattle, etc., and two small boats for passengers, one of each to be kept on each side. That the city build a ferry-house within the first year of the lease. The fare for a single person is fixed at eight strivers in wampum, or a silver two pence. If a company cross together, each to pay four silvers in wampum or a silver penny; but after sunset double ferriage. A single horse, 1s.; several in company 9d.; a colt 3d.; a hog, the same as a single person; a sheep, half; a barrel of liquid, 3d; an empty barrel, four strivers in wampum, or a silver penny; a beast's hide, do; a firkin or tub of butter, two strivers in wampum; a bushel of corn, half; a hogshead of tobacco, 9d. The rent per year, L165.

Mails

1705, May 14. "The Pennsylvania Post not yet come in, and suppose the three days of rainy weather last week has hindered him."

The Original Mammoth

1705, July. "There is a prodigious tooth brought here, supposed to be the tooth of a man" from the shape, "it weighs 4 3/4 lbs." It was dug up on the side of a hill, thirty or forty feet underground, "near a place called Clavarack, about thirty miles this side of Albany; it is looked upon here as a mighty wonder whether the tooth of a man or beast." Other bones were dug up which crumbled away on exposure to the air; "They say one of them, which is thought to be a thigh bone, was 17 feet long."

Capture of Pirates

1723, July 25. The Common Council, in consideration of the services done by Captain Peter Solgard, of His Majesty's ship Greyhound, in seeking and engaging two pirate sloops commanded by one Low, "a notorious and inhumane pirate," one of which sloops he took, after a desperate resistance, and very much shattered the other, who, by the favor of the night, escaped "twenty-six of which pirates were lately executed at Rhode Island therefore, ordered that the freedom of the City, in a gold box, be presented to him the arms of this corporation to be engraved on one side thereof, and a representation of the engagement on the other, with this motto: "Questions Humani Generis Hostes debellare superbum, 10th Junii, 1723." Charles Roux, goldsmith, is paid the 6th of August L23 19s. for the above box and engraving the same. (This Charles Le Roux, appears at this time as an artist in New York). The Corporation waited upon Captain Peter Solgard and presented said box, which he "accepted with great satisfaction, and invited the corporation to a collation tomorrow night." The pirates thus taken were captured off the east part of Long Island.

The First Presbyterian Church in Wall Street

"1718, April 16th. Gilbert Livingston, Thomas Grant, Patrick Macknight, and John Nicholls, in behalf of themselves and the congregation of dissenting protestants, called Presbyterians, represent, that they have bought a piece of ground, contiguous to the City Hall, or near thereunto, with intent, speedily, to erect a meeting house for public worship, and they pray for the use of the City Hall for the same purpose, until their meeting house is finished.

First Daily Newspaper In New York

1785. The Daily Advertiser was started.

Cold Weather

1780, January 29. Eighty sleighs with provisions, escorted by one hundred soldiers, crossed the harbor on the ice from Staten Island to New York

Mild Weather

1755. The winter so mild that navigation was open on the Hudson to Albany during the whole season.

A Nobleman's Mother

1760, April. Mrs. Mary Alexander died. She had kept a store in New York for many years. Her husband was a distinguished lawyer, who acquired wealth and distinction here. Her son was educated in England, and after his father's death visited that country, where he attempted to procure recognition of his claim to the title of the Earl of Stirling. His relationship to the last Earl was so far established as to secure the endorsement of a jury, though not under forms which were recognized by the House of Peers. He assumed the title, but was specially enjoined from its use. He returned to America, where, by courtesy, he was addressed by his title. He became a distinguished American General.