A Celebrated Corner

Considerable attention is now directed to the corner of Broadway and Cortlandt street. On this site still stands the first iron building erected on Broadway and occupied by Benedict Bros. the jewelers for many years.

Early in the Century this corner was occupied as a small bakery by a Mr. Bogart. He must have been a picturesque figure as he sat in front of his store in the afternoons, his chair tilted back taking his ease. The following sketch of this worthy baker is worth preserving.

Mr. Bogart, at the corner of Broadway and Cortlandt street was the eminent biscuit maker of the city. This old gentleman was the model of a respectable burgomaster. He usually dressed in small clothes, and woolen stockings; buckles at the knees and in his shoes; body-coat, with large pockets and buttons; a white stock, buckled behind; a plain, neat shirt, with sleeve buttons; his hair powdered; a long queue, and a broad brimmed beaver hat. Thus attired in great neatness, each fair afternoon, on business days, after his work was over, was he seen sitting on the bench of his front porch or stoop, with a long pipe in his mouth, quietly smoking and complacently regarding those who passed. His biscuit and tea, made with the water from the tea water pump, were in great request.

Which is the Busiest Street Corner in the City?

The most reliable figures in regard to street traffic are those given by the Traffic Division of the Police Department. These figures were registered on automatic counters by the traffic officers and represent traffic for 10 hours of the day, not 24, namely from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The traffic squad handles daily 15, 543,745 pedestrians in Manhattan borough alone and 2,212,874 vehicles. Some of their figures are given below:

Park Row and Frankfort St. Park Row and Frankfort St Broadway and Fulton St. Broadway and Fulton St. Broadway south of Fulton St. to Bowling Green, all crossings Fifth Avenue and 23rd St. Fifth Avenue and 23rd St. Fifth Avenue and 34th St. Fifth Avenue and 34th St. Fifth Avenue and 42nd St. Fifth Avenue and 42nd St. Broadway and Times Square Broadway and Times Square Columbus Circle Columbus Circle In Brooklyn Borough

296,200 pedestrians 6,700 vehicles 223,000 pedestrians 10,300 vehicles 1,200,000 pedestrians 159,920 pedestrians 9,645 vehicles 140,360 vehicles 14,360 vehicles 113,780 pedestrians 18,000 vehicles 90,370 pedestrians 19,650 vehicles 81,990 pedestrians 39,210 vehicles

Fulton and Court St. Fulton and Court St. Flatbush and Fourth Aves Flatbush and Fourth Aves.

41,260 pedestrians 5,767 vehicles 36,859 pedestrians 13,075 vehicles

In the Bronx Third Avenue and 149th St. Third Avenue and 149th St.

69,640 pedestrians 7,344 vehicles

The Bridges Manhattan Bridge Manhattan Bridge Williamsburg Bridge Williamsburg Bridge Queensboro Bridge Queensboro Bridge

11,018 pedestrians 11,299 vehicles 54,110 pedestrians 9,916 vehicles 42,420 pedestrians 14,530 vehicles

The Brooklyn Bridge, the oldest of them all and the one which has the greatest traffic, is not given. The City's Office Building

The City's Office Building

The Municipal Building, the grandest and highest municipal building in the world, covers three irregular city blocks. It is occupied exclusively by the employees of the city, who number over 7,500, quite a town by itself. The building has 26 stories, rising to a height of 330 feet above the street, surmounted by a tower 210 feet high, and holding eight stories. The total height from the Subway arcade to the top of the 24-foot figure on the tower is 560 feet. The principal front, facing Centre Street, is 448 feet long, the rear on Park Row is 361 feet, the Duane Street side is 339 feet and the Tryon Row side, facing the south, is 71 feet long. The foundation is 130 feet below the street level and 90 feet below water level. The cost of the building is about $10,000,000. The Mayor's office and the chambers of the Board of Aldermen, and offices required by close subordinates of the Mayor and Aldermen and the Police, Fire and Dock Departments are still continued in the City Hall.

Under the Municipal Building is the most important passenger transportation point in the city. Here converge the subways of the east and west sides of Manhattan, the Fourth Avenue to Brooklyn and Coney Island, and the Elevated under the East River to East New York, Cypress Hills and Jamaica. When the entire system of subways is completed it will be possible to take a train here and go to any part of the Metropolis.

A Pompeian Portico in New York

Of all the thousands who daily pass the beautiful portico which stands at the entrance of Delmonico's where Beaver, William and Stone streets intersect, few know or perhaps care to know that that bit of classic art belongs to an ancient civilization and once stood in the proud city of Pompeii.

It was the portico of a private residence in that city and gives us some idea of the culture and civilization of an age that has long passed away. Through this portico passed no doubt many of the stately figures of Pompeii, its distinguished public characters, its merchant princes, its wealthy social leaders and hosts of gay youths and merry maidens intent on pleasure just like the youths and maidens of our own pleasure loving city today. Perhaps, too, it witnessed the panoplies displays of Rome's imperial power and saw the victorious legions coming back from their conquests in unknown lands.

But a time came in Pompeii when that proud city should know humiliation and sorrow, and this same portico must have witnessed the mad, excited mobs rushing hither and thither to escape the terrible storm of dust and lava that swept down upon it in the fated year 74 and buried it and its people forever under a heap of ruins.

The portico was brought from Pompeii by Lorenzo Delmonico in 1840, and when the building at Beaver and William Streets was erected after the fire of 1845 this historic and classic old portico was built in. At a later period when the building was reconstructed the portico was put into the structure as is now stands.

The Swamp

A rather unique section of the business portion of the city is "The Swamp," headquarters of the leather trade. In the very early days of our city's history, this region was the home of the tanners, and their old time vats are even now disclosed when new building operations are undertaken. The tanners originally started in John Street, where they owned land in common, and one of their prominent men, John Harpinberg, gave the land on which was built the old Middle Dutch Church. The street was named after him.

From John to Frankfort Street is the original "Swamp." It was part of the Beekman and Leisler farms and was called "Beekman's Cripple Bush." At one time it was leased to Rip Van Dam for 20 shillings a year. The 1744 it was sold to Jacobus Roosevelt for $1,000. The ground is still low, soft and wet, and the buildings rest on piles. At the corner of Frankfort and William Streets stood the Carlton House, where Dickens stopped and where Poe lived for a time. Through all these years the "Swamp" has remained loyal to its first love, leather and is today the largest market for that staple in the world. There are now many large buildings in this region, notably on the old St. Georges' Chapel property, on part of which a great belting firm stands. The corner on which St. George's stood is now occupied by a large paper warehouse. All the great leather houses are still in "The Swamp," and everything seems to point toward their remaining there, so that "The Swamp" bids fair to become New York's oldest landmark.

Bedloe's Island in 1753

Going back to 1753 we find the following interesting description of Bedloe's Island:

"To be let. Bedloe's Island, alias Love Island, together with the Dwelling House and Light House, being finely situated for a tavern, where all kind of Garden Stuff, Poultry, & c may be easily raised for the Shipping outward bound, and from where any quantity of pickled Oysters may be obtained; it abounds with English Rabbits."

The following items of the same date will interest our Brooklyn readers:

"Travelers are desired to observe, in going from Flat-Bush to said Ferry (Yellow Hook ferry), to keep the mark'd trees on the right hand."

The Jersey

The hulk of a 64-gun vessel in Wallabout Bay,. Brooklyn, used by the British as a prison ship during the Revolution. The ship was never cleaned, and for seven years was a centre of disease. It held 1200 prisoners. During her use as a prison ship 11,000 died and were buried on the Brooklyn shore. In 1902 the sunken hulk was discovered during operations connected with the building of a dock on the spot.

Plymouth Church

The church in Brooklyn, N.Y., made famous by the long pastor ship of Henry Ward Beecher, which lasted from 1847 until his death, forty years later. The original building was burned in 1849, when the present plain brick church was erected, seating 2800 people, and containing one of the largest organs in America.