Stokes, I. N. Phelps The iconography of Manhattan Island 1498-1909 (v. 5)

(New York :  Robert H. Dodd,  1915-1928.)

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CHRONOLOGY : THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD : 1783-1812    1265
 

I   a tontine for the purpose,—See O 12, 1792; Mr 8, 1793; Mr. 24,

1795-

By an "Act for the further Encouragement of Literature,"
the legislature authorises the regents to lease certain state lands
(induding Governor's Island) for the benefit of Columbia College
and the academies in the state, and alao grants them £1,000 "for
the encourageraent and promotion of science in the said college
and the acaderaies already incorporated," Governor's Island is to be
so granted "that no raore than two dweUing houses shall be erected
on the said island."—iouii ofN. Y., 13th sess., chap. 38. See Ap 13.

Wra, Maclay writes in his journal "nothing reraarkable, save
a violent attack on Harallton by Judge [Edanus] Burke of South
Carolina, which the men of the blade say must produce a duel."
Four days later, April 4, he wrote: "The town is much agitated
ahout a duel between Burke and Hamilton, So raany people
concerned in the business may really make the fools fight."—Jour¬
nd of William Maclay (N.Y., 1890), 227, 230. Noneof the biogra¬
phers ot Harallton makes mention ot such a duel, which, It would
seera, did not culminate,

John TrurabuU offers propoaala at New York "for publishing
by subscription, two printa from original pictures, painted by
hirasdf, representing tbe death ot Gen. Warren, at tbe batde of
Bunker's Hill, aod the death of Gen. Montgomery in the attack
ot Quebec."—Autobiography of John Trumbiill (1841), 164, 339-45.

Washington recdves from the governor of the state an act of
the legislature "ceding the Light House, at tbe Hook, to the
United States."—Diary of Washington (i860), 116.

In response to the common council's petition of March 26
(g.v.), the state legislature grants pciraission for the raising ot a
sum not eiceeding £5,000 by a tai on the real and personal eatates
ot the inhabitants of New York City.—Ioujs ofN. Y., 13th aesa.,
chap. 50.  See Ap 6.

An act is passed by the legislature making it lawful tor the
treasurer "to cause the lot ot land in the aouth ward of the city of
New York forraerly called the welgh-houae lot to be sold at public
vendue."-ifliui ofN. Y. (Swaine, 1790), chap. 54.

Washington records: "Sat tor Mr Savage, at the request of tbe
Vice President, to have my Portrait drawn for him."—Washing¬
ton's Diary (Lossing ed.), 117.

The clerk ot tbe common council presents to the board " a Map
or Survey of the 10 Acres ot Common Lands to be granted to
Major L'Enfant agreable to the Resolutions of this Board" (see
O 12 and D 30, 1789). The hoard approves. The land ia thus
described; "Beginning at the North Corner of the Lane of two
Roods Wide leading from the Post Road to the tarra of David
provoost dec<i thence N" 43'' East along the post Road deven
Chains & siity one Links, thence S^ 49° 30' East seven Chains
k eighty three Links thence 8° 35° 30' West deven Chains and
seventy two Links. & thence North 49° St 30' Weat, along the said
Lane, nine Chains & thirty aix Links to the place ot beginning.
Containing Ten Acres ot Land." The board ordera that the clerk
prepare a draft of the grant accordingly.—M. C. C. (1784-1831),
I; 536. On .April 16, auch draft was presented by the derk to the
board, who thereupon ordered that it be engrossed.—Ibid., 1: 539,
The position of this plot on the modern map would have been
approximately between 66th and 70th Sts., eaat of Third Ave.
See, further, Ap 30.

The committee appointed (see Mr 19) "to consider of the
Repairs k Improvements necessary to be made to the Battery and
the  Mode of carrying  them into  effect" reports:

"That they have ordered the Survey accompanying tbis
Report to be made of the Battery from the Whart erected by the
Corporation last year to White Hdl Slip,

"That in theOpinion of the Coraraittee the said Wharf should
be continued extending in a right Line to the Point A in the Survey
being tbe outermost part of the Bastion on the Flat Rock and
frora thence in a straight direction to the Point B. being the South¬
west point ot the Battery, agreable to the exterior Line A : B : in
the Survey.  .  ,  .

"That the said Wharf so to be erected should in the Opinion
of your Committee be constructed after a similar raanner with
the aforesaid part erected last Year and that Commissioners
should he appointed to carry the same into immediate effect,
authorized to make Contracts for the purpose in behalf of this
Corporation upon the most osconomical Prindples and that a
Warrant be granted thera upon the City Treasurer for said Pur¬
 

poses for a aum not exceeding five hundred Pounda and that they   .
be accountable to this Board for the expenditure thereof.

"That the Commissioners so appointed should be instructed
to lend every Assistance to the Commissioners for buUding the
Governraent House, by levdllng the Ground, digging the founda¬
tion for the Buildings about to be erected and preparing whatever
Stone raay be requisite for said Buildings k by lending every
facility & Aid in their power to the said Commissioners."

The board appoints Aid, Isaac Stoutenburgh, Asst. Aid. Peter
T. Curtenius, and John Pintard aa auch commissioners, and
advances £500 to thera.—M. C. C. (1784-1831), I: 536-37.

The common council requires a committee to "cause a Survey
to be made of the Broad Way from the South side ot the burnt
lutheran Church [3. w. cor. Broadway and Rector St.) north¬
wards" tor tbe purpose of new paving Broadway.—M. C. C.
(17S4-1831), I:  537.  See, further. My 14.

The commissioners tor building the government house advertise
that tbey wiU continue to receive plana (aee Mr 24) for the said
house until AprU 12 at twdve o'clock, on which day, they mean
to determine on the plan to be carried into execution. Masons
and bricklayers, desirous to contract for the stone and brick
work by the perch or rod are desired to send In their proposals
without dday, to the state treasurer's office. No. 8 Great Dock.—
Dally Adv., Ap 7, 1790. The plan for the government house was
chosen by April 26 (q, v.). The architect has not been posltivdy
identified, but was probably James Robinson. See descrip. ot Pl,
55-b, Vol, I,

Senator Maday writes: "I went tbis afternoon to hear a negro
preach. I can only say it would be a favor to rdigion in general
it preachers manifested the same fervor and sincerity tbat were
apparent in his raanner. He declared himadf untutored,
but be seemed to have the Bible by heart."—Mac/ay's Jour.,
232.

The first act rdating to tbe Issuing of patents ia passed and
approved by Waahington. It Is entitled "An Act to promote the
Progress of useful Arts."—Acts passed at the second session of the
Congress of the U. S. (N. Y,, 1790), chap. 7, p. 16. This was re¬
pealed hy a new act of the same title, Feb. 21, 1793.—/ftiU (Rich¬
mond, 1793), chap. 55, p. 31.

The first patent was granted, on July 31, 1790, to Samud
Hopkins for "a new raethod of raaking pot and pearl ashes;" the
second, on Aug. 6, 1790, to Joseph Stacey Simpson for "Manu¬
facturing candlea;" and the third, on Dec. )8, 1790, toOliver
Evans for "Manufacturing Flour and meal."—List of Patents
granted by U. S. (1790-1836), 4; Weber, The Patent Office: Its
Hist., Activities, and Organization, 3-4. The third patent, aigned
by Washington, is stiU preserved in the patent office.

"A Foreigner" writes to McLean, the pubUsher: "I have
remarked that New-York has the advantage ot most of the other
dries on this continent, in the accommodation it affords ot hackney
and job-coaches; but I cannot hdp observing the great impro¬
priety which appears to me at Funerals, ot the same carriages
bdng used to convey the bodies of deceased children! . , .
Would it not be both decent and respectful to raake use of a
mourning coach upon these occasions? One Mourning Coach,
I bdiev^ would be sufficient tor this city . . ."—N. Y. Daily
Gaz., Ap 10, 1790,

"... a party of gentiemen went out with March's hounds,
and put off a Fox near the five mile stone. They had a delightful
Chace to Kings-Bridge, and earthed Reynard near the house ot
widow Days, where they were obliged to take off the dogs. An¬
other Fox was put off, who afforded a fine chace round Fort
Washington." There is to be another hunt on Long Island on
April 13.—N. Y. Dally Gas., Ap 12, 1790.

Trinity vestry passes a resolution "that a Clock k Bell be
procured tor S* Paul's Chapel, and a Ring of Bells for Trinity
Church," and that a coraraittee is appointed for thia purpose.—
Trin. Min. (MS.).  See F 8, 1796.

Trinity vestry resolves "that In future no black Persons be
permitted to be buried in Trinity Church Yard, nor any except
Coraraunicants in the Cemetery at S* Pauls."-Trin. Min. (MS.).

A committee appointed by "the Regents ot the University"
advertises an auction, to take place on the first Tuesday in May at
the Coffee House, for the lease ot "Governor's or Nutten's Island "
to the person who shall bid the highest annual rent for the term
of twenty-one years.—N. Y. Packet, Ap 13, 1790.  See Mr 31.
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