THE
 

OLD MERCHANTS OF NEW YORKCHY.
 

CHAPTER I.
 

The changes in New York life are very wonderful.
In no class of society are those changes so extraordi--
nary as among merchants. Commerce has made New
York; — kept it up, and will continue to increase it in
wealth and population until our city becomes the great¬
est in the world. Such is her destiny. Thirty years
hence we shall be in advance of London 1 There is
no doubt about it. Let us go back thirty years. In
1880 a New Yorker of no very extended acquaintance
could tell the names of all the principal merchants, and
where they lived. Very few merchants of note lived
above Chambers street thirty years ago.

But now it is impossible to tell where they do not
live. Thirty years ago there was a court that ran from
Wall street to Pine, next to the Bank of New York on
Wall, and next to the old Bank Coffee House kept by
Billy Niblo on Pine and William street corner. This
court was called Wall street court. It was filled with
offices, and they were mainly occupied by lawyers.
There was a famous pump in the court, that was used
by half Wall and all Pine street. In the building
fronting Wall street court on Wall street was the New