OHAfTER in.
 

(16M-1700.)
 

Old New York tlie Flour City—First Episoopal FUoe of Worship-^lnt

City Hall—Fiist Hospital—Start of Shipbuilding Indufltry-

First lighting ^stem—law to "Hang Fopiih Priesti,"

The name Flour City was given to old New York primarily, aa ahe
produced after 1S83 a grade that had preference in all foreign markets.
It engaged the services of two-thirds of her population in bolting and
packing, and from It she derived a large revenue. Indeed, so steady was
the increase in revenue and population from the furtherance of this In¬
dustry that in 1607, about eighty years after the beginning of the settle¬
ment, there were 4,302 Inhabitants, and In 1699 there were 6,000. The
framers of the law of l€S3. by which this monopoly was given te tho colony,
compelled a rigid system of inspection of all flour made for export, and
because of this It maintained its supremacy over the flour of the Old World
sod enriched ita producers.

In a petition to tbe Legislature In 169S, when an attempt was mads to
repeat the law, tho Corporation of New York stated that when the bolting
of flour began. In 1S78, there were only 3S4 houses, as against 9S3 in 1695;
that the revenue for the three years after 16TS was i£,O0O, and In 16ST It
bad Increased to iS.OOO; that In ISTS there wore 3 ships, 7 boats and 8
sloops engaged in the traffic, as against 60 ships, 40 boats and 2G sloops
In 1694.

The law, however, bad become odious and oppressive to the country
people, and their growing influence with the Governor and the Legislature
caused Us repeal In 1699. but not without a long and strenuous resistance
from tbe city authorities, who were loath to have such a lucrative monopoly
taken from thom.

In 1606 Trinity Church was built, the Rev. Mr. Vesey holding the Drst
service In It on February 6, 1697. It was originally a small ediflce, but was
enlarged in 173li and 1737.

The flrst place or worship in the old city used by the Episcopalians wa#
the small church built by the Dutch In 1640 Inside Port Amsterdam. Its
service was In accordance with that of the Church of Holland and prevailed
until 1664, when the fort and overjrthlng within Its wall was taken pos¬
session of by the British troops. It was destroyed by 0re on March IS, 1741,
as tbs result of the negro uprising.

During the fire which destroyed the southwest part of the city on
September 2\, 1776, tbe venerable edlfloe of Trinity met its fate and lay

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